Try and Trust

Try and Trust

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Try and Trust, by Horatio Alger #18 in our series by Horatio Alger
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Title: Try and Trust
Author: Horatio Alger
Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5778] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on September 1, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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TRY AND TRUST
Or, Abner Holden's Bound Boy
BY
HORATIO ALGER, JR. AUTHOR OF "PAUL THE PEDDLER," "FROM FARM BOY TO SENATOR," "SLOW AND SURE," ETC.
THE MERSHON COMPANY RAHWAY, N.J. NEW YORK
TO MY YOUNG FRIEND,
A. FLORIAN HENRIQUES (BOISIE),
THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

CONTENTS
I. AROUND THE BREAKFAST TABLE II. INTRODUCING THE HERO III. A COLLISION IV. A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE V. THE ENVELOPE VI. ON THE WAY VII. A NEW HOME VIII. THE GHOST IN THE ATTIC IX. EXPOSING A FRAUD X. THE CLOUDS GATHER XI. A CRISIS XII. RALPH THE RANGER XIII. A MOMENT OF PERIL XIV. TAKEN PRISONER XV. A FOUR-FOOTED FOE XVI. JUST TOO LATE XVII. NEW ACQUAINTANCES XVIII. A YOUNG ARISTOCRAT XIX. A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER XX. FACING A BURGLAR XXI. HERBERT'S REWARD XXII. ROBBED IN THE NIGHT XXIII. A BUSINESS CALL XXIV. FINDING A BOARDING PLACE XXV. GETTING A SITUATION XXVI. A FAMILY COUNCIL XXVII. AT THE CONCERT XXVIII. PETER GREENLEAF AGAIN XXIX. SPARRING XXX. AN UNEXPECTED BLOW XXXI. MR. STANTON IS SURPRISED XXXII. RISEN FROM THE DEAD XXXIII. A FRIEND IN NEED XXXIV. CONCLUSION

CHAPTER I
AROUND THE BREAKFAST TABLE
"Well, wife," said Mr. Benjamin Stanton, as he sat down to a late breakfast, "I had a letter from Ohio yesterday."
"From Ohio? Who should write you from Ohio? Anyone I know?"
"My sister, Margaret, you remember, moved out there with her husband ten years ago."
"Oh, it's from her, is it?" said Mrs. Stanton, indifferently.
"No," said her husband with momentary gravity. "It's from a Dr. Kent, who attended her in her last illness. Margaret is dead!"
"Dear me!" returned Mrs. Stanton, uncomfortably; "and I am just out of mourning for my aunt. Do you think it will be necessary for us to go into mourning for your sister?"
"No, I think not," said her husband. "Margaret has lived away from us so long, and people won't know that we have had a death in the family unless we mention it."
"Was that all the letter said--about the death, I mean?"
"Why, no," said Mr. Stanton, with a little frown. "It seems Margaret left a child--a boy of fourteen; and, as she left no property, the doctor suggests that I should send for the boy and assume the care of him."
"Upon my word!" said Mrs. Stanton; "you will find yourself in business if you undertake to provide for all the beggars' brats that apply to you for assistance."
"You must remember that you are speaking of my sister's child," said Mr. Stanton, who, cold and selfish and worldly as he was, had some touch of decency about him, and did not relish the term "beggars' brats," as applied to one so nearly related to him.
"Well, call him what you like," said his wife; "only don't be so foolish as to go spending your money on him when our children need all we have. There's Maria needs a new dress immediately. She says all the girls at Signor Madalini's dancing academy dress elegantly, and she's positively ashamed to appear in any of her present dresses."
"How much will it cost?" asked Mr. Stanton, opening his pocketbook.
"You may hand me seventy-five dollars. I think I can make that do."
Without a word of remonstrance, the money was placed in her hand.
"I want some money, too," said Tom Stanton, who had just disposed of a very hearty meal.
"What do you want it for, Tom?"
"Oh, some of the fellows are getting up a club. It's going to be a select affair, and of course each of us has got to contribute some money. You see, we are going to hire a room, furnish it nicely with a