He Comes Up Smiling

In Short

This picaresque tale follows a nameless wanderer—known to his fellow tramps as "The Watermelon"—who stumbles into the life of a wealthy financier, William Hargrave Batchelor. Mistaken for the mogul, the drifter rides the wave of sudden privilege, luxury, and social standing. Through a series of misadventures involving stolen clothes, road trips, and a budding romance with a girl named Billy, the narrative explores the thin, often arbitrary line between the "hobo" and the "prince." It remains a sharp, humorous meditation on social class, identity, and the masks people wear.

The Story

The story begins in the lazy, sun-drenched days of June, where the Watermelon, a man of leisure and rags, camps with his companions, James and Mike. When the opportunity arises, the Watermelon steals a suit from a stranger—who happens to be the prominent stockbroker William Hargrave Batchelor—and finds himself thrust into the upper-crust society of the broker’s associates. He is soon dining with a general and his daughter, Billy, who are captivated by his supposed financial genius. Because he carries himself with an air of effortless command, no one suspects he is an imposter.

As the ruse continues, the Watermelon joins the general, his daughter Henrietta, and Billy on an impulsive, cross-country road trip. The journey is marked by strange, comical encounters, including a brush with skeptical locals and the destruction of a barn by fire. Throughout the trek, the Watermelon grows increasingly attached to Billy, whose simple, happy nature offers a stark contrast to the greed and calculation of the financial world. He begins to feel the weight of his lie, realizing that his masquerade is ultimately a barrier to the genuine connection he craves.

Meanwhile, the real Batchelor is left in the lurch, struggling to navigate the world without his clothes or his status. The deception eventually unravels when a telegram reveals the true identity of the man who has been "managing" the market. The Watermelon is exposed, his status as a "thief" and a "nobody" laid bare. He returns to the road, his fine clothes replaced by rags, his spirit tempered by his time among the wealthy.

The final act brings the Watermelon back into the orbit of his former companions. He has evolved from a drifting cynic into a man with a sense of purpose, spurred by his enduring love for Billy. After a final, dramatic act of heroism—saving a drowning dog that leads to a meeting with a wealthy widow—he encounters Bartlett, the man who first "kidnapped" him. In a moment of mutual understanding, the financier recognizes the boy’s inherent grit. They bridge the gap between their disparate worlds, and the Watermelon, now claiming his own name, Jeroboam Martin, prepares to forge a new path. He commits to honest work, not for the sake of the elite, but to be worthy of the life he wants to lead with Billy.

How It Unfolds

The chance deception The Watermelon, a penniless but charismatic drifter, happens upon a set of clothes belonging to a prominent stockbroker. He puts them on, and the world immediately mistakes him for the powerful financier, granting him instant authority.

The social ladder Propelled by the public’s perception of his "genius," he enters the social circle of a general and his daughter. He finds himself fending off investment questions and enjoying the comforts of a life he previously despised.

The road trip A sudden, whim-driven excursion turns into a series of absurd adventures across the countryside. The group travels by motorcar, ignoring the practicalities of money and status as they seek out fleeting moments of excitement.

The shattering of the mask The reality of the situation catches up to them when the true Batchelor is finally located, and the Watermelon's identity is revealed. The farce collapses, and the protagonist is forced to face the consequences of his imposture.

The return to the self After a period of hardship and reflection, the former drifter finds his way back to his true name and his own sense of character. He leaves behind the stolen identity and prepares to face his future as Jeroboam Martin.

The People

The Watermelon, later revealed as Jeroboam Martin, is the story’s clever, enigmatic center. He is a man who hates labor and avoids the "everlasting cheap guy" lifestyle, preferring to develop his own soul through leisure. His desire for freedom is challenged by his deepening love for Billy.

Billy is the heart of the story, a simple, joyous girl whose presence renders the Watermelon’s material concerns meaningless. She does not analyze or judge, and her unwavering belief in him acts as a catalyst for his transformation from a drifter into a man who wants to "take care of her."

Bartlett is the pragmatic, florid-faced financier who serves as the Watermelon’s antagonist and reluctant mentor. Initially believing he has manipulated the stock market through his connection with the imposter, he eventually learns to respect the boy’s sheer nerve and resilience.

The General provides the comic backbone of the elite class, constantly showing off the Watermelon as if he were a prize specimen. He is a man who believes in "doing it now," yet he remains oblivious to the reality unfolding right before his eyes.

In Its Own Voice

"I never work when I can rest," said the Watermelon truthfully.

The protagonist offers this simple, grounding philosophy when asked about his professional life by a well-meaning acquaintance.

"The bookkeeping's all right," said the Watermelon, "it's the money that ain't."

He observes the absurdity of a mechanical register that refuses to agree with the physical reality of the coins in the drawer.

"I hate work; I hate worry and trouble, slaving like a Swede all day for just enough money to be an everlasting cheap guy."

In his moment of greatest vulnerability, the Watermelon defines exactly why he chose the life of a wanderer over the grind of the city.

What It's Really About

The book is a sharp critique of the "power of suggestion" inherent in social class. It argues that society does not judge men by their character, but by the clothes they wear and the reputations they are assigned by the press. The Watermelon’s ease in adopting the persona of a millionaire exposes the emptiness of the wealthy, who are so desperate for a "genius" to worship that they will accept any imposter. Ultimately, the story is a quest for authenticity in a world obsessed with surface appearances, questioning whether a man can truly "come up smiling" when he has discarded the props that the world uses to define his worth.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the classic picaresque—where a rogue wanders through the absurdities of human society—will find much to appreciate here. The prose is warm, nimble, and carries a dry, observational wit that keeps the plot from ever feeling bogged down by its own premise. It captures a specific, breezy tone of early twentieth-century American fiction, where the road represents both aimlessness and the possibility of reinvention.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes, including the casual use of offensive descriptors common to the era and a certain romanticization of the "hobo" lifestyle that may feel jarring. The dialogue, while lively and full of character, reflects the slang of its time, which can occasionally obscure the action for the uninitiated. Despite these historical artifacts, the core of the story—the tension between the life one is born into and the life one dreams of—remains relevant. You will likely walk away from this book thinking about the masks you wear in your own life and whether you possess the courage, like the Watermelon, to finally drop them and stand on your own merits. It is a lighthearted but surprisingly grounded look at what it means to be "somebody" in a world that prefers to judge by the cover.