CHAPTER XIV.
A SCENE ON THE TRAIN.
The slick-looking individual had listened attentively to all that passedbetween our hero and the farmer.
He waited until the latter had procured his drink of water and thenrushed up with a smile on his face.
"I declare!" he exclaimed. "How do you do?" And he extended his hand.
"How do you do?" repeated the farmer, shaking hands slowly. He felt muchperplexed, for he could not remember having met the other man before.
"How are matters up on the farm?" went on the stranger.
"Thank you, very good."
"I--er--I don't think you remember me, Mr. Bean," went on theslick-looking individual.
"Well, somehow I think I know your face," answered the old farmer,lamely. He did not wish to appear wanting in politeness.
"You ought to remember me. I spent some time in Haydown Center yearbefore last, selling machines."
"Oh, you had them patent reapers, is that it?"
"You've struck it."
"I remember you now. You're a nephew of Judge Davis."
"Exactly."
"O' course! O' course! But I can't remember your name nohow."
"It's Davis, too--Henry Davis."
"Oh, yes. I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Davis."
"I saw you in the seat with that boy," went on the man we shall callHenry Davis. "I thought I knew you from the start, but I wasn't deadsure. Going to Philadelphia with us?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good enough. Mr. Bean, won't you smoke with me? I was just going intothe smoker."
"Thanks, but I--er--I don't smoke much."
"Just one mild cigar. That won't hurt you, I'm sure. I love to meet oldfriends," continued Henry Davis.
In the end the old farmer was persuaded to walk into the smoking car andhere the slick-looking individual found a corner seat where they wouldbe undisturbed.
"I expect to spend a week or more in Philadelphia, Mr. Bean," said thestranger; "if I can be of service to you during that time, command me."
"Well, perhaps ye can be of service to me. Do ye know many folks in thecity?"
"Oh, yes, a great many. Some are business friends and some are folks inhigh society."
"I don't care for no high society. But I've got to collect six hundreddollars an' I want somebody to identify me."
"Oh, I can do that easily, Mr. Bean."
"Kin ye?" The farmer grew interested at once. "If ye kin I'll be muchobliged to ye."
"Where must you be identified?"
"Down to the office of Barwell & Cameron, on Broad street. Do ye know'em?"
"I know of them, and I can find somebody who does know them, so therewill not be the least trouble."
"It's a load off my mind," said Josiah Bean, with a sigh. "Ye see, themoney is comin' to my wife. She writ to 'em that I was comin' to collectan' they writ back it would be all right, only I would have to beidentified. Jest as if everybody in Haydown Center don't know I'm JosiahBean an' a piller in the Union Church down there, an' a cousin to JedgeBean o' Lassindale."
"Well, they have to be mighty particular when they pay out any money inthe city. There are so many sharpers around."
"I ain't no sharper."
"To be sure you are not, and neither am I. But I once had troublegetting money."
"Is thet so?"
"Yes. But after I proved who I was the folks were pretty well ashamed ofthemselves," went on Henry Davis, smoothly.
So the talk ran on and at the end of half an hour the old farmer and theslick-looking individual were on exceedingly friendly terms. HenryDavis asked much about the old man and gathered in a good stock ofinformation.
When Philadelphia was gained it was dark, and coming out of the bigrailroad station Joe at first knew not which way to turn. The noise andthe crowd of people confused him.
"Have a cab? Carriage?" bawled the hackmen.
"Paper!" yelled a newsboy. "All the evenin' papers!"
"Smash yer baggage!" called out a luggage boy, not near as tall as ourhero.
Looking ahead, Joe saw Josiah Bean and the slick-looking individualmoving down the street and without realizing it, our hero began tofollow the pair.
"He must be some friend," said our hero to himself.
He wondered where they were going and his curiosity getting the betterof him he continued to follow them for half a dozen blocks. At last theycame to a halt in front of a building displaying the sign:
JOHNSON'S QUAKER HOTEL
MODERATE TERMS FOR ALL.
"This hotel is all right and the prices are right, too," Joe heard theslick-looking man tell the old farmer.
"Then thet suits me," answered Josiah Bean. "I'll go in an' git a roomfer the night."
"I think I might as well do the same," said Henry Davis. "I don't careto go away over to my boarding house at Fairmount Park."
The pair walked into the hotel, and Joe saw them register and pass downthe corridor in the company of a bell boy. Then our hero entered theplace.
"Can I get a room here for the night?" he asked of the clerk behind thedesk.
"Certainly."
"What is the charge?"
"Seventy-five cents."
"That suits me."
The register was shoved forward and Joe wrote down his name. Then hewas shown to a small room on the third floor. The building was but fourstories high.
Joe was tired and soon went to bed. In the next room he heard a murmurof voices and made out that the old farmer and his friend were talkingearnestly.
"They must be very friendly," was his comment, and thinking the matterover he fell asleep.
Bright and early in the morning our hero arose, dressed himself, andwent below. He had breakfast in the restaurant attached to the hoteland was just finishing up when the old farmer and the slick-lookingindividual came in.
"Hullo!" cried Josiah Bean. "What are you doin' here?"
"I got a room overnight," answered our hero.
"We're stopping here, too. This is my friend, Mr. Henry Davis."
"Good morning," said the slick-looking man. He did not seem to fancymeeting Joe.
They sat down close at hand and, while eating, the farmer asked Joe halfa dozen questions.
He spoke about his own business until Henry Davis nudged him in theside.
"I wouldn't tell that boy too much," he said in a low tone.
"Oh, he's all right," answered the old farmer.
Joe heard the slick-looking individual's words and they made his faceburn. He looked at the man narrowly and made up his mind he was not afellow to be desired for an acquaintance.
Having finished, our hero paid his bill and left the restaurant.He scarcely knew which way to turn, but resolved to look over thenewspapers first and see if any positions were offered.
While in the reading room he saw Josiah Bean and his acquaintance leavethe hotel and walk in the direction of Broad street.
A little later Joe took from the paper he was reading the addresses ofseveral people who wanted help, and then he, too, left the hotel.
The first place he called at was a florist's establishment, but the paywas so small he declined the position.
"I could not live on three dollars per week," he said.
"That is all we care to pay," answered the proprietor, coldly. "It ismore than other establishments pay."
"Then I pity those who work at the other places," returned Joe, andwalked out.