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JED, THE POORHOUSE BOY

by

HORATIO ALGER, JR.

Author of "Ragged Dick," "Luck and Pluck," "Tattered Tom,"
etc., etc.






The John C. Winston Co.
Philadelphia
Chicago      Toronto

Copyright, 1899, by
Henry T. Coates & Co.




CONTENTS.

CHAPTER                                         PAGE
      I. JED,                                      1

     II. MR. AND MRS. FOGSON,                     11

    III. THE SCRANTON POORHOUSE,                  20

     IV. AN EXCITING CONTEST,                     30

      V. JED SECURES AN ALLY,                     37

     VI. MR. FOGSON MAKES UP HIS MIND,            49

    VII. FOGSON'S MISTAKE,                        59

   VIII. MR. FOGSON IS ASTONISHED,                68

     IX. JED LEAVES THE POORHOUSE,                77

      X. JED REACHES DUNCAN,                      87

     XI. JED'S FIRST APPEARANCE ON THE STAGE,     96

    XII. PERCY DIXON IS BEWILDERED,              106

   XIII. FOGSON IN PURSUIT,                      115

    XIV. JED'S LUCK,                             125

     XV. TWO OLD ACQUAINTANCES,                  135

    XVI. MISS HOLBROOK, SPINSTER,                144

   XVII. JED MEETS AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE,          153

  XVIII. MR. FOGSON RECEIVES A LETTER,           162

    XIX. DISCHARGED,                             167

     XX. JED'S POOR PROSPECTS,                   172

    XXI. JED ARRIVES IN NEW YORK,                182

   XXII. JED MAKES TWO CALLS,                    192

  XXIII. JED'S BAD LUCK,                         202

   XXIV. A STARTLING DISCOVERY,                  212

    XXV. WITHOUT A PENNY,                        222

   XXVI. IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT,                232

  XXVII. AN INTRACTABLE AGENT,                   241

 XXVIII. A STRANGE COMMISSION,                   250

   XXIX. A SURPRISE PARTY,                       260

    XXX. JED ENTERTAINS AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE,     270

   XXXI. JED RETURNS GOOD FOR EVIL,              280

  XXXII. AT BAR HARBOR,                          290

 XXXIII. THE POORHOUSE RECEIVES TWO VISITORS,    299

  XXXIV. THE DETECTIVE,                          308

   XXXV. MRS. AVERY'S STORY,                     313

  XXXVI. "WHO WAS JED?"                          318

 XXXVII. JANE GILMAN,                            328

XXXVIII. THE DETECTIVE SECURES AN ALLY,          338

  XXXIX. JED LEARNS WHO HE IS,                   343

     XL. GUY FENWICK'S DEFEAT,                   349

    XLI. CONCLUSION,                             365




JED,

THE POORHOUSE BOY.




CHAPTER I.

JED.


"Here, you Jed!"

Jed paused in his work with his axe suspended above him, for he was
splitting wood. He turned his face toward the side door at which stood a
woman, thin and sharp-visaged, and asked: "Well, what's wanted?"

"None of your impudence, you young rascal! Come here, I say!"

Jed laid down the axe and walked slowly to the back door. He was a
strongly-made and well-knit boy of nearly sixteen, but he was poorly
dressed in an old tennis shirt and a pair of overalls. Yet his face was
attractive, and an observer skilled in physiognomy would have read in
it signs of a strong character, a warm and grateful disposition, and a
resolute will.

"I have not been impudent, Mrs. Fogson," he said quietly.

"Don't you dare to contradict me!" snapped the woman, stamping her foot.

"What's wanted?" asked Jed again.

"Go down to the gate and hold it open.