172

XXVIII Ralph in the City 179

XXIX Penniless 185

XXX The Sharper is Outwitted 191

XXXI On the Bowery 198

XXXII New Employment 205

XXXIII Squire Paget's Move 211

XXXIV The Squire in Hot Water 218

XXXV Ralph a Prisoner 225

XXXVI Mickety to the Rescue 231

XXXVII Martin is Trapped 237

XXXVIII Beginning of the End 242

XXXIX A Surprise at Chambersburgh 246

XL The Exposure--Conclusion 251

THE YOUNG BRIDGE TENDER.

CHAPTER I.

A QUESTION OF PROPERTY.

"It's a shame, mother! The property belonged to father and the village has
no right to its use without paying for it."

"I agree with you, Ralph," replied Mrs. Nelson. "But what are we to do in
the matter?"

"Why don't you speak to Squire Paget? He is the president of the village
board."

"I have spoken to him, but he will give me no satisfaction. He claims that
the village has the right to nearly all the water front within its limits,"
replied Mrs. Nelson, with a sigh.

"It hasn't a right to the land father bought and paid for."

"That is what I said."

"And what did he answer to that?" questioned Ralph Nelson, with increasing
interest.

"He said he doubted if your father had really bought the land. He asked me
to show him the papers in the case."

"And those you haven't got."

"No, I cannot find them. Your father placed them away, and when he died so
suddenly, he said nothing about where they had been placed. I have an idea
he gave them to somebody for safe keeping."

"It's a pity we haven't the papers, mother. The property on which this end
of the swinging bridge rests, and the land right around it, is going to be
very valuable some day; I heard Mr. Hooker say so at the post office only
yesterday."

"I have no doubt of it, Ralph, when Westville becomes a city instead of a
village. But that is many years off, I imagine."

"I suppose it is--the village folks are so slow to make improvements. It's
a wonder they ever put up the bridge across to Eastport."

"They wouldn't have done it had it not been for Eastport capitalists, who
furnished nearly all of the money."

"And now, that the bridge has been up several years, and the tolls are
coming in daily, I suppose they are glad they let the structur