JOE　THE　HOTEL　BOY
  OR
  WINNING　OUT　BY　PLUCK
  BY　HORATIO　ALGER；　JR。
  CONTENTS。
  I。　　　　　　OUT　IN　A　STORM
  II。　　　　　A　MYSTERIOUS　CONVERSATION
  III。　　　　A　HOME　IN　RUINS
  IV。　　　　　THE　SEARCH　FOR　THE　BLUE　BOX
  V。　　　　　　A　NEW　SUIT　OF　CLOTHES
  VI。　　　　　AN　ACCIDENT　ON　THE　LAKE
  VII。　　　　BLOWS　AND　KIND　DEEDS
  VIII。　　　THE　TIMID　MR。　GUSSING
  IX。　　　　　AN　UNFORTUNATE　OUTING
  X。　　　　　　DAVID　BALL　FROM　MONTANA
  XI。　　　　　A　FRUITLESS　CHASE
  XII。　　　　THE　PARTICULARS　OF　A　SWINDLE
  XIII。　　　OFF　FOR　THE　CITY
  XIV。　　　　A　SCENE　ON　THE　TRAIN
  XV。　　　　　WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　JOSIAH　BEAN
  XVI。　　　　A　MATTER　OF　SIX　HUNDRED　DOLLARS
  XVII。　　　JOE'S　NEW　POSITION
  XVIII。　　JOE　SHOWS　HIS　MUSCLE
  XIX。　　　　ONE　KIND　OF　A　DUEL
  XX。　　　　　ATTACKED　IN　THE　DARK
  XXI。　　　　DAYS　AT　THE　HOTEL
  XXII。　　　ABOUT　SOME　MINING　SHARES
  XXIII。　　THE　FIRE　AT　THE　HOTEL
  XXIV。　　　THE　BLUE　BOX　AT　LAST
  XXV。　　　　JOE　VISITS　CHICAGO
  XXVI。　　　HOW　A　SATCHEL　DISAPPEARED
  XXVII。　　JOE　MAKES　A　DISCOVERY
  XXVIII。　FROM　OUT　OF　A　TREE
  XXIX。　　　THE　FATE　OF　TWO　EVILDOERS
  XXX。　　　　CONCLUSION
  PREFACE。
  A　number　of　years　ago　the　author　of　this　story　set　out　to　depict　life　among　the　boys　of　a　great　city；　and　especially　among　those　who　had　to　make　their　own　way　in　the　world。　　Among　those　already　described　are　the　ways　of　newsboys；　match　boys；　peddlers；　street　musicians；　and　many　others。
  In　the　present　tale　are　related　the　adventures　of　a　country　lad　who；　after　living　for　some　time　with　a　strange　hermit；　goes　forth　into　the　world　and　finds　work；　first　in　a　summer　hotel　and　then　in　a　large　hotel　in　the　city。　　Joe　finds　his　road　no　easy　one　to　travel；　and　he　has　to　face　not　a　few　hardships；　but　in　the　end　all　turns　out　well。
  It　may　be　added　here　that　many　of　the　happenings　told　of　in　this　story；　odd　as　they　may　seem；　are　taken　from　life。　　Truth　is　indeed　stranger　than　fiction；　and　life　itself　is　full　of　romance　from　start　to　finish。
  If　there　is　a　moral　to　be　drawn　from　this　story；　it　is　a　twofold　one；　namely；　that　honesty　is　always　the　best　policy；　and　that　if　one　wishes　to　succeed　in　life　he　must　stick　at　his　work　steadily　and　watch　every　opportunity　for　advancement。
  JOE　THE　HOTEL　BOY。
  CHAPTER　I。
  OUT　IN　A　STORM。
  〃What　do　you　think　of　this　storm；　Joe？〃
  〃I　think　it　is　going　to　be　a　heavy　one；　Ned。　　I　wish　we　were　back　home；〃　replied　Joe　Bodley；　as　he　looked　at　the　heavy　clouds　which　overhung　Lake　Tandy。
  〃Do　you　think　we'll　catch　much　rain　before　we　get　back？〃　　And　Ned；　who　was　the　son　of　a　rich　man　and　well　dressed；　looked　at　the　new　suit　of　clothes　that　he　wore。
  〃I'm　afraid　we　shall；　Ned。　　Those　black　clouds　back　of　Mount　Sam　mean　something。〃　〃If　this　new　suit　gets　soaked　it　will　be　ruined；〃　grumbled　Ned；　and　gave　a　sigh。
  〃I　am　sorry　for　the　suit；　Ned；　but　I　didn't　think　it　was　going　to　rain　when　we　started。〃
  〃Oh；　I　am　not　blaming　you；　Joe。　　It　looked　clear　enough　this　morning。　　Can't　we　get　to　some　sort　of　shelter　before　the　rain　reaches　us？〃
  〃We　can　try。〃
  〃Which　is　the　nearest　shelter？〃
  Joe　Bodley　mused　for　a　moment。
  〃The　nearest　that　I　know　of　is　over　at　yonder　point；　Ned。　　It's　an　old　hunting　lodge　that　used　to　belong　to　the　Cameron　family。　　It　has　been　deserted　for　several　years。〃
  〃Then　let　us　row　for　that　place；　and　be　quick　about　it；〃　said　Ned　Talmadge。　　〃I　am　not　going　to　get　wet　if　I　can　help　it。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　took　up　a　pair　of　oars　lying　in　the　big　rowboat　he　and　Joe　Bodley　occupied。　Joe　was　already　rowing　and　the　rich　boy　joined　in；　and　the　craft　was　headed　for　the　spot　Joe　had　pointed　out。
  The　lake　was　one　located　in　the　central　part　of　the　State　of　Pennsylvania。　　It　was　perhaps　a　mile　wide　and　more　than　that　long；　and　surrounded　by　mountains　and　long　ranges　of　hills。　At　the　lower　end　of　the　lake　was　a　small　settlement　of　scant　importance　and　at　the　upper　end；　where　there　was　a　stream　of　no　mean　size；　was　the　town　of　Riverside。　　At　Riverside　were　situated　several　summer　hotels　and　boarding　houses；　and　also　the　elegant　mansion　in　which　Ned　Talmadge　resided；　with　his　parents　and　his　four　sisters。
  Joe　Bodley　was　as　poor　as　Ned　Talmadge　was　rich；　yet　the　two　lads　were　quite　friendly。　Joe　knew　a　good　deal　about　hunting　and　fishing；　and　also　knew　all　about　handling　boats。　They　frequently　went　out　together；　and　Ned　insisted　upon　paying　the　poorer　boy　for　all　extra　services。
  Joe's　home　was　located　on　the　side　of　the　mountain　which　was　just　now　wrapped　in　such　dark　and　ominous　looking　clouds。　　He　lived　with　Hiram　Bodley；　an　old　man　who　was　a　hermit。　　The　home　consisted　of　a　cabin　of　two　rooms；　scantily　furnished。　　Hiram　Bodley　had　been　a　hunter　and　guide；　but　of　late　years　rheumatism　had　kept　him　from　doing　work　and　Joe　was　largely　the　support　of　the　pair；taking　out　pleasure　parties　for　pay　whenever　he　could；　and　fishing　and　hunting　in　the　between　times；　and　using　or　selling　what　was　gained　thereby。
  There　was　a　good　deal　of　a　mystery　surrounding　Joe's　parentage。　　It　was　claimed　that　he　was　a　nephew　of　Hiram　Bodley；　and　that；　after　the　death　of　his　mother　and　sisters；　his　father　had　drifted　out　to　California　and　then　to　Australia。　　What　the　real　truth　concerning　him　was　we　shall　learn　later。
  Joe　was　a　boy　of　twelve；　but　constant　life　in　the　open　air　had　made　him　tall　and　strong　and　he　looked　to　be　several　years　older。
  He　had　dark　eyes　and　hair；　and　was　much　tanned　by　the　sun。　The　rowboat　had　been　out　a　good　distance　on　the　lake　and　a　minute　before　the　shore　was　gained　the　large　drops　of　rain　began　to　fall。
  〃We　are　going　to　get　wet　after　all！〃　cried　Ned；　chagrined。
  〃Pull　for　all　you　are　worth　and　we'll　soon　be　under　the　trees；〃　answered　Joe。
  They　bent　to　the　oars；　and　a　dozen　more　strokes　sent　the　rowboat　under　a　clump　of　pines　growing　close　to　the　edge　of　the　lake。　　Just　as　the　boat　struck　the　bank　and　Ned　leaped　out　there　came　a　great　downpour　which　made　the　surface　of　Lake　Tandy　fairly　sizzle。
  〃Run　to　the　lodge；　Ned；　I'll　look　after　the　boat！〃　shouted　Joe。
  〃But　you'll　get　wet。〃
  〃Never　mind；　run；　I　tell　you！〃
  Thus　admonished；　Ned　ran　for　the　old　hunting　lodge；　which　was　situated　about　two　hundred　feet　away。　　Joe　remained　behind　long　enough　to　secure　the　rowboat　and　the　oars　and　then　he　followed　his　friend。
  Just　as　one　porch　of　the　old　lodge　was　reached　there　came　a　flash　of　lightning；　followed　by　a　clap　of　thunder　that　made　Ned　jump。　Then　followed　more　thunder　and　lightning；　and　the　rain　came　down　steadily。
  〃Ugh！　I　must　say　I　don't　like　this　at　all；〃　remarked　Ned；　as　he　crouched　in　a　corner　of　the　shelter。　　〃I　hope　the　lightning　doesn't　strike　this　place。〃
  〃We　can　be　thankful　that　we　were　not　caught　out　in　the　middle　of　the　lake；　Ned。〃
  〃I　agree　on　that；　Joe；but　it　doesn't　help　matters　much。　　Oh；　dear　me！〃　　And　Ned　shrank　down；　as　another　blinding　flash　of　lightning　lit　up　the　scene。
  It　was　not　a　comfortable　situation　and　Joe　did　not　like　it　any　more　than　did　his　friend。　But　the　hermit's　boy　was　accustomed　to　being　out　in　the　elements；　and　therefore　was　not　so　impressed　by　what　was　taking　place。
  〃The　rain　will　fill　the　boat；〃　said　Ned；　presently。
  〃Never　mind；　we　can　easily　bail　her　out　or　turn　her　over。〃
  〃When　do　you　think　this　storm　will　stop？〃
  〃In　an　hour　or　two；　most　likely。　　Such　storms　never　last　very　long。　　What　time　is　it；　Ned？〃
  〃Half…past　two；〃　answered　Ned；　after　consulting　the　handsome　watch　he　carried。
  〃Then；　if　it　clears　in　two　hours；　we'll　have　plenty　of　time　to　get　home　before　dark。〃
  〃I　don't　care　to　stay　here　two　hours；〃　grumbled　Ned。　　〃It's　not　a　very　inviting　place。〃
  〃It's　better　than　being　out　under　the　trees；〃　answered　Joe；　cheerfully。　　The　hermit's　boy　was　always　ready　to　look　on　the　brighter　side　of　things。
  〃Oh；　of　course。〃
  〃And　we　have　a　fine　string　of　fish；　don't　forget　that；　Ned。　　We　were　lucky　to　get　so　many　before　the　storm　came　up。〃
  〃Do　you　want　the　fish；　or　are　you　going　to　let　me　take　them？〃
  〃I'd　like　to　have　one　fish。　　You　may　take　the　others。〃
  〃Not　unless　you　let　me　pay　for　them；　Joe。〃
  〃Oh；　you　needn't　mind　about　paying　me。〃
  〃But　I　insist；〃　came　from　Ned。　　〃I　won't　touch　them　otherwise。〃
  〃All　right；　you　can　pay　me　for　what　I　caught。〃
  〃No；　I　want　to　pay　for　all　of　them。　　Your　time　is　worth　something；　and　I　know　you　have　to　support　yourthe　old　hermit　now。〃
  〃All　right；　Ned；　have　your　own　way。　　Yes；　I　admit；　I　need　all　the　money　I　get。〃
  〃Is　the　old　hermit　very　sick？〃
  〃Not　so　sick；　but　his　rheumatism　keeps　him　from　going　out　hunting　or　fishing；　so　all　that　work　falls　to　me。〃
  〃It's　a　good　deal　on　your　shoulders；　Joe。〃
  〃I　make　the　best　of　it；　for　there　is　nothing　else　to　do。〃
  〃By　the　way；　Joe；　you　once　spoke　to　me　aboutwell；　about　yourself；〃　went　on　Ned；　after　some　hesitation。　　〃Did　you　ever　learn　anything　more？　　You　need　not　tell　me　if　you　don't　care　to。〃
  At　these　words　Joe's　face　clouded　for　an　instant。
  〃No；　I　haven't　learned　a　thing　more；　Ned。〃
  〃Then　you　don't　really　know　if　you　are　the　hermit's　nephew　or　not？〃
  〃Oh；　I　think　I　am；　but　I　don't　know　whatever　became　of　my　father。〃
  〃Does　the　hermit　think　he　is　alive？〃
  〃He　doesn't　know；　and　he　hasn't　any　means　of　finding　out。〃
  〃Well；　if　I　were　you；　I'd　find　out；　some　way　or　other。〃
  〃I'm