"Alger Jr, Horatio - The Young Explorer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Alger Horatio Jr)

"I feel sure of it."
"You are spending a great deal of money for me."
"You may feel surprised that I have so much money to spend independent of my
guardian, but he has control only of the property left by my father. My mother
left me thirty thousand dollars, of which I am sole mistress."
"That is lucky for you."
"Under present circumstances-yes."
Here two ladies entered the parlor, and the conversation was suspended.
"I believe I will go in to dinner now," said Miss Sinclair. "Will you come,
Ben?"
"I ate dinner an hour ago." "Then you can go where you please. Meet me here at
six o'clock." "All right, Ida."
CHAPTER X. BEN RECEIVES A CALL.
Ben had scarcely left the room when it occurred to him that he ought to send
home for the remainder of his clothes. He did not like to do so, however,
without first consulting Miss Sinclair.
"Well, Ben?" said the young lady inquiringly.
"I would like to write home for my clothes, if you have no objection."
"Certainly; but don't say anything about me."
"All right."
Ben went to the reading-room, and, procuring writing-materials, penned the
following letter to his uncle:
"ASTOR HOUSE, NEW YORK.
"DEAR UNCLE JOB: Will you send me the rest of my clothes at once, by express?
You may direct to this hotel, where I am now staying. The firm that I came to
see turned out to be swindlers, and I was at first quite disappointed; but I
have made other friends, and am to sail for California next Saturday. This may
seem sudden to you. At any rate it does to me, and I don't expect to realize it
till I am fairly at sea. It will be some time before I can write you, but I will
send you a line from Panama, if possible. You needn't send me any more of my
money, for I have with me all I shall need at present.
"Give my love to aunt and Cousin Jenny. I should like to see you all again
before I start, but I cannot spare the time. I am in good health and spirits,
and I think my prospects are good. Your affectionate nephew, BEN."
This letter excited considerable surprise in Hampton.
"I'm afraid Ben's gettin' extravagant," said Uncle Job. "I've always heerd that
the Astor House is a fashionable hotel where they charge big prices. Ben ought
to have gone to a cheap place, and saved his money."
"He says he's got money enough with him, father," said Mrs. Stanton. "How much
did he take away with him?"
"Seventy-five dollars."
"And he had to pay his passage to California out of that?"
"Of course."
"He won't have much left when he gets to California, then." "No, he won't."
"Don't you think you'd better send him some?" "No, wife. Ben says no, and I'm
goin' accordin' to his directions. I suppose he knows best what he wants."
Sam Sturgis did not often condescend to notice Job Stanton, but his curiosity
got the better of his pride, and, meeting the old man a short time afterward, he
asked: "Have you heard anythiug from Ben?"
"Yes, he writ me a letter from New York. I got it this mornin'?"