CHAPTER XXIII.
SAM FINDS A ROOMMATE.
Looking up, Sam's glance rested on a young man, of rustic dress andmanners, which made him seem quite out of place in a fashionablehotel.
"No," answered Sam. "I am a stranger in Boston. I came from NewYork."
"You don't say! It's an all-fired big city, isn't it?" said thecountryman.
"It is very large," said Sam, patronizingly.
"I live in the country," said the other--quite needlessly, so Samthought--"up in New Hampshire. I've come down here to get a job."
"So have I," responded Sam, with new interest in his companion.
"Are you boardin' here?" asked the countryman.
"No; I am going to try to find a boarding-place. The prices are toosteep here."
"Let me go with you," said the young man, eagerly.
Sam thought, on the whole, it would be pleasanter to have company, andaccepted this proposal.
They bought a copy of the Boston _Herald_ and picked out a list ofboarding-houses which appeared to come within their means. Among thesewere two on Harrison Avenue. One of these was the very house which hadalready been mentioned to Sam by his boy acquaintance of the morning.
"Do you know your way round the city?" asked Sam of his companion.
"A little," said the other.
"Do you know how to go to Harrison Avenue?"
"Yes, I know that."
"Is it far?"
"Not very far. We can walk easy enough."
"That's all right, then. Let us go."
The two set out on their expedition, walking up Washington Street asfar as Essex, and, turning there, soon entered Harrison Avenue. Theybeguiled the time on the way by conversation.
"What, was you calc'latin' to find to do?" asked the countryman.
"I was clerk in a store in New York," said Sam; "I'd like to get intoa store here."
"So should I."
Sam privately thought him too countrified in appearance for theposition he desired, but did not say so.
"Have you had any experience?" he asked, curiously.
"Oh, yes; I used to drive the wagon for a grocery store, to hum."
Sam privately doubted whether this experience would be of anyparticular value to his new acquaintance. However, he had not muchfaith in his own qualifications, and this concerned him more.
"What's your name?" inquired Sam.
"Abner Blodgett," was the reply. "What's yours?"
"Sam Barker."
"You don't say! There's a doctor in our town by the name of Barker;any relation?"
"I guess not. I never heard of a doctor in our family."
Presently they reached the number indicated. Sam rang the bell.
"You are looking for a boarding-place," he explained. "We saw youradvertisement in the _Herald._"
"Walk in," said the servant. "I'll tell Mrs. Campbell."
Mrs. Campbell presently appeared; a shrewd-looking Scotch lady, butkindly in expression.
"You are looking for a boarding place, gentlemen?" she inquired.
"Yes, ma'am."
"I have one single room and one double one. For the single room I haveeight dollars a week; for the double one fourteen, that is, sevendollars for each gentleman. Do you two gentlemen wish to roomtogether?"
"Yes," answered Blodgett, immediately; "if you are willing," he addedaside, to Sam.
"Let us look at the rooms," said Sam, "and then we can tell better."
"Walk up this way, gentlemen," said Mrs. Campbell.
She led the way first to the double room. It was a square room, thesecond floor back, and looked quite neat and comfortable. Sam likedthe appearance of it, and so apparently did Abner Blodgett.
"Ain't it scrumptious, though?" he said, admiringly. "We ain't gotmany rooms like that to hum."
"I suppose you are from the country, sir?" said Mrs. Campbell, with agood-natured smile.
"Yes," said Blodgett, "I'm from New Hampshire; away up near MountWashington."
"Let me see the single room," requested Sam.
The single room was shown; but it was, of course, much smaller, andthe furniture was inferior.
"We'd better take the big room together," said Abner.
Sam hesitated a moment. He was not very particular, but he did notaltogether fancy the appearance of Mr. Blodgett.
"How much do you charge for the large room for a single person?" heasked.
"I couldn't take less than eleven dollars," said the landlady.
It was, of course, impossible for Sam to pay any such sum, and hereluctantly agreed to occupy the room jointly with Mr. Blodgett.
"When will you move in?" asked Mrs. Campbell.
"To-day," said Sam.
"I must ask you to pay something in advance, to secure the room,gentlemen."
Sam had no luggage beyond a small bundle, and he answered at once,"I'll pay a week in advance."
"Thank you, sir."
Sam handed the landlady ten dollars and received in return three.
"I'll pay you to-morrow," said Blodgett. "I've got to get the moneyfrom my cousin."
"I'll wait till to-morrow to oblige you," said the landlady, "but nolonger."
"Oh, I'll have the money then," said Abner, confidently.
"Will you be here to dinner, gentlemen?"
"When do you have dinner?"
"At six o'clock. We used to have it in the middle of the day, but itwas inconvenient to some of our boarders, and we changed it."
"We have dinner to hum, where I live, at noon," said Abner.
"We have lunch at half-past twelve, if you choose to come."
"I guess we will," said Abner. "We'll go out and take a walk, Mr.Barker, and come back in time."
"Just as you say," answered Sam.
After a walk they returned to lunch. Sam was usually possessed of agood appetite, but he stared in astonishment when he saw Blodgett eat.That young man appeared to have fasted for a week, and ateaccordingly.
"What's the matter with you, Mr. Barker? You don't eat nothin'," hesaid.
"I had a late breakfast," said Sam. "I guess you'll get your money'sworth."
"I mean to. Seven dollars is an awful lot to pay for board. Up to humthey don't charge but three."
"Then I wish they'd open a branch boarding-house here."
"Suppose we go over to Bunker Hill?" said Sam, after lunch. "I want tosee the monument."
"Just as you say," said Abner.
"We can ask the way."
"There's some cars go over that way, I've heerd," said Abner.
As they were walking down Washington Street a young man, ratherflashily attired, stopped Blodgett, whom he appeared to recognize.
"What's in the wind now?" he asked. "Who have you got in tow?"
"It's my friend, Mr. Barker."
"How do you do, Mr. Barker?" said the young man, who appeared verymuch amused about something.
"How's your father, the deacon?" he inquired of Blodgett, and laughedagain.
"Pretty smart," said Blodgett.
"Just give him my respects when you write, will you?"
"I won't forget,"
The new acquaintance winked, and went his way. Sam was rathersurprised at his manner, and also at the fact of his countrifiedcompanion being apparently on intimate terms with a person sodifferent in appearance.
"Who is that?" he asked.
"That's a young man from our town," said Mr. Blodgett. "He's beenliving in Boston for five or six years. He's got a good place in MilkStreet."
"What sort of a fellow is he?"
"You don't say nothin' about it," said Abner, looking about him as iffearing to be overheard; "but I'm afraid he's a fast young man."
"Shouldn't wonder," said Sam.
"I've heard that he plays cards!" added Abner, in a horrifiedwhisper.
"Very likely," said Sam, amused.
He had had some suspicions of his companion, occasioned by theapparent good understanding between him and the young m
an they hadmet, but this remark dissipated them. He felt amused by the verdancyof Abner Blodgett, and anticipated a good deal of entertainment fromhis remarks.
They took the horse cars to Bunker Hill; Sam paid the fare both ways,as his companion did not expect to have any money till tomorrow. Hedid not relish lending, his own stock of money being so scanty; butAbner was so confident of being in funds the next day that he did notrefuse. He was interested in the view from the summit of the monument,and spent an additional hour in exploring Charlestown. When the twogot back to Boston they found the afternoon well advanced and thedinner hour near.