



Produced by Gary Sandino, from a scanned UC library book
kindly provided by the Internet Archive (www.archive.org.)









  If this is borrowed by a friend
  Right welcome shall he be
  To read, to study, not to lend
  But to return to me.
  Not that imparted knowledge doth
  Diminish learning's store
  But books I find if often lent
  Return to me no more.





The

Erie Train Boy



HORATIO ALGER,

JR.





Copyright, 1891,

UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY

(All Rights Reserved)



The Erie Train Boy


CONTENTS.

CHAPTER.                                        PAGE.

       I. On the Erie Road                          5

      II. A Fair Exchange                          11

     III. Fred's Rich Relation                     14

      IV. Zebulon Mack                             20

       V. An Adventure on the Train                24

      VI. Mr. Bascomb's Peril                      30

     VII. Ferdinand Morris                         85

    VIII. Mr. Bascomb's sad Plight                 41

      IX. A Long Trip                              46

       X. What Took Place in No. 21                51

      XI. Fred Falls under a Terrible Suspicion    56

     XII. Fred is a Prisoner                       62

    XIII. The Hotel Clerk's Mistake                67

     XIV. The Missing Valise                       73

      XV. Mr. Palmer Walks into a Trap             78

     XVI. Palmer's Malice                          83

    XVII. Two Young Lady Passengers at Odds        88

   XVIII. Unsatisfactory Relations                 94

     XIX. Ruth Patton Calls on Mr. Ferguson        99

      XX. A Friend in Need                        104

     XXI. Luella's Painful Discovery              109

    XXII. Miss Ferguson Writes a Note             115

   XXIII. Another Railroad Adventure              126

    XXIV. Fred's Good Luck                        125

     XXV. Rose Wainwright's Party                 131

    XXVI. Fred Becomes a Newspaper Hero           136

   XXVII. A Confidential Mission                  141

  XXVIII. St. Victor                              146

    XXIX. Fred Takes the First Step               154

     XXX. A Hunting Excursion                     157

    XXXI. Fred has an Understanding with Sinclair 163

   XXXII. Finding a Clue                          168

  XXXIII. Success                                 173

   XXXIV. Bowman's Panic                          179

    XXXV. Fred's Reward                           185

   XXXVI. A Letter from Tom Sloan                 190

  XXXVII. Cousin Ferguson                         193

 XXXVIII. Conclusion                              197




THE ERIE TRAIN BOY



CHAPTER I.

ON THE ERIE ROAD.

"Papers, magazines, all the popular novels! Can't I sell you something
this morning?"

Joshua Bascom turned as the train boy addressed him, and revealed an
honest, sunburned face, lighted up with pleasurable excitement, for he
was a farmer's son and was making his first visit to the city of New
York.

"I ain't much on story readin'," he said, "I tried to read a story book
once, but I couldn't seem to get interested in it."

"What was the name of it?" asked Fred, the train boy, smiling.

"It was the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' or some such name. It had pictures
into it. Aunt Nancy give it to dad for a birthday present once."

"I have heard of it."

"It was a mighty queer book. I couldn't make head nor tail on't."

"All books are not like that."

"I don't feel like readin'. It's a nuff sight more interestin' lookin'
out of the winder at the sights.

"I'm going to York to spend a week," added Joshua, with an air of
importance.

"That's where I live," said the train boy.

"Do you? Then you might tell me where to put up. I've got ten dollars.
I reckon that ought to keep me a week."

Fred smiled.

"That is more than enough to keep me," he said, "but it costs a
stranger considerable to go around. But I shall have to go my rounds."

It was a train on the Erie road, and the car had just passed
Middletown. Joshua was sitting by the window, and the seat beside him
was vacant. The train boy had scarcely left the car when a stylishly
dressed young man, who had been sitting behind, came forward and
accosted Joshua.

"Is this seat engaged?" he asked.

"Not as I know of," answered the young farmer.

"Then with your permission I will take it," said the stranger.

"Why of course; I hain't no objection. He's dreadful polite!" thought
Joshua.

"You are from the country, I presume?" said the newcomer as he sank
into the seat.

"Yes, I be. I live up Elmira way--town of Barton. Was you ever in
Barton?"

"I have passed through it. I suppose you are engaged in agricultural
pursuits?"

"Hey?"

"You are a farmer, I take it."

"Yes; I work on dad's farm. He owns a hundred and seventy-five acres,
and me and a hired man help him to carry it on. I tell you we have to
work."

"Just so! And now you are taking a vacation?"

"Yes. I've come to see the sights of York."

"I think you will enjoy your visit. Ahem! the mayor of New York is my
uncle."

"You don't say?" ejaculated Joshua, awestruck.

"Yes! My name is Ferdinand Morris."

"Glad to know you, Mr. Morris. My name is Joshua Bascom."

"Indeed! An aunt of mine married a Bascom. Perhaps we are related."

Joshua was quite elated at the thought that he might in some way be
related to the mayor of New York without knowing it, and he resolved to
expatiate on that subject when he went back to Barton. He decided that
his new acquaintance must be rich, for he was dressed in showy style
and had a violet in his buttonhole.

"Be you in business, Mr Morris?" he asked.

"Well, ahem! I am afraid that I am rather an idler. My father left me a
quarter of a million, and so I don't feel the need of working."

"Quarter of a million!" ejaculated Joshua. "Why, that's two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars."

"Just so," said Morris, smiling.

"That's an awful pile of money! Why, dad's been workin' all his life,
and he isn't wuth more'n three thousand dollars at the outside."

"I am afraid three thousand dollars wouldn't last me a very long time,"
said Morris, with an amused smile.

"Gosh! Where can anybody get such a pile of money? That's what beats
me!"

"Business, my young friend, business! Why I've made that amount of
money in one day."

"You don't say!"

"Yes, by speculating in Wall Street."

"You must be smart!"

"My teachers didn't seem to think so. But life in the city is very
different from life in the country."

"I wish I could make some money."

"A man must have money to make money. If now you had a little money----"

"I've got ten dollars to pay my expenses."

"Is that all?"

"No; I've got fifteen dollars to buy a shawl and dress for marm, and
some shirts for dad. He thought he'd like some boughten shirts. The
last marm made for him didn't fit very well."

"You must take good care of your money, Mr. Bascom. I regret to say
that we have a great many pickpockets in New York."

"So I've heerd. That's what Jim Duffy told me. He went to York last
spring. But I guess Jim was keerless or he wouldn't have been robbed.
It would take a smart pickpocket to rob me."

"Then you keep your money in a safe place?"

"Yes, I keep my wallet in my breeches pocket;" and Joshua slapped the
right leg of his trousers in a well satisfied way.

"You are right! I see you are a man of the world. You are a sharp one."

Joshua laughed gleefully. He felt pleased at the compliment.

"Yes," he chuckled, "I ain't easy taken in, I tell you, ef I was born
in the woods."

"It is easy to see that. You can take care of yourself."

"So I can."

"That comes of being a Bascom. I am glad to know that we are related.
You must call on me in New York."

"Where