Sam's Chance and How He Improved It Read online

  CHAPTER IX.

  RESTORING THE RING.

  "Now," said Henry, "we had better go down to Wall Street and see theadvertiser at once. If we can restore the ring to-night we shall avoidthe risk of losing it."

  "What makes you say we?" asked Sam, uneasily. "You don't expect any ofthe reward, do you?"

  "I only expect you to pay me back what you owe me, Sam. The ring wasfound by you, and you are entitled to the reward."

  Sam looked relieved.

  "Of course I'll pay you all I owe you, as soon as I get thetwenty-five dollars," he said.

  "Have you got the advertisement? Can you tell the name and number ofthe advertiser?"

  "Yes, his name is John Chester, and his office is at No. 49 WallStreet."

  "Good. We must go down directly, or he will be gone."

  The boys hurried to the office, which was on the third floor of thebuilding. A young man, of eighteen or nineteen, was in solepossession. It may be remarked, by the way, that Mr. Chester was alawyer, and this young man had just entered the office as student.

  "That can't be Mr. Chester," said Henry, in a low voice, as the youngman turned upon their entrance, and fixed his eyes inquiringly uponthem.

  "I'll ask," said Sam.

  "Are you Mr. Chester?" he inquired.

  The youth looked flattered at being mistaken for his employer.

  "Mr. Chester has gone home," he answered, consequentially; "but,perhaps, I can do well. Do you come on business?"

  "Yes," said Sam.

  "Ahem! law business, I suppose," said the lawyer's assistant, lookingwise. "State your case, and I may be able to assist you. Is it a caseof trespass, or do you wish to obtain a habeas corpus, or a caveat, ora _nisi prius?_"

  "What a lot he knows!" thought Sam, respectfully. "I don't want noneof those things."

  "Perhaps you want to obtain a divorce," said the budding barrister, ina jocular tone. "I am afraid we can't manage that for you."

  "We want to see Mr. Chester on particular business," said HenryMartin.

  "Well, you can't see him to-night. He's gone home."

  "Where does he live?"

  "He don't see clients at his house. It won't be any use going there."

  "I guess he'll see us. We'll take the risk."

  "What is your business about?" asked the young man, with curiosity.

  "It's private," said Henry.

  "Very important, no doubt," said the disappointed neophyte.

  "Mr. Chester will think so," said Sam. "Where did you say he lived?"

  "Did you come about the ring?" asked the young man, with a suddenthought.

  "What ring?" asked Sam, cunningly.

  "Mr. Chester lost a ring in Wall Street yesterday and advertised it inthe _Herald._ I didn't know but you had found it."

  "Suppose we had?" said Sam.

  "Then you can give it to me, and I'll take it up to Mr. Chester."

  "Thank you, but if I've found it I'll carry it up myself."

  "Have you got it?"

  "You can ask Mr. Chester about it to-morrow morning. Where does helive?"

  "I've a great mind not to tell you," said the law student,resentfully.

  "Then I'll find out in the 'Directory' and let Mr. Chester know youwouldn't tell us."

  Upon this Sam got the desired information.

  He was told that Mr. Chester lived in West Thirty-fifth Street.

  "Let us go," said Henry.

  Sam followed him out.

  "Shall we go up there to-night?" he asked.

  "Yes; it is no doubt very valuable, and the sooner we get it into thehands of the owner, the better."

  They took the University Place cars, and in a little more than half anhour reached Thirty-fifth Street. They heard the neighboring clocksstrike six as they rang the bell.

  The door was opened by a colored man.

  "Does Mr. Chester live here?" asked Sam.

  "Yes," was the reply.

  "Can I see him?"

  "He's just gone in to dinner."

  "I only want to see him a minute."

  "Mr. Chester don't like to be disturbed when he's at dinner. You cancome round again in an hour."

  Sam looked at Henry for advice.

  "Tell Mr. Chester," said Henry, "that we have found somethingbelonging to him, and wish to return it to him."

  "You haven't found his ring?" said the servant, excited.

  "Yes, we have; but we will only deliver it into his hands."

  "Come right in. Just stand here in the hall, and I'll tell him."

  Presently a pleasant-looking man of middle age came from thedining-room, and looked inquiringly from one to the other.

  "Which is the boy that has my ring?" he asked.

  "I'm the one," said Sam, promptly.

  "Show it to me, if you please."

  "You promised a reward of twenty-five dollars," said Sam, withanxiety.

  "Certainly. If the ring is mine, you shall have the reward."

  Thereupon Sam produced the ring.

  Mr. Chester received it with great satisfaction.

  "Yes, it is the one," he said. "Where did you find it?"

  Sam described the place as well as he could.

  "So you saw my advertisement?"

  "Yes, sir; a friend of mine read it to me this morning."

  "Why didn't you bring it to my office before?"

  Sam hesitated, but Henry said, in a low voice: "Tell the truth, Sam."

  "The fact is," said he, "I pawned it, and it was some trouble for meto get it again."

  "You pawned it! How much did you get on it?"

  "Five dollars."

  "Five dollars! Why, the ring cost six hundred dollars!"

  Henry and Sam looked at each other in blank astonishment. How couldthat little ring be worth so much?

  "I am glad we didn't know how much it was worth," said Henry. "Itwould have made us feel nervous."

  "I am surprised that the pawnbroker gave it back to you at all," saidMr. Chester. "He must have known something of its value."

  "He didn't want to give it up. He said it was stolen, and he wouldcall the police."

  "What did you say, then?"

  "Henry asked him if he thought it was stolen when I brought it to him,and he said yes. Then Henry threatened to have him taken up forreceiving stolen goods."

  "Good!" said Mr. Chester, laughing. "Your friend would make a goodlawyer. At any rate, I am glad I have got it back. Have you haddinner, boys?"

  "No, sir," answered Henry.

  "Then come in and dine with me. My family are all away except my wife,and there is plenty of room."

  "Thank you, sir," said Henry Martin. "We will accept yourinvitation."

  "You can hang your hats up, and follow me."

  Sam began to feel bashful, but he obeyed directions, and followed Mr.Chester into a handsome dining-room in the rear extension, where alady was already sitting at one end of the table.

  "I bring you two guests, Mrs. Chester," said her husband. "These twoyoung gentlemen have brought me my diamond ring."

  "You are, indeed, fortunate in recovering it," said his wife. "Younggentlemen, you can sit, one on this side, the other opposite. I think,John, you will have to introduce them by name."

  "Really, that is more than I can do," said the lawyer, laughing.

  "My name is Henry Martin," said Henry, who was perfectlyself-possessed.

  "Mine is Sam Barker," said the young outlaw.

  "Shall I send you some soup, Mr. Martin?"

  "Yes, thank you."

  "And you, Mr. Barker?"

  Sam stared and wanted to laugh. It seemed so droll to be called "Mr.Barker," but he managed to answer properly.

  Mr. Chester was a man of some humor, and he enjoyed Sam's evidentembarrassment. He took pains to be ceremoniously polite. Sam, who wasused to the free and easy ways of a restaurant, hardly knew how toact. Henry Martin, though now thrown upon his own exertions, had beenwell brought up, and betrayed no awkwardness.


  At the close of the meal, to which Sam, despite his bashfulness, didfull justice, Mr. Chester opened his pocket-book and producedtwenty-five dollars in bills.

  "Is this to be divided between you?" he inquired.

  "No, sir," said Henry; "Sam found the ring. It is all for him."

  "Allow me to offer you five dollars, also," said the lawyer, who waspleased with Henry's manner.

  "Thank you, sir, I would rather not take it."

  "At all events, if I can ever be of any service to you, let me know."

  "Thank you, sir."

  Soon afterward the boys left the house.