So for more than an hour and a half the telescope followed the moon across the heavens, while the villagers found dimes and braces of nickels with which to buy a glimpse of the wonder thereof. Albert had had his yelled-for observation and was carried away squalling for more, unquieted by dire threats of what would happen to him when he reached home. But finally interest waned, and then the young astronomer folded his tripod and lashed it to the telescope, and sought a restaurant on the point of closing. In his pocket were sixteen dimes and six nickels, the first money that he had earned since he taught roller-skating back in Hathaway. And Beaver Clegg had called Science an indifferent paymaster!
Then a man slipped in after Joshua and took the stool beside him at the counter. He gave his order in a low mumble and sat with bowed head awaiting its coming. Joshua glanced at him and gave a start. Beaver Clegg had been ugly of face, but the great heart of him had glorified that ugliness. The man who sat at Joshua’s side was a living horror.
He wore disreputable clothes, topped by a black Stetson hat with a round, narrow brim. Dust and sweat had made a gray ring about the hat where the brim and crown were joined. There was a long livid scar on his right cheek, slick and red and hairless. But about it stood a week’s growth of stubble, which made the mark more hideous. The ugly mouth, twisted grotesquely to one side, was nothing short of repulsive, and as the dark little eyes looked up ratlike into Joshua’s the boy almost shivered.
“Say, Jack,” ventured the pitted lips, “dat was a nifty little performance youse put on for de hicks dis evenin’. W’ere’d youse get next to de look-see?”
Joshua was obliged to request an interpretation.
“De telescope—w’ere d’youse glom it?”
“Why,” replied Joshua, “it was given to me by my instructor in—in school.”
“She’s one nifty little money-getter,” vouchsafed the other. “I was lampin’ youse from acrost de drag. How much d’youse glom, Jack?”
Joshua knew now that he was speaking with a tramp. He realized, too, that here was an old-timer, one of the breed known in Trampdom as John Yeggs. To be called Jack bespoke all this, and Joshua became wary at once.
“I took in nearly two dollars,” he made reply to the direct question.