Samuel the Seeker | Page 8

Serves ye right! Better stay there!"
"No! No!" screamed the boy, in terror. "I'm starving--I've been here for
days. For heaven's sake let me out--I'll never do it again."
"If I let you out," said the voice, "it's my business to arrest you."
"All right," cried Samuel. "Anything--but don't leave me here."
There was a moment's silence. "Have you got any money?" asked the
voice.
"Yes. Yes--I've got money."
"Don't yell so loud. How much?"
"Why--what?"
"How much?"
"I've got eighty dollars."
"All right. Give it to me and I'll let you out."
Frantic as he was, this staggered Samuel. "I can't give you all my
money," he cried.
"All right then," said the other. "Stay there."
"No, no!" he protested. "Wait! Leave me just a little."

"I'll leave you five dollars," said the voice. "Speak up! Quick!"
"All right," said Samuel faintly. "I'll give it to you."
"Mind! No nonsense now!"
"No. Let me out!"
"I'll bat you over the head if you try it," growled the voice; and the boy
stood trembling while the hasp was unfastened and the door was
pushed back a little. The light of a lantern flashed in through the crack,
blinding him.
"Now hand out the money," said the stranger, standing at one side for
safety.
"Yes," said Samuel, fumbling with the pin in his waistcoat. "But I can't
see to count it."
"Be quick! I'll count it!"
And so he shoved out the wad. Fingers seized it; and then the light
vanished, and he heard the sound of footsteps running.
For a moment he did not understand. Then, "Give me my five dollars!"
he yelled, and rolled back the door and leaped out. He was just in time
to see the figure with the lantern vanish among the cars up the track.
He started to run up the track and tripped over a tie and fell headlong
into a ditch. When he scrambled to his feet again the long train was
beginning to move, and the light of the lantern was nowhere to be seen.
CHAPTER IV
Samuel's money was gone, but he was suffering too keenly from
hunger and thirst to worry about it for more than a minute. Then the
thought came to him--he was here in a lonely place at night, and the
train was going! If he were left he might still starve.

He ran over and caught the iron ladder of one of the freight cars and
drew himself up and clung there. Later on he climbed on top of the car;
but the wind was too cold--he could not stand it, and had to climb down
again. And then he realized that he had left the bundle of his belongings
in the empty car.
Fortunately for him the train began to slow up at the end of an hour or
so, and peering out Samuel saw lights ahead. Also there were lights
here and there in the landscape, and he realized that he had come to a
large town. The east was just beginning to turn gray, and faint shadows
of buildings were visible.
Samuel got off and walked up the track very carefully, for he was stiff
as well as weak. There was a light in one of the offices at the depot, and
he looked in at the window and saw a man seated at a desk writing
busily. He knocked at the door.
"Come in," said a voice, and he entered.
"Please, may I have a drink of water?" he asked.
"Over there in the corner," said the man, scarcely looking up from his
papers.
There was a bucket and dipper, and Samuel drank. The taste of the
water was a kind of ecstasy to him--he drank until he could drink no
more.
Then he stood waiting. "I beg pardon, sir," he began timidly.
"Hey?" said the man.
"I'm nearly starved, sir. I've had nothing to eat for I don't know how
long."
"Oh!" exclaimed the other. "So that's it. Get out!"
"You don't understand," began Samuel, perplexed.

"Get out!" cried the man. "That don't go in here. No beggars allowed!"
Beggars! The word struck Samuel like a whip-lash.
"I'm no beggar!" he cried wildly. "I--" And then he stopped. He had
been going to say, "I will pay for it."
He went out burning with shame, and on the spot he took his
resolution--come what might, he would never beg. He would not put a
morsel of food into his mouth until he had earned it.
Across from the depot was a public square, and a broad street with
trolley tracks. Samuel walked down the street; and then, feeling weak
and seeing a dark doorway, he went in and crouched in a corner. For a
while he dozed; and then it was daylight. People were