Joe's Luck

JOE’S SECOND DAY

Joe woke up at seven o’clock the next morning.  Though his bed was hard, he slept well, for he was fatigued.  He stretched himself and sat up on his pallet.  It is needless to say that he had not undressed.  Three or four men were lying near him, all fast asleep except one, and that one he recognized as Henry Hogan.

“Halloo!” said Hogan.  “You here?”

“Yes,” said Joe, not overpleased at the meeting.

“We seem to keep together,” said Hogan, with a grin.

“So it seems,” said Joe coldly.

Hogan, however, seemed disposed to be friendly.

“Pretty rough accommodations for the money.”

“It doesn’t make so much difference where money is earned easily.”

“How much money did you make yesterday?”

Joe’s first thought was to tell him it was none of his business, but he thought better of it.

“I made seven dollars,” said he, rather proudly.

“Pretty good, but I beat you,” said Hogan.

“How much did you make?”

“I’ll show you.”

Hogan showed five half-eagles.

“I made it in ten minutes,” he said.

Joe was decidedly mystified.

“You are fooling me,” he said.

“No, I am not.  I made it at the gaming-table.”

“Oh!” said Joe, a little startled, for he had been brought up to think gambling wicked.

“Better come and try your luck with me,” said Hogan.  “It is easier and quicker than sawing wood.”

“Perhaps it is,” said Joe, “but I’d rather saw wood.”

“I suspect you are a young Puritan.”

“Perhaps I am,” said Joe.  “At any rate, I don’t mean to gamble.”

“Just as you like.  I can’t afford to be so particular.”

“You don’t seem to be very particular,” said Joe.

“What do you mean?” inquired Hogan suspiciously.

“You know well enough,” said Joe.  “You know the way you had of getting money in New York.  You know the way you tried to get it on board the steamer.”

“Look here, young fellow,” said Hogan menacingly, “I’ve heard enough of this.  You won’t find it safe to run against me.  I’m a tough customer, you’ll find.”

“I don’t doubt it,” said Joe.

“Then just be careful, will you?  I ain’t going to have you slander me and prejudice people against me, and I mean to protect myself.  Do you understand me?”

“I think I do, Mr. Hogan, but I don’t feel particularly alarmed.”

Joe got up and went out in search of breakfast.  Be thought of the place where he took supper but was deterred from going there by the high prices.

“I suppose I shall have to pay a dollar for my breakfast,” he thought, “but I can’t afford to pay two.  My capital is reduced to five dollars and I may not be able to get anything to do to-day.”

Joe finally succeeded in finding a humble place where for a dollar he obtained a cup of coffee, a plate of cold meat, and as much bread as he could eat.

“I shall have to make it do with two meals a day,” thought our hero.  “Then it will cost me three dollars a day to live, including lodging, and I shall have to be pretty lucky to make that.”

After breakfast Joe walked about the streets, hoping that something would turn up.  But his luck did not seem to be so good as the day before.  Hour after hour passed and no chance offered itself.  As he was walking along feeling somewhat anxious, he met Hogan.

“Lend me a dollar,” said Hogan quickly.  “I’m dead broke.”

“Where has all your money gone?” asked Joe,

“Lost it at faro.  Lend me a dollar and I’ll win it all back.”

“I have no money to spare,” said Joe decidedly.

“Curse you for a young skinflint!” said Hogan, scowling.  “I’ll get even with you yet.”