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PAUL THE PEDDLER: 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG STREET 
 MERCHANT 
 
 BY 
 
 HORATIO ALGER, Jr. 
 
 AUTHOR OF "YOUNG ACROBAT," " PHIL, THE FIDDLER,** "TMB 
 ERIE TRAIN BOY," ETC^ FTC 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 HURST AND COMPANY 
 Publishers 
 
Copyright, 1903, 
 
 BY 
 
 HUBST & COMPANY. 
 
>^- 
 
 to 
 
 MY DEAR FRIEND, 
 
 Cbarles Wavics Scub^et, 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATIH), 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In pursuance of my intention to describe different 
 phases of street life in New York, I have selected, as 
 the hero of the present volume, one of those young 
 peddlers, found by hundreds in the city streets, who 
 earn a precarious living by vending their wares to 
 such customers as can be prevailed upon to purchase. 
 Some of these Juvenile merchants are active and en- 
 terprising, and display qualities which would insure 
 success in business operations of greater magnitcde. 
 As a rule, they are sharp, and know how to turn a 
 penny as well as their elders. Though the integrity 
 of some is not above suspicion, I am afraid the same 
 thing may be said of some older merchants, who do 
 business on a considerably larger scale. 
 
 If my hero, Paul Hoffman, is above the average of 
 his class, it may be attributed, in part, to the in- 
 fluence of a good mother. Like hundreds of street 
 boys, he is the main support of his family; and, no 
 doubt, this responsibility helps ^ '^/^Jsjl ?s^ Kanly 
 and self-reliant. 
 
 New York, Oc4. OS. W^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chapter fagb 
 
 I. Paul the Peddler 9 
 
 II. Paul at Home 15 
 
 III. The Effects of Competition 21 
 
 IV. Teddy Brien gives up Business 28 
 
 V. Paul Loses his Stock in Trade 34 
 
 VI. Paul as an Artist 40 
 
 VII. In a New Business 46 
 
 VIII. AStrokeof 111 Luck 53 
 
 IX. A New Patron 60 
 
 X. Paul Meets with a Loss 66 
 
 XI. Barclay and Co 73 
 
 XII. The Barrel Thief 79 
 
 XIII. Out of Business 85 
 
 XIV. The Diamond Ring 92 
 
 XV. The Pawnbroker's Shop. 98 
 
 XVI. The Jeweller's Price 105 
 
 XVII. Mr. Felix Montgomery Ill 
 
 XVIII. Paul Creates a Disturbance 118 
 
 XIX. Paul Deliberates 124 
 
 XX. Felix Montgomery in a New Character 131 
 
 XXI. Paul is Checkmated .... 137 
 
 XXII. A Man of Resources. . .• 144 
 
 XXin. A New Expedient 149 
 
 XXIV. Mr. Montgomery's Arrest 156 
 
 XXV. Paul's Final Success .163 
 
 XXVL Conclusion 169 
 
PAUL THE peddler; 
 
 OR, 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG STREET MERCHANT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAUL THE PEDDLER. 
 
 '^Here's your prize packages! Only five cents! 
 Money prize in every package! Walk up, gentle- 
 men, and try your luck ! " 
 
 The speaker, a boy of fourteen, stood in front of 
 the shabby brick building, on Nassau Street, which 
 has served for many years as the New York post- 
 office. In front of him, as he stood with his back 
 to the building, was a small basket, filled with ordi- 
 nary letter envelopes, each labelled " Prize Package.^^ 
 
 His attractive announcement, which at that time, 
 had also the merit of novelty, — ^for Paul had him- 
 self hit upon the idea, and manufactured the pack- 
 ages, as we shall hereafter explain, — drew around 
 him a miscellaneous crowd, composed chiefly of 
 boys. 
 
 " What's in the packages, Johnny ? " asked a boot- 
 black, with his box strapped to his back. 
 
 " Candy," answered Paul. " Buy one. Only five 
 cents.'* 
 
 ''There aint much candy,'' answered the boot- 
 black^ with a disparaging glance. 
 
 9 
 
10 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " What if there isn't ? There's a prize." 
 
 " How big a prize ? "- ;. 
 
 " There's a ten-cent stamp in some of 'em. All 
 have got something in 'em." 
 
 Influenced by this representation, the boot-black 
 drew out a five-cent piece, and said : — 
 
 " Pitch one over, then. I guess I can stand it." 
 
 An envelope was at once handed him. 
 
 " Open it, Johnny," said a newsboy at hia 
 side. 
 
 Twenty curious eyes were fixed upon him as he 
 opened the package. He drew out rather a scanty 
 supply of candy, and then turning to Paul, with a 
 look of indignation, said: — 
 
 " Where's the prize ? I don't see no prize. Give 
 me back my five cents." 
 
 " Give it to me. I'll show you," said the young 
 merchant. 
 
 He thrust in his finger, and drew out a square bit 
 of paper, on which was written — Oxe Cent. 
 
 " There's your prize," he added, drawing a penny 
 from his pocket. 
 
 " It ain't much of a prize," said the buyer. 
 *^ Wliere's your ten cents ? " 
 
 " I didn't say I put ten cents into every package," 
 answered Paul. " I'd burst up pretty quick if I did 
 that. Who'll have another package? Only five 
 cents ! " 
 
 Curiosity and a taste for speculation are as preva- 
 lent among children as with men, so that this appeal 
 produced its effect. 
 
 " Give me a package," said Teddy O'Brien, a 
 newsboy, stretching out a dirty hand, containing 
 the stipulated sum. He also was watched curiously 
 as he opened the package. He drew out a ;?aper 
 bearing the words — Two Cents. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. H 
 
 "Bully for you, Teddy! You've had better luck 
 than I/^ said the boot-black. 
 
 The cheque was duly honored, and Teddy seemed 
 satisfied, though the amount of candy he received 
 probably could not have cost over half a cent. Still 
 he had drawn twice as large a prize as the first 
 buyer, and that was satisfactory. 
 
 "Who'll take the next?" asked Paul, in a busi- 
 ness-like manner. " Maybe there's ten cents in this 
 package. That's where you double your money. 
 Walk up, gentlemen. Only five cents ! " 
 
 Three more responded to this invitation, one draw- 
 ing a prize of two cents, the other two of one cent 
 each. Just then, as it seemed doubtful whether any 
 more would be purchased by those present, a young 
 man, employed in a Wall Street house, came out of 
 the post-office. 
 
 " What have you got here ? '^ he asked, pausing. 
 
 " Prize packages of candy ! Money prize in every 
 package ! Only five cents ! " 
 
 " Give me one, then. I never drew a prize in my 
 life." 
 
 The exchange was speedily made. 
 
 " I don't see any prize," he said, opening it. 
 
 " It's on a bit of paper, mister," said Teddy, 
 nearly as much interested as if it had been his own 
 purchase. 
 
 " Oh, yes, I see. Well, I'm in luck. Ten cents ! " 
 
 " Ten cents ! " exclaimed several, the less fortu- 
 nate buyers, with a shade of envy. 
 
 " Here's your prize, mister," sa^id Paul, drawing 
 out a ten-cent stamp from his vest-pocket. 
 
 " Well, Johnny, you do things on the square, that's 
 a fact. Just keep the ten cents, and give me two 
 more packages." 
 
 This Paul did with alacrity; but the Wall Street 
 
12 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 clerk's luck was at an end. He got two prizes of a 
 penny each. 
 
 "Well," he said, "I'm not much out of pocket. 
 I've bought three packages, and it's only cost me 
 three cents." 
 
 The ten-cent prize produced a favorable effect on 
 the business of the young peddler. Five more pack- 
 ages were bought, and the contents eagerly in- 
 spected; but no other large prize appeared. Two 
 cents was the maximum prize drawn. Their curi- 
 osity being satisfied, the crowd dispersed ; but it was 
 not long before anotJier gathered. In fact, Paul had 
 snown excellent judgment in selecting the front of 
 the post-office as his place of business. Hundreds 
 passed in and out every hour, besides those who 
 passed by on a different destination. Thus many 
 ears caught the young peddler's cry, — " Prize pack- 
 ages ! Only five cents a piece ! " — and made a pur- 
 chase; most from curiosity, but some few attracted 
 by the business-like bearing of the young merchant, 
 and willing to encourage him in his efforts to make a 
 living. These last, as well as some of the former 
 class, declined to accept the prizes, so that these 
 were so much gfiin to Paul. 
 
 At length but one package remained, and this Paul 
 was some time in getting rid of. At last a gentleman 
 came up, holding a little boy of seven by the hand. 
 
 " Oh, buy me the package, papa ! " he said, draw- 
 ing his father's attention. 
 
 " What is there in it, boy ? " asked the gentleman. 
 
 " Candy," was the answer. 
 
 Alfred, for this was the little boy's name, renewed 
 his entreaties, having, like most boys, a taste for 
 candy. 
 
 " There it is, Alfred," said his father, handing the 
 package to his little son. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 13 
 
 '"There's a prize inside/' said Paul, seeing that 
 they were about to pass. 
 
 "We must look for the prize by all means/' said 
 the gentleman. " What is this? One cent ! " 
 
 " Yes, sir ; " and Paul held out a cent to his cus- 
 tomer. 
 
 " Never mind about that ! You may keep the 
 prize." 
 
 " I want it, pa/' interposed Alfred, with his mouth 
 full of candy. 
 
 "I'll give you another/' said his father, still 
 declining to accept the proffered piize. 
 
 Paul now found himself in the enviable position of 
 one who, at eleven o'clock, had succeeded in disposing 
 of his entire stock in trade, and that at an excellent 
 profit, as we soon shall see. .Business had been 
 more brisk with him than with many merchants on 
 a larger scale, who sometimes keep open their shops 
 all day without taking in enough to pay expenses. 
 But then it is to be considered that in Paul's case 
 expenses were not a formidable item. He had no 
 rent to pay, for one thing, nor clerk hire, being 
 competent to attend to his entire business single 
 handed. All his expense, in fact, was the first cost 
 of his stock in trade, and he had so fixed his prices 
 as to ensure a good profit on that. So, on the whole, 
 Paul felt very well satisfied at the result of his ex- 
 periment, for this was his first day in the prize- 
 package JDusiness. 
 
 "I guess I'll go home," he said to him^self. 
 *^Mother'll want to know how I made out." He 
 turned up Nassau Street, and had reached the corner 
 of Maiden Lane, when Teddy Brien met him. 
 
 " Did you sell out, Johnny ? " he asked, 
 
 **Yes," answered Paul. 
 
 **How many packages did you have?'* 
 
14 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OK, 
 
 '' Fifty." 
 
 " That's bully. How much you made ? " 
 
 "I can't tell yet. I haven't counted up/' said 
 Paul. 
 
 " It's better'n sellin' papers, I'll bet. I've only 
 made thirty cents the day. Don't you want to take 
 a partner, Johnny ? " 
 
 "No, I don't think I do/' said Paul, who had 
 good reason to doubt whether such a step would be 
 to his advantage. 
 
 " Then I'll go in for myself," said Teddy, some- 
 what displeased at the refusal. 
 
 " Go ahead ! There's nobody to stop you," said 
 Paul. 
 
 " I'd rather go in with you," said Teddy, feeling 
 that there would be some trouble in making the 
 prize packages, but influenced still more by the 
 knowledge that he had not capital enough to start 
 in the business alone. 
 
 "No," said Paul, positively, "I don't want any 
 partner, I can do well enough alone." 
 
 He was not surprised at Tedd3^'s application. 
 Street boys are as enterprising, and have as sharp 
 eyes for business as their elders, and no one among 
 them can monopolize a profitable business long. 
 This is especially the case with the young street mer- 
 chant. \tTien one has had the good luck to find 
 some attractive article, which promises to sell briskly, 
 he takes every care to hide the source of his supply 
 from his rivals in trade. But this is almost im- 
 possible. Cases are frequent where such boys are 
 subjected to the closest espionage, their steps being 
 dogged for hours by boys who think they have found 
 a good thing, and are determined to share it. In 
 the present case Paul had hit upon an idea which 
 seemed to promise well, and he was determined to 
 
ADVEirrURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 15 
 
 keep it to himself as long as possible. As soon as 
 he was subjected to competition and rivalry his gains 
 would probably diminish. 
 
 CHAPTEE 11. 
 
 PAUL AT HOME. 
 
 Paul went up Centre Street, and turned int(? 
 Pearl. Stopping before a tenement house^ he 
 entered, and going up two flights of stairs, opened 
 a door and entered. 
 
 " You are home early, Paul," said a woman of 
 middle age, looking up at his entrance. 
 
 " Yes, mother, I've sold out." 
 
 "You've not sold out the whole fifty packages?" 
 she asked, in surprise. 
 
 " Yes, I have. I had capital luck." 
 
 "Why, you must have made as much as a. dollar, 
 and it's not twelve yet." 
 
 " I've made more tfian that, mother. Just wait a 
 minute till I've reckoned up a little. Where's 
 Jimmy?" 
 
 " Miss Beckwith offered to take him out to wa,lk 
 with her, so I let him go. He'll be back at twelve." 
 
 Wliile Paul is making a calculation, a few words 
 of explanation and description may be given, so that 
 the reader may understand better how he is situa- 
 ated. 
 
 The rooms occupied by Paul and his mother were 
 three in numiber. The larigrest one was about four- 
 teen feet square, and was lighted by two windows. 
 It was covered with a neat, though well-worn carpet; 
 
16 PAUL THE PEDDLER : OR, 
 
 a few cane-bottomed chairs were ranged at the 
 windows, and on each side of the table. There was 
 a French clock on the mantel, a rocking-chair for 
 his mother, and a few inexpensive engravings hung 
 upon the walls. There was a hanging bookcase con- 
 taining two shelves, filled with books, partly school- 
 books, supplemented by a few miscellaneous books, 
 such as " Eobinson Crusoe," " Pilgrim's Progress/' 
 a volume of " Poetical Selections/' an odd volume of 
 Scott, and several others. Out of the main room 
 opened two narrow chambers, both together of about 
 the same area as the main room. One of these was 
 occupied by Paul and Jimmy, the other by his 
 mother. 
 
 Those who are familiar with the construction of a 
 New York tenement house will readily understand 
 the appearance of the rooms into which we have 
 introduced them. It must, however, be explained 
 that few similar apartments are found so well fur- 
 nished. Carpets are not very common in tenement 
 houses, and if there are any pictures, they are usually 
 the cheapest prints. Wooden chairs, and generally 
 everything of the cheapest, are to be met with in the 
 dwellings of the New York poor. If we find some- 
 thing better in the present instance, it is not because 
 Paul and his mother are any better off than their 
 neighbors. On the contrary, there are few whose 
 income is so small. But they have seen better days, 
 and the furniture we see has been saved from the 
 time of their comparative prosperity. 
 
 As Paul is still at his estimate, let us improve the 
 opportunity by giving a little of their early history. 
 
 Mr. Hoffman, the father of Paul, was born in 
 Germany, but came to New York, when a boy of 
 twelve, and there he grew up and married, his wife 
 being an American. He was a cabinet-maker, and, 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 17 
 
 being a skilful workman, earned very good wages, 
 so that he was able to maintain his family in comfort. 
 They occupied a neat little cottage in Harlem, and 
 lived very happily, for Mr. Hoffman was temperate 
 and kind, when an unfortunate accident clouded their 
 liappiness, and brought an end to their prosperity. 
 In crossing Broadway at its most crowded part, the 
 husband and father was run over by a loaded dray, 
 and so seriously injured that he lived but a few 
 hours. Then the precarious nature of their pros- 
 perity was found out. Mr. Hoffman had not saved 
 anything, having always lived up to the extent of 
 his income. It was obviously impossible for them 
 to continue to live in their old home, paying a rent 
 of twenty dollars per month. Besides, Paul did not 
 see any good opportunity to earn his living in Har- 
 lem. So, at his instigation, his mother moved down 
 town, and took rooms in a tenement house in Pearl 
 Street, agreeing to pay six dollars a month for apart- 
 ments which would now command double the price. 
 They brought with them furniture enough to furnish 
 the three rooms, selling the rest for what it would 
 bring, and thus obtaining a small reserve fund, which 
 by this time was nearly exhausted. 
 
 Once fairly established in their new home, Paul 
 went out into the streets to earn his living. The 
 two most obvious, and, on the whole, most profitable 
 trades, were blacking boots and selling newspapers. 
 To the first, Paul, who was a neat boy, objected on 
 the score that it would keep his hands and clothing 
 dirty, and, street-boy though he had become, he had 
 a pride in his personal appearance. To selling 
 papers he had not the same objection, but he had a 
 natural taste for trade, and this led him to join the 
 ranks of the street peddlers. He began with vending 
 matches, but found so much competition in the 
 
18 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 business, and received so rough a reception often- 
 times from those who had repeated calls from others 
 in the same business, that he gave it up, and tried 
 something else. But the same competition which 
 crowds the professions and the higher employments 
 followed by men prevails among the street trades 
 which are pursued by boys. If Paul had only had 
 himself to support, he could have made a fair living 
 at match-selling, or any other of the employments he 
 took up; but his mother could not earn much at 
 making vests, and Jimmy was lame, and could do 
 nothing to fill the common purse, so that Paul felt 
 that his earnings must be the main support of the 
 family, and naturally sought out what would bring 
 him in most money. 
 
 At length he had hit upon selling prize packages, 
 and his first experiences in that line are recorded in 
 the previous chapter. Adding only that it was now 
 a year since his father's death, we resume our narra- 
 tive. 
 
 " Do you want to know how much I've made, 
 mother ? " asked Paul, looking up at length from his 
 calculation. 
 
 " Yes, Paul." 
 
 " A dollar and thirty cents." 
 
 " I did not think it would amount to so much. 
 The prizes came to considerable, didn't they?" 
 
 " Listen, and I will tell you how I stand : — 
 
 One pound of candy, 30 
 
 Two packs of envelopes, 10 
 
 Prizes, 90 
 
 That makes SI. 30 
 
 I sold the fifty packages at five cents each, and that 
 brought me in two dollars and a half. Taking out 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 19 
 
 the expenses, it leaves me a dollar and thirty cents. 
 Isn't that doing well for one morning's work ? '* 
 
 " It's excellent ; but I thought your prizes amounted 
 to more than ninety cents." 
 
 " So they did, but several persons who bought 
 wouldn't take their prizes, and that was so much 
 gain." 
 
 "You have done very well, Paul. I wish you 
 might earn as much every day." 
 
 " I'm going to earn some more this afternoon. I 
 bought a pound of candy on the way home, and some 
 cheap envelopes, and I'll be making up a new stock 
 while I am waiting for dinner." 
 
 Paul took out his candy and envelopes, and set 
 about making up the packages. 
 
 " Did any complain of the small amount of candy 
 you put in ? " 
 
 " A few ; but most bought for the sake of the 
 prizes." 
 
 " Perhaps you had better be a little more liberal 
 with your candy, and then there may not be so much 
 dissatisfaction where the prize is only a penny." 
 
 " I don't know but you are right, mother. I believe 
 I'll only make thirty packages with this pound, in- 
 stead of fifty. Thirty'll be all I can sell this after- 
 noon." 
 
 Just then the door opened, and Paul's brother 
 entered. 
 
 Jimmy Hoffman, or lame Jimmy, as he was often 
 called, was a delicate-looking boy of ten, with a fair 
 complexion and sweet face, but incurably lame, a 
 defect, which, added to his delicate constitution, was 
 likely to interfere seriously with his success in life. 
 But, as frequently happens, Jimmy was all the more 
 endeared to his mother and brother by his misfortune 
 and bodily weakness, and if either were obliged to 
 
20 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 Buffer from poverty, Jimmy would be spared the 
 suffering. 
 
 " Well, Jimmy, have you had a pleasant walk ? " 
 asked his mother. 
 
 " Yes, mother ; I went down to Fulton Market. 
 There's a good deal to see there." 
 
 "A good deal more than in this dull room, 
 Jimmy.'^ 
 
 "It doesn't seem dull to me, mother, while you 
 are here. How did you make out selling your prize 
 packages ? " 
 
 " They are all sold, Jimmy, every one. I am 
 making some more." 
 
 "Shan't I help you?" 
 
 " Yes, I would like to have you. Just take those 
 envelopes, and write Prize Packages on every one 
 of them." 
 
 " All right, Paul ; " and Jimmy, glad to be of use, 
 got the pen and ink, and, gathering up the envelopes, 
 began to inscribe them as he had been instructed. 
 
 By the time the packages were made up, dinner 
 was ready. It was not a very luxurious repast. 
 There was a small piece of rump steak, — not more 
 than three-quarters of a pound, — a few potatoes, a 
 loaf of bread, and a small plate of butter. That was 
 all; but then the cloth that covered the table was 
 neat and clean, and the knives and forks were as 
 bright as new, and what there was tasted good. 
 
 " What have you been doling this morning, 
 Jimmy?" asked Paul. 
 
 " I have been drawing, Paul. Here's a picture of 
 Friday. I copied it from * Eobinson Crusoe.' " 
 
 He showed the picture, which was wonderfully 
 like that in the book, for this-^the gift of drawing — 
 was Jimmy's one talent, and he possessed it in no 
 common degree. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 21 
 
 '^ Excellent, Jimmy ! ^' said Paul. " You're a real 
 genius. I shouldn't be surprised if you'd make an 
 artist some day." 
 
 " I wish I might," said Jimmy, earnestly. 
 '' There's nothing I'd like better." 
 
 " I'll tell you what, Jimmy. If I do well this 
 afternoon, I'll buy you a drawing-book and some 
 paper, to work on while mother and I are busy." 
 
 " If you can afford it, Paul, I should like it so 
 much. Some time I might earn something that 
 way." 
 
 " Of course you ma}^" said Paul, cheerfully. *^ I 
 won't forget 3'ou." 
 
 Dinner over, Paul went out to business, and was 
 again successful, getting rid of his thirty packages, 
 and clearing another dollar. Half of this he invested 
 in a drawing-book, a pencil, and some drawing-paper 
 for Jimmy. Even then he had left of his earnings 
 for the day one dollar and eighty cents. But his 
 success in the new business had already excited envy 
 and competition, as he was destined to find out on 
 tlie morrow. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE EFFECTS OF COMPETITION". 
 
 The next morning Paul took his old place in front 
 of the post-office. He set down his basket in front, 
 and, taking one of the packages in his hand, called 
 out in a business-like manner, as on the day before, 
 "Here's your prize packages! Only five cents I 
 Money prize in every package I Walk up, gentle* 
 men, and try your luck I " 
 
22 PAXIL THE PEDDLER ; 0R< 
 
 He met with a fair degree of success at first, man- 
 aging in the course of an hour to sell ten packages. 
 All the prizes drawn were small, with the exception 
 of one ten-cent prize, which was drawn by a little 
 boot-black, who exclaimed: — 
 
 " That's the way to do business, Johnny. If 
 you've got any more of them ten-cent prizes, I'll 
 give you ten cents apiece for the lot." 
 
 " Better buy some more and see," said Paul. 
 
 " That don't go down," said the other. " Maybe 
 there'd be only a penny." 
 
 Nevertheless, the effect of this large prize was to 
 influence the sale of three other packages; but as 
 neither of these contained more than two-cent prizes, 
 trade began to grow dull, and for ten minutes all 
 Paul's eloquent appeals to gentlemen to walk up and 
 try their luck produced no effect. 
 
 At this point Paul found that there was a rival in 
 the field. 
 
 Teddy Brien, who had applied for a partnership the 
 day before, came up with a basket similar to his own, 
 apparently filled with similar packages. He took a 
 position about six feet distant from Paul, and began 
 to cry out, in a shrill voice : — 
 
 " Here's your bully prize packages ! Best in the 
 market! Here's where you get your big prizes, fifty 
 cents in some of 'em. Walk up, boys, tumble up, 
 and take your pick afore they're gone. Fifty cents 
 for five!" 
 
 " That's a lie, Teddy," said Paul, who saw that his 
 rival's attractive announcement was Likely to spoil 
 his trade. 
 
 " No, 'tisn't," said Teddy. '' If you don't believe it, 
 just buy one and see." 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'll do," said Paul, 'Til ex- 
 change.'* 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 23 
 
 "No," said Teddy; "I aint a-goin* to risk giyin* 
 fifty cents for one/* 
 
 " More likely you'd get ten for one. You're a 
 humbug." 
 
 " Hare you really got any fifty-cent prizes ? " 
 asked a newsboy, who had sold out his morning stock 
 of papers, and was lounging about the post-office 
 steps. 
 
 " Best way is to buy, Johnny," said Teddy. 
 
 The boy did buy, but his prize amounted to only 
 one cent. 
 
 "Didn't I tell you so?" said Paul. 
 
 " Just wait a while and see," said Teddy. " The 
 lucky feller hasn't come along. Here, Mike, jest buy 
 a package ! " 
 
 Mike, a boy of fifteen, produced five cents, and 
 said, " I don't mind if I do." 
 
 He selected a package, and, without opening it, 
 slipped it into his pocket. 
 
 " Why don't you open it ? " said Teddv. 
 
 " What's the use ? " said Mike. " TheVe aint no 
 fifty cents inside." 
 
 However, he drew it out of his pocket, and opened 
 it. 
 
 ^'' What's this ? " he exclaimed, pulling out a piece 
 of scrip. " Howly St. Patrick ! it's I that's in luck, 
 anyhow. I've got the fifty cents ! " 
 
 And he held up to view a fifty-cent scrip. 
 
 " Let me look at it," said Paul, incredulously. 
 
 But there was no room for doubt. It was a genu- 
 ine fifty cents, as Paul was compelled to admit. 
 
 " Didn't I tell you so? " said Teddy, triumphantly. 
 " Here's where you get your fifty-cent prizes." 
 
 The appeal was successful. The sight of the fifty- 
 cent prize led to a large call for the packages, of 
 which Teddy immediately sold ten, while Paul found 
 
24 FAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 himself completely deserted. None of the ten, how 
 ever, contained over two cents. Still the possibility 
 of drawing fifty cents kept up the courage of buyers, 
 while Paul's inducements were so far inferior that he 
 found himself wholly distanced. 
 
 "Don't you wish you'd gone pardners with me?" 
 asked Teddy, with a triumphant grin, noticing Paul's 
 look of discomfiture. " You can't do business along- 
 side of me." 
 
 " You can't make any money giving such big 
 prizes," said Paul. " You haven't taken in as much 
 as you've given yet." 
 
 "All right," said Teddy. "I'm satisfied if you 
 are. Have a package, Jim ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Jim. " Mind you give me a good 
 prize." 
 
 The package was bought, and, on being opened, 
 proved to contain fifty cents also, to Paul's great 
 amazement. How Teddy's business could pay, as 
 it w^as managed, he could not comprehend. One 
 thing was certain, however, his new competitor 
 monopolized the trade, and for two hours Paul did 
 not get a solitary customer. 
 
 " There's something about this I don't under- 
 stand," he pondered, thoughtfully. " He must lose 
 money; but he's spoiled my trade." 
 
 Paul did not like to give up beat, but he found 
 himself compelled to. Accordingly he took his 
 basket, and moved off towards Wall Street. Here 
 he was able to start in business without competitors, 
 and succeed'^^d in selling quite a number of packages, 
 until a boy came up, and said: — 
 
 " There's a feller up at the post-office that's givin' 
 fifty-cent prizes. I got one of 'em." 
 
 There was a group of half-a-dozen boys around 
 Paul, two of whom were about to invest; but on 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 25 
 
 hearing this they changed their intention, and walked 
 off in the direction of the post-office. 
 
 Looking up, Paul saw that the boy who had in- 
 jured his trade was Mike, who had drawn the first 
 fifty-cent prize from his competitor. 
 
 " Can't you stop interfering ? " he said, angrily. 
 "I've lost two customers by you." 
 
 " If you don't like it, you can lump it," said Mike, 
 insolently. " This is a free country, aint it ? " 
 
 *^ It 's a mean trick," said Paul, indignantly. 
 
 " Say that ag'in, and I'll upset your baskei," re- 
 turned Mike. 
 
 " I'll say it as often as I like," said Paul, who 
 wasn't troubled by cowardice. " Come on, if you 
 want to." 
 
 Mike advanced a step, doubling his fists ; but find- 
 ing that Paul showed no particular sign of fear, he 
 stopped short, saying, " I'll lick you some other 
 time." 
 
 "You'd better put it off," said Paul. "Have a 
 prize package, sir ? Only five cents ! " 
 
 This was addressed to a young man who came out 
 of an insurance office. 
 
 " I don't mind if I do," said the young man* 
 " Five cents, is it ? What prize may I expect ? " 
 
 " The highest is ten cents." 
 
 " There's a boy round bf the post-office that gives 
 fifty-cent prizes, mister," said Mike. " You'd bet- 
 ter buy of him." 
 
 " I'll wait till another time," said the young man. 
 " Here's the money, Johnny. Now for the package." 
 
 "Look here," said Paul, indignantly, when his 
 customer had gone away ; " haven't you anything 
 to do except to drive off my customers ? " 
 
 " Give me two cents on every package," said Mike, 
 ^ and m tell 'em you give dollar prizes." 
 
26 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ** That would be a lie, and I don't want to do biisi* 
 ness that way." 
 
 Mike continued his persecutions a while longer, 
 and then turned the corner into Nassau Street. 
 
 ''Vm glad he's gone," thought Paul. "Now 
 there's a chance for me." 
 
 He managed after a while to sell twenty of his 
 packages. By this time it was twelve o'clock, and 
 Ae began to feel hungry. He resolved, therefore, to 
 go home to dinner, and come out again in the after- 
 noon. He didn't know how much he had made, but 
 probably about fifty cents. He had made more than 
 double as much the day before in less time; but then 
 he did not suffer from competition. He began to 
 doubt whether he could long pursue this business, 
 since other competitors were likely to spring up. 
 
 As he walked by the post-office, he had the curi- 
 osity to look, and see how his competitor was getting 
 along. 
 
 Teddy had started, originally, with seventy-five 
 packages; but of these scarcely a dozen were left. 
 A group of boys were around him. Among them 
 was Mike, who was just on the point of buying 
 another package. As before, he put it in his pocket, 
 and it was not till Teddy asked, " What luck, 
 Mike?" that he drew it out, and, opening it again, 
 produced fifty cents. 
 
 " It's the big prize ! " he said. " Sure I'm in luck, 
 anyhow." 
 
 " You're the boy that's lucky," said Teddy, with a 
 grin. 
 
 As Paul witnessed this scene, a light broke upon 
 him. Now he understood how it was that Teddy 
 could afford to give such large prizes. Mike and 
 the other boy, Jim, were only confederates of his, — 
 decoy ducks, — who kept drawing over again the 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 27 
 
 same prize, which was eventually given back to 
 Teddy. It was plain now why Mike put the package 
 into his pocket before opening. It was to exchange 
 it for another packet into which the money had pre- 
 viously been placed, but which was supposed by the 
 lookers-on to be the same that had just been pur- 
 chased. The prize could afterwards be placed in a 
 new packet and used over again. 
 
 *^ That aint the same package/' said Paul, an- 
 nouncing his discovery. " He had it all the while 
 in his pocket." 
 
 " Look here,'' blustered Mike, " you jest mind 
 3^our own business! That's the best thing for 
 you." 
 
 " Suppose I don't." 
 
 "If you don't there may be a funeral to-morrow 
 of a boy about your size." 
 
 There was a laugh at Paul's expense, but he took 
 it coolly. 
 
 " I'll send you a particular invitation to attend, if 
 I can get anybody to go over to the Island." 
 
 As Mike had been a resident at Blackwell's Island 
 on two different occasions, this produced a laugh at 
 his expense, in the midst of which Paul walked off. 
 
«8 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TEDDY BRIEN^ GIVES UP BUSINESS. 
 
 '* Have you sold all your packages, Paul ? " asked 
 Jimmy, as our hero entered the humble room, where 
 the table was already spread with a simple dinner. 
 
 " No," said Paul, " I only sold twenty. I begin to 
 think that the prize package business will soon be 
 plaved out." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " There^s too many that'll go into it." 
 
 Here Paul related his experience of the morning, 
 explaining how it was that Teddy had managed to 
 distance him in the competition. 
 
 " Can't you do the same, Paul ? " asked Jimmy. 
 " Mother's got a gold dollar she could lend you." 
 
 " That might do," said Paul ; " but I don't know 
 any boy I could trust to draw it except you, and 
 some of them would know we were brothers." 
 
 "I think, Paul, that would be dishonest," said 
 Mrs. Hoffman. " I would rather make less, if I were 
 you, and do it honestly." 
 
 "Maybe you're right, mother. I'll try it again 
 this afternoon, keeping as far away from Teddy as 
 I can. If I find I can't make it go, I'll try some 
 other business." 
 
 "Jimmy, have you shown Paul your drawing?" 
 said his mother. 
 
 **Here it is, Paul," said Jinmqr, producing his 
 
ADVENTURES OJ A STREET MERCHANT. 29 
 
 drawing-book, from which he had copied a simple 
 
 design of a rustic cottage. 
 
 " Why, that's capital, Jimmy/* said Paul, in real 
 surprise. " I had no idea you would succeed so 
 well" 
 
 " Do you really think so, Paul ? " asked the little 
 boy, much pleased. 
 
 '' I really do. How long did it take you ? " 
 
 ^^ Only a short time ; not more than half an hour, 
 I should think," said Mrs. Hoffman. "I think 
 Jimmy succeeded very well." 
 
 " You'll make a great artist some time, Jimmy,'' 
 said Paul. 
 
 ^^ I wish I could," said the little boy. " I should 
 like to earn some money, so that you and mother 
 need not work so hard." 
 
 " Hard work agrees with me. I'm tough," said 
 Paul. "But when we get to be men, Jimmy, we'll 
 make so much money that mother needn't work at 
 all. She shall sit in the parlor all day, dressed in 
 silk, with nothing to do." 
 
 " I don't think I would enjoy that," said Mrs. 
 Hoffman, smiling. 
 
 " Will you be in the candy business, then, Paul ? '* 
 said Jimmy. 
 
 " No, Jimmy. It would never do for the brother 
 of a great artist to be selling candy round the 
 streets. I hope I shall have something better to do 
 than that." 
 
 " Sit down to dinner, Paul," said his mother. " It's 
 all ready." 
 
 The dinner was not a luxurious one. There was a 
 small plate of cold meat, some potatoes, and bread 
 and butter ; but ]\Irs. Hoffman felt glad to be able to 
 provide even that, and Paul, who had the hearty 
 appetite of a growing boy, did full justice to the 
 
30 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 fpre. They had scarcely finished, when a knock was 
 heard at the door. Paul, answering the summons, 
 admitted a stout, pleasant-looking Irish woman. 
 
 " The top of the marnin' to ye, Mrs. Donovan,** 
 Baid Paul, bowing ceremoniously. 
 
 " Ah, ye'll be afther havin' your joke, Paul," said 
 Mrs. Donovan, good-humoredly. "And how is your 
 health, mum, the day ? " 
 
 " I am well, thank you, Mrs. Donovan," said Mrs. 
 Hoffman. " Sit down to the table, won't you ? We're 
 just through dinner, but there's something left." 
 
 " Thank you, mum, I've jist taken dinner. I was 
 goin' to wash this afternoon, and I thought maybe 
 you'd have some little pieces I could wash jist as well 
 as not." 
 
 " Thank you, Mrs. Donovan, you are very kind ; 
 but you must have enough work of your own to 
 do." 
 
 " I'm stout and strong, mum. and hard work 
 agrees with me; but you're a rale lady, and aint 
 used to it. It's only a thrifle, but if you want to 
 pay me, you could do a bit of sewin' for me. I aint 
 very good with the needle. My fingers is too coarse, 
 belike." 
 
 " Thank you, Mrs. Donovan ; on those terms I 
 will agree to your kind offer. Washing is a little 
 hard for me." 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman collected a few pieces, and, wrapping 
 them up in a handkerchief, handed them to her guest. 
 
 " And now what have you been doin', Jimmy dar- 
 lint ? " said Mrs. Donovan, turning her broad, good- 
 humored face towards the younger boy. 
 
 " I've been drawing a picture," said Jimmy. 
 ** Would you like to see it ? " 
 
 " Now, isn't that illigant ? " exclaimed Mrs. Dono- 
 van, admiringly, taking the picture and gazing at it 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 31 
 
 with rapt admiration. " Who showed you how to 
 do iti" 
 
 " Paul bought me a book, and I copied it out of 
 that." 
 
 ( " You're a rale ganius. Maybe you'll make pic- 
 /'tures some time like them we have in the church, of 
 Hhe Blessed Virgin and the Saints. Do you think 
 you could draw me, now?" she asked, with curi- 
 osity. 
 
 " I haven't got a piece of paper big enough," said 
 Jimmy, slyly. 
 
 "Ah, it's pokin' fun at me, ye are," said Mrs. 
 Donovan, good-humoredly. " Just like my Pat ; he 
 run into the room yesterday, sayin', * Mother, there's 
 great news. Barnum's fat woman is dead, and he's 
 comin' afther you this afternoon. He'll pay you ten 
 dollars a week and board,' — ' Whist, ye spalpeen ! ' 
 said I ; * is it makin' fun of your poor mother, ye 
 are ? ' but I couldn't help laughing at the imperence 
 of the boy. But I must be goin'." 
 
 " Thank you for your kind offer, Mrs. Donovan. 
 Jimmy shall go to your room for the sewing." 
 
 " There's no hurry about that," said Mrs. Dono- 
 van. " I'll jist bring it in meself, when it's ready." 
 
 " She is very kind," said Mrs. Hoffman, when 
 Bridget Donovan had gone. " I shall be glad to 
 have her wash. I am apt to feel weak after it. 
 What are you going to do this afternoon, Paul ? " 
 . " I'll try to sell out the rest of my stock of pack- 
 ages. Perhaps I shan't succeed, but I'll do my best. 
 Shall you have another picture to show me when I 
 come back to-night, Jimmy ? " 
 
 " Yes, Paul, I love to draw. I'm going to try this 
 castle." 
 
 "It's rather hard, isn't it?" 
 
 " I can do it," said Jimmy, confidently. 
 
^2 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 Paul left the room with his basket on his arm. 
 
 He was drawn by curiosity to the spot where he 
 had met with his first success, as well as his first 
 failure, — the front of the post-office. Here he be- 
 came witness to an unexpectedly lively scene; in 
 other words, a fight, in which Teddy Brien and his 
 confederate Mike were the contestants. To explain 
 the cause of the quarrel, it must be stated that it 
 related to a division of the spoils. 
 
 Teddy had sold out his last package, seventy-five 
 in number. For these he had received five cents 
 apiece, making in all three dollars and seventy-five 
 cents, of which all but a dollar and seventy-five 
 cents, representing the value of the prizes and the 
 original cost of the packages and their contents, was 
 profit. Now, according to the arrangement entered 
 into between him and J\Iike, the latter, for his services 
 as decoy, was to receive one cent on every package 
 sold. This, however,. seemed to Teddy too much to 
 pay, so when the time of reckoning came, he stoutly 
 asseverated that there were but sixty packages. 
 
 "That don^t go down," said Mike, indignantly; 
 " it's nearer a hundred." 
 
 " No, it isn't. It's only sixty. You've got the 
 fifty cents, and I'll give you ten more." 
 
 " You must give me the whole sixty, then," said 
 Mike, changing his ground. " I drawed the fifty as a 
 prize." 
 
 Teddy was struck with astonishment at the impu- 
 dence of this assumption, 
 
 " It wasn't no prize," he said. 
 
 " Yes, it was," said Mike. " You said so yourself. 
 Didn't he, Jim?" 
 
 Jim, who was also a confederate, but had agreed to 
 accept twenty-five cents in full for services rendered, 
 promptly answered: — 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 33 
 
 ** Shure Mike's right. It was a prize he drew.'^ 
 
 " You want to chate me ! '' said Teddy, angrily. 
 
 "What have you been doin' all the mornin'?" 
 demanded Mike. "You're the chap to talk about 
 chatin', ain't you ? " 
 
 " I'll give you twenty-five cents/' said Teddy, 
 " and that's all I will give you.'^ 
 
 "Then you've got to fight," said Mike, squaring 
 off. 
 
 " Yes, you've got to fight ! " chimed in Jim, who 
 thought he saw a chance for more money. 
 
 Teddy looked at his two ejiemies, each of whom 
 was probably more than a match for himself, and was 
 not long in deciding that his best course was to 
 avoid a fight by running. Accordingly he tucked 
 all the money into his pocket, and, turning inconti- 
 nently, fled down Liberty Street, closely pursued by 
 his late confederates. Paul came up just in time to 
 hear the termination of the dispute, and watch the 
 flight of his late business rival. 
 
 " I guess Teddy won't go into the business again,'' 
 he reflected. " I may as well take my old stand." 
 
 Accordingly he once more installed himself on the 
 post-office steps, and began to cry, " Prize Pack- 
 ages ! Only five cents ! " 
 
 Having no competitor now to interfere with his 
 trade, he met with fair success, and by four o'clock 
 was able to start for home with his empty basket, 
 having disposed of all his stock in trade. 
 
 His profits, though not so great as the day before, 
 amounted to a dollar. 
 
 " If I could only make a dollar everv day," thought 
 Paul, " I would be satisfied." 
 
34 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 PAUL LOSES HIS STOCK IN TRADE. 
 
 Paul continued in the prize-package business for 
 three weeks. His success varied, but he never made, 
 less than seventy-five cents a day, and sometimes 
 as much as a dollar and a quarter. He was not 
 without competitors. More than once, on reaching 
 his accustomed stand, he found a rival occupying it 
 before him. In such cases he quietly passed on, 
 and set up his business elsewhere, preferring to 
 monopolize the trade, though the location might not 
 be so good. 
 
 Teddy Brien did not again enter the field. We 
 left him, at the end of the last chapter, trying to 
 escape from Mike and Jim, who demanded a larger 
 sum than he was willing to pay for their services. 
 He succeeded in escaping with his money, but the 
 next day his two confederates caught him, and 
 Teddy received a black eye as a receipt in full of all 
 demands. So, on the whole, he decided that some 
 other business would suit him better, and resumed 
 the blacking-box, which he had abandoned on em- 
 barking in commercial pursuits. 
 
 Mike Donovan and Jim Parker were two notori- 
 ously bad boys, preferring to make a living in any 
 other way than by honest industry. As some of 
 these ways were not regarded as honest in the sight 
 of the law, each had more than once been sentenced 
 to a term at Blackwell's Island. They made a 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT, gj 
 
 proposition to Paul to act as decoy d^icks for him in 
 the same way as for Teddy; but he declined the 
 proposal without much ceremony. He liked neither 
 of the boys, and did not care to be associated with 
 them. This refusal Mike and Jim resented, and 
 determined to " pay off " Paul if they ever got a 
 chance. Our hero from time to time saw them 
 hovering about him, but took very little notice of 
 them. He knew that he was a match for either, 
 though Mike exceeded him in size, and he felt quite 
 capable of taking care of hims'^M 
 
 One day Mike and Jim, whose kindred tastes led 
 them to keep company, met at the corner of Liberty 
 and William Streets. Mike looked unusually dilapi- 
 dated. He had had a scuffle the day before with 
 another boy, and his clothes, already well ventilated, 
 got torn in several extra places. As it was very 
 uncertain when he would be in a financial condition 
 to provide himself with another suit, the prospect 
 was rather alarming. Jim Parker looked a shade 
 more respectable in attire, but his face and hands 
 were streaked with blacking. To this, however, 
 Jim had become so accustomed that he would 
 probably have felt uncomfortable with a clean face. 
 
 ^' How are you off for stamps, Jim?'^ asked Mike, 
 
 " Dead-broke," was the reply. 
 
 " So am I. I aint had no breakfast." 
 
 " Nor I 'cept an apple. Couldn't I eat, though ? '' 
 
 '' Suppose we borrow a quarter of Paul Hoffman.'* 
 
 " He wouldn't lend a feller." 
 
 '^ Not if he knowed it," said Mike, significantly. 
 
 " What do you mean, Mike ? " asked Jim, witk" 
 «ome curiosity. 
 
 " We'll borrow without leave." 
 
 "How'll wedoit?" 
 
 «rU tell you," said Mike. 
 
36 . PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 He proceeded to unfold his plan, which was briefly 
 this. The two were to saunter up to where Paul 
 was standing, and remain until the group, if there 
 were any around him, should be dispersed. Then 
 one was to pull his hat over his eyes, while the 
 other would snatch the basket containing his prize 
 packages, and run down Liberty Street, never 
 stopping until he landed in a certain alley known tc 
 both boys. The other would run in a different 
 direction, and both would meet as soon as practi- 
 cable for the division of the spoils. It was yet so 
 early that Paul could not have sold many from his 
 stock. As each contained a prize, varying from one 
 penny to ten, they would probably realize enough 
 to buy a good breakfast, besides the candy contained 
 in the packages. More money might be obtained by 
 selling the packages, but there was risk in this. 
 Beside, it would take time, and they decided that a 
 bird in the hand was worth two in the bush. 
 
 "That's a good idea,'' said Jim, approvingly. 
 "Who'll knock his hat over his head? " 
 
 " You can," said Mike, " and I'll grab the basket.^ 
 But to this Jim demurred, for two reasons : first, he 
 was rather afraid of Paul, whose strength of arm he 
 had tested on a previous occasion; and, again, he 
 was afraid that if Mike got off with the basket he 
 would appropriate the lion's share. 
 
 " I'll grab the basket," he said. 
 
 " Wliat for ? " said Mike, suspiciously, for he, too, 
 felt some distrust of his confederate. 
 
 "You're stronger'n I am, Mike," said Jim. 
 '^May'be he'd turn on me, and I can't find him as 
 well as you." 
 
 "That's so," said Mike, who had rather a high 
 idea of his own prowess, and felt pleased with the 
 compliment. " I'm a match for him.'* 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHAhT. 37 
 
 " Of course you be/' said Jim, artfully, *' and he 
 knows it." 
 
 " Of course he does," said Mike, boastfully. ** I 
 can lick him with one hand." 
 
 Jim had serious doubts of this, but he had hii 
 reasons for concurring in Mike's estimate of hi? own 
 powers. 
 
 " We'd better start now," said Jim. " I'm awful 
 hungry." 
 
 " Come along, then." l 
 
 They walked up Liberty Street, as far as ?^assan. 
 On reaching the corner they saw their unconscious 
 victim at his usual place. It was rather a public 
 place for an assault, and both boys would have hes- 
 itated had they not been incited by a double motive, 
 — the desire of gain and a feeling of hostility. 
 
 They sauntered along, and Mike pressed in close 
 by Paul. 
 
 " What do you want ? " asked Paul, not liking the 
 vicinity. 
 
 " What's that to you? " demanded Mike. 
 
 " Quit crowdin' me." 
 
 " I aint crowdin'. I've got as much right to be 
 here as you." 
 
 " Here's your prize packages ! " exclaimed Paul, 
 in a business-like tone. 
 
 " Maybe I'll buy one if you'll give me credit till 
 to-morrow," said Mike. 
 
 " Your credit isn't good with me," said Paul. 
 '' You must pay cash down." 
 
 " Then you won't trust me ? " said Mike, pressing 
 a little closer. ' 
 
 " No, I won't," said Paul, decidedly. v 
 
 " Then take that, you spalpeen ! " said Mike sud- 
 denly pulling Paul's hat over his eyes. 
 
 At the same time, Jim, to whom he had tipped a 
 
38 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 wink, snatched the basket, which Paul held loosely in 
 his hand, and disappeared round the corner. 
 
 The attack was so sudden and unexpected that 
 Paul was at first bewildered. But he quickly re- 
 covered his presence of mind, and saw into the trick. 
 He raised his hat, and darted in pursuit of Mike, not 
 knowing in what direction his basket had gone. 
 
 " That's a mean trick ! " he exclaimed indignantly. 
 " Give me back my basket, you thief ! " 
 
 " I aint got no basket," said Mike, facing round. 
 
 ^^ Then you know where it is." 
 
 " I don't know nothin' of your basket." 
 
 "You pulled my hat over my eyes on purpose tc 
 steal my basket." 
 
 " No, I didn't. You insulted me, that's why I 
 did it." 
 
 " Tell me where my basket is, or I'll lick you/' 
 said Paul, incensed. 
 
 " I aint nothin' to do with your basket." 
 
 " Take that, then, for pulling my hat over my 
 eyes," and Paul, suiting the action to the word, dealt 
 Mike a staggering blow in the face. 
 
 " I'll murder you ! " shouted Mike, furiously, dash- 
 ing at Paul with a blow which might have levelled 
 him, if he had not fended it off. 
 
 Paul was not quarrelsome, but he knew how to 
 fight, and he was prepared now to fight in earnest, 
 indignant as he was at the robbery which entailed 
 upon him a loss he could ill sustain. 
 
 " I'll give you all you want," he said resolutely, 
 eying Mike warily, and watching a chance to give 
 him another blow. 
 
 The contest was brief, being terminated by the 
 sudden and unwelcome arrival of a policeman. 
 
 " What's this ? " he asked authoritatively, survey- 
 ing the combatants ; Paul, with his flushed face, and 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 39 
 
 Mike, whose nose was bleeding freely from a suc- 
 cessful blow of his adversary. 
 
 " He pitched into me for nothin'," said Mike, glar- 
 ing at Paul, rubbing his bloody nose on the sleeve of 
 his ragged coat. 
 
 " That isn't true," said Paul, excited. " He came 
 up while I was selling prize packages of candy in 
 front of the post-office, and pulled my hat over my 
 eyes, while another boy grabbed my basket." 
 
 " You lie ! " said Mike. " I don't know nothin' of 
 your basket." 
 
 " Why did you pull his hat over his eyes ? " asked 
 the policeman. 
 
 " Because he insulted me." 
 
 " How did he insult you ? " 
 
 " He wouldn't trust me till to-morrow." 
 
 "I don't blame him much for that," said the 
 policeman, who was aware of Mike's shady reputa- 
 tion, having on a former occasion been under J;he 
 necessity of arresting him. Even without such ac- 
 quaintance, Mike's general appearance would hardly 
 have recommended him to officer Jones. 
 
 "I'll let you go this time," he said, "but if I 
 catch you fighting again on my beat I'll march you 
 off to the station-house." 
 
 Mike was glad to escape, though he would almost 
 have been willing to be arrested if Paul could have 
 been arrested also. 
 
 The officer walked away^, and Mike started down 
 the street. 
 
 Paul followed him. 
 
 This didn't suit Mike's ideas, as he was anxious 
 to meet Jim and divide the spoils with him. 
 
 " What are you follerin' me for ? " he demanded 
 angrily. 
 
 " I have my reasons," said Paul. 
 
40 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 "Then you'd better stay where you are. Your 
 company aint wanted." 
 
 " I know that/' said Paul, " but I'm going to 
 follow you till I find my basket." 
 
 " What do I know of your basket ? " 
 
 " That's what I want ito find out." 
 
 Mike saw, by Paul's resolute tone, that he meant 
 what he said. Desirous of shaking him off, he 
 started on a run. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PAUL AS AN ARTIST. 
 
 .*AUL was not slow in following Mike. He was a 
 good runner, and would have had no difficulty in 
 keeping up with his enemy if the streets had been 
 empty. But to thread his way in and out among the 
 numerous foot-passengers that thronged the side- 
 walks was not so easy. He kept up pretty well, 
 however, until, in turning a street corner, he ran at 
 full speed into a very stout gentleman, whose scanty 
 wind was quite knocked out of him by the collision. 
 He glared in anger at Paul, but could not at first 
 obtain breath enough to speak. 
 
 " I beg your pardon, sir," said Paul, who, in spite 
 of his desire to overtake Mike, felt it incumbent upon 
 him to stop and offer an apology. 
 
 " What do you mean, sir," exploded the fat man, 
 ftt last, "by tearing through the streets like a loco- 
 motive? You've nearly killed me." 
 
 " I am very sorry, sir." 
 
 *^ You ought to be. Don't you know better than 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 41 
 
 to run at such speed ? You ought to be indicted as a 
 public nuisance." 
 
 " I was trying to catch a thief," said Paul. 
 
 " Trying to catch a thief ? How's that ? " asked 
 the stout gentleman, his indignation giving way to 
 curiosity. 
 
 " I was selling packages in front of the post-office, 
 when he and another boy came up and stole my 
 basket." 
 
 " Indeed ! What were you selling ? " 
 
 " Prize packages, sir." 
 
 " What was in them ? " 
 
 " Candy." 
 
 " Could you make much that way ? " 
 
 " About a dollar a day." 
 
 *^ I'd rather have given you a dollar than had you 
 run against me with such violence. I feel it yet." 
 
 " Indeed, sir, I'm very sorry." 
 
 " Well, I'll forgive you, under the circumstances. 
 What's your name ? " 
 
 " Paul Hoffman." 
 
 " Well, I hope you'll get back your basket. Some 
 time, if you see me in the street, come up and let me 
 know. Would you know me again ? " 
 
 " I think I should, sir." 
 
 " Well, good-morning. I hope you'll catch the 
 thief." 
 
 " I thank you, sir." 
 
 They parted company, but Paul did not continue 
 the pursuit. The conversation in which he had taken 
 part had lasted so long that Mike had had plenty of 
 time to find a refuge, and there would be no use in 
 following him. 
 
 So Paul went home. 
 
 "You are home early, Paul," said his mother. 
 ** Surely ^u haven't sold out by this time." 
 
42 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR. 
 
 " No, but all my packages are gone/* 
 
 "How is that?" 
 
 " They were stolen." 
 
 " Tell me about it." 
 
 So Paul told the story. 
 
 " That Mike was awful mean," said Jimmy, in- 
 dignantly. " Pd like to hit him." 
 
 " I don't think you would hurt him much, Jimmy,** 
 said Paul, amused at his little brother's vehe- 
 mence. 
 
 " Then I wish I was a big, strong boy," said Jimmy. 
 
 " I hope you will be some time." 
 
 " How much was your loss, Paul ? " asked his 
 mother. 
 
 " There were nearly forty packages. They cost 
 me about a dollar, but if I had sold them all they 
 would have brought me in twice as much. I had only 
 sold ten packages." 
 
 " Shall you make some more ? " 
 
 "No, I "think not," said Paul. "I've got tired of 
 the business. It's getting poorer every day. I'll go 
 out after dinner, and see if I can't find something 
 else to do." 
 
 "You aint going out now. Paul?" said Jimmy. 
 
 " Xo, ril stop and see vou draw a little while.'^ 
 
 " That's bully. I'm going to try these oxen." 
 
 " That's a hard picture. I don't think you can 
 draw it, Jimmy." 
 
 " Yes, I can." said the little boy confidently. " Just 
 see if I don't." 
 
 " Jimmy has improved a good deal," said his 
 mother. 
 
 " You'll be a great artist one of these days, Jimmy/' 
 said Paul. 
 
 " I'm going to try, Paul," said the little boy. " I 
 like it so much." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 43 
 
 Little Jiminy had indeed made surprising progress 
 in drawing. With no instruction whatever he had 
 succeeded in a very close and accurate imitation of 
 the sketches in the drawing-books Paul had pur- 
 chased for him. It was a great delight to the little 
 boy to draw, and hour after hour, as his mother sat 
 at her work, he sat up to the table, and worked at 
 his drawing, scarcely speaking a word unless spoken 
 to, so absorbed was he in his fascinating employ- 
 ment. 
 
 Paul watched him attentively. 
 
 " You'll make a bully artist, Jimmy," he said at 
 length, really surprised at his little brother's profi- 
 ciency. " If you keep on a little longer, you'll beat 
 me." 
 
 " I wish 3'ou'd draw something, Paul," said Jimmy. 
 " I never saw any of your drawings." 
 
 " I am afraid, if you saw mine, it would discourage 
 you," said Paul. " You know I'm older and ought 
 to draw better." 
 
 His face was serious, but there was a merry 
 twinkle of fun in his eyes. 
 
 "Of course I know you draw better," said Jimmy, 
 seriously. 
 
 "What shall I draw?" asked Paul. 
 
 " Try this horse, Paul." 
 
 " All right ! " said Paul. " But you must go away ; 
 I don't want you to see it till it is done." 
 
 Jimmy left the table, and Paul commenced his 
 attempt. Now, though Paul is the hero of my story, 
 I am bound to gonfess that he had not the slightest 
 talent for drawing:, thousfh Jimmy did not know it. 
 It was only to afford his little brother amusement that 
 he now undertook the task. 
 
 Paul worked away for about five minutes. 
 
 " It's done," he said. 
 
^ PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " So quick ? *' exclaimed Jimmy, in surprise. 
 " How fast you work ! '* 
 
 He drew near and inspected Paul's drawing. He 
 had no sooner inspected it than he burst into a fit 
 of laughter. PauFs drawing was a very rough one, 
 and such a horse as he had drawn will never probably 
 be seen until the race has greatlv degenerated. 
 
 " What's the matter, Jimmy? '' asked Paul. '' Don't 
 you like it ? " 
 
 " It's awful, Paul," said the little boy, almost 
 choking with mirth. 
 
 " I see how it is," said Paul, with feigned resent- 
 ment. " You're jealous of me because you can't draw 
 as well." 
 
 " Paul, 3^ou'll kill me ! " and Jimmy again burst 
 into a fit of merriment. " Can't you really draw any 
 better?" 
 
 " No, Jimmy," said Paul, joining in the laugh. 
 " I can't draw any better than an old cow. You've 
 got all the talent in the family in that line." 
 
 " But you're smart in other ways, Paul," said 
 Jimmy, who had a great admiration of Paul, not- 
 withstanding the discovery of his artistic inferiority. 
 
 "I'm glad there's one that thinks so, Jimmy," 
 said Paul. " I'll refer to you when I want a recom- 
 mendation." 
 
 Jimmy resumed his drawing, and was proud of the 
 praises which Paul freely bestowed upon him. 
 
 " I'll get you a harder drawing-book when you've 
 got through with these," said Paul, "that is, if I 
 don't get reduced to poverty by having my stock in 
 trade stolen again." 
 
 After a while came dinner. This meal in Mrs. 
 Hoffman's household usually came at twelve o'clock. 
 It was a phin, frugal meal always, but on Sunday 
 they usually managed to have something a Little bet- 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 45 
 
 ter, as they had been accustomed to do when Mr. 
 Hoffman was alive. 
 
 Paul was soon through. 
 
 He took his hat from the bureau, and prepared to 
 go out. 
 
 " I'm going out to try my luck, mother," he said. 
 "I'll see if I can't get into something I like a little 
 better than the prize-package business." 
 
 " I hope you'll succeed, Paul." 
 
 "Better than I did in drawing horses, eh, 
 Jimmy ? " 
 
 " Yes, I hope so, Paul," said the little boy. 
 
 "Don't you show that horse to visitors and pre- 
 tend it's yours, Jimmy." 
 
 " No danger, Paul." 
 
 Paul went downstairs and into the street. He had 
 no definite plan in his head, but was ready for any- 
 thing that might turn up. He did not feel anxious, 
 for he knew there were plenty of ways in which he 
 could earn something. He had never tried blacking 
 boots, but still he could do it in case of emergenc}^ 
 He had sold papers, and succeeded fairly in that line, 
 and knew he could again. He had pitted himself 
 against other boys, and the result had been to give 
 him a certain confidence in his own powers and 
 business abilities. When he had first gone into the 
 street to try his chances there, it had been with a 
 degree of diffidence. But knocking about the streets 
 soon gives a boy confidence, sometimes too much of 
 it, and Paul had learned to rely upon himself; but 
 the influence of a good, though humble home, and a 
 judicious mother, had kept him aloof from the bad 
 habits into which many street boys are led. 
 
 So Paul, though his stock in trade had been stolen, 
 and he was obliged to seek a new kind of business, 
 was by no means disheartened. He walked a little 
 
46 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 way down town, and then crossing the City Hall 
 Park, found himself on Broadway. 
 
 A little below the Astor House he came to the 
 stand of a sidewalk-merchant who dealt in neck-ties. 
 Upon an upright frame-work hung a great variety of 
 ties of different colors, most of which were sold at 
 the uniform price of twenty-five cents each. 
 
 Paul was acquainted with the proprietor of the 
 etand, and, having nothing else to do, determined to 
 stop and speak to him. 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 IN A NEW BUSINESS. 
 
 The proprietor of the neck-tie stand was a slender, 
 dark-complexioned young man of about twenty-five, 
 or thereabouts. His name was George Barry. Paul 
 had known him for over a year, and whenever he 
 passed his stand was accustomed to stop and speak 
 with him. 
 
 " Well, George, how's business?" asked Paul. 
 
 '' Fair," said Barry. " That isn't what's the mat- 
 ter." 
 
 "What is it, then?" 
 
 " I'm sick. I ought not to be out here to-day.'* 
 
 " AVliat's the matter with you ? " 
 
 " I've caught a bad cold, and feel hot and feverish. 
 I ousrht to be at home and abed." 
 
 "Why don't you go?" 
 
 " I can't leave my business." 
 
 " It's better to do that than to get a bad sick' 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. ^^ 
 
 " I suppose it is. I am afraid I am going to have 
 a fever. One minute I'm hot, another I'm cold. 
 But I can't afford to close up my business." 
 
 " Why don't you get somebody to take your place ? " 
 
 " I don't know anybody I could get that I could 
 trust. They'd sell my goods, and make off with the 
 money." 
 
 " Can you trust me ? " asked Paul, who saw a 
 chance to benefit himself as well as his friend. 
 
 " Yes, Paul, I could trust you, but I'm afraid I 
 couldn't pay you enough to make it worth while for 
 you to stand here." 
 
 "I haven't got anything to do just now," said 
 Paul. " I was in the prize-package business, but 
 two fellows stole my stock in trade, and I'm not 
 going into it again. It's about played out. I'm 
 your man. Just make me an oifer." 
 
 " I should like to have you take my place for a day 
 or two, for I know you wouldn't cheat me." 
 
 "You may be sure of that." 
 
 " I am sure. I know you are an honest boy, Paul. 
 But I don't know what to offer you." 
 
 " How many neck-ties do you sell a day ? " asked 
 Paul, in a business-like tone. 
 
 " About a dozen on an average." 
 
 " And how much profit do you make? " 
 
 " It's half profit." 
 
 Paul made a short calculation. Twelve neck-ties 
 at twenty-five cents each would bring three dollars. 
 Half of this was a dollar and a half. 
 
 "I'll take your place for half profits," he said. 
 
 "That's fair," said George Barry. "I'll accept 
 your offer. Can you begin now ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then I'll go home and go to bed. It's the best 
 place for me." 
 
|.g PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 *' You'd better. I'll come round after closing np^ 
 and hand over the money." 
 
 " All right ! You know where I live ? " 
 
 '^ I'm not sure." 
 
 " No. — Bleecker Street." 
 
 *' I'll come up this evening." 
 
 George Barry walked away, leaving Paul in charge 
 of his business. He did so with perfect confidence. 
 Kot every boy in Paul's circumstances can be trusted, 
 but he felt sure that Paul would do the right thing 
 by him. 
 
 I may as well say, in this connection, that George 
 Barry had a mother living. They occupied two rooms 
 in a lodging-house in Bleecker Street, and lived very 
 comfortably. Mrs. Barry had an allowance of two 
 hundred dollars a year from a relation. This, with 
 what she earned by sewing, and her son by his stand, 
 supported them very comfortably, especially as they 
 provided and cooked their own food, which was, of 
 course, much cheaper than boarding. , Still the loss 
 of the young man's earnings, even for a short time, 
 would have been felt, though they had a reserve of a 
 hundred dollars in a savinfjs-bank, from which they 
 might draw if necessary. But George did not like to 
 do this. The arrangement which he made with Paul 
 was a satisfactory one, for with half his usual earn- 
 ings they would still be able to keep out of debt, and 
 not be compelled to draw upon the fund in the bank. 
 Of course something depended on Paul's success as a 
 salesman, but he would not be likely to fall much 
 below the average amount of sales. So, on the whole, 
 George Barry went home considerably relieved in 
 mind, though his head was throbbing, and he felt 
 decidedly sick. 
 
 Arrived at home, his mother, who understood sick* 
 ness, at once took measures to relieve him. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 49 
 
 *' Don't mind the loss of a few days, George," she 
 said, cheerfully ; " we shall be able to get along very 
 well/' 
 
 "It'll only be part loss, mother," he said. "I've 
 got Paul Hoffman to take my place for half the 
 profits." 
 
 " Paul Hoffman ! Do I know him ? " 
 
 " I don't think he has ever been here, but I have 
 known him for a year." 
 
 " Can 3^ou trust him ? " 
 
 " Yes, I'm not at all afraid. He is a smart boy, 
 and as honest as he is smart. I think he will sell 
 nearly as much as I would." 
 
 " That is an excellent arrangement. You needn't 
 feel uneasy then." 
 
 " ISTo, the business will go on right." 
 
 " I should like to see your salesman." 
 
 "You'll see him to-night, mother. He's coming 
 round this evening to let me know how he's got 
 along, and hand over the money he's taken." 
 
 " You'd better be quiet now, George, and go to 
 sleep, if you can. I'll make you some warm tea I 
 think it'll do you good." 
 
 Meanwhile Paul assumed charge of George Barry's 
 business. He was sorry his friend was sick, but he 
 congratulated himself on getting into business so 
 soon. 
 
 " It's more respectable than selling prize pack- 
 ages," thought Paul. " I wish I had a stand of my 
 own." 
 
 He was still a street merchant, but among street 
 merchants there are grades as well as among mer- 
 chants whose claim to higher respectability rests upon 
 having rent to pay. Paul felt that it was almost 
 like having a shop of his own. He had always 
 looked up to George Barry as standing higher than 
 
50 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 himself in a business way, and he felt that eves if 
 his earnings should not be as great, that it was a 
 step upward to have sole charge of his stand, if only 
 for a day or two, 
 
 PauFs ambition was aroused. It was for his in- 
 terest to make as large sales as possible. Besides, 
 he thought he would like to prove to George Barry 
 that he had made a good selection in appointing him 
 his substitute. 
 
 Now, if the truth must be told, George Barry him- 
 self was not possessed of superior business ability. 
 He was lacking in energy and push. He could sell 
 neck-ties to those who asked for them, but had no 
 particular talent for attracting trade. He would 
 have been a fair clerk, but was never Rkely to rise 
 above a very moderate success. Paul was quite dif- 
 ferent. He was quick, enterprising, and smart. He 
 was a boy likely to push his way to success un- 
 less circumstances were very much against him. 
 
 " I'd like to sell more than George Barry," he 
 said to himself. "I don't know if I can, but I'm 
 going to try." 
 
 The day was half over, and probably the most 
 profitable, so far as business was concerned. Paul 
 had only four or five hours left. 
 
 " Let me see," he said to himself. " I ought to 
 sell six neck-ties to come up to the average of half a 
 day's sale. I wonder whether 1 can do it." 
 
 As his soliloquy ended, his quick eye detected a 
 young man glancing at his stock, and he observed 
 that he paused irresolutely, as if half inclined to pur- 
 chase. 
 
 " Can't I sell you a neck-tie to-day ? " asked Paul, 
 promptly. 
 
 " I don't know," said the other. " What do you 
 charge ? " 
 
ADVENTURES AF A STREET MERCHANT. 51 
 
 "You can have your choice for twenty-five cents. 
 That ie cheap, isn't it ? " 
 
 " Yes, that's cheap. Let me look at them." 
 
 " Here's one that will suit your complexion/' said 
 Paul. 
 
 " Yes, that's a pretty one. I think I'll take it." 
 
 " You'd have to pay twice as much in the shops,** 
 continued Paul, as he rolled it up. " You see we 
 have no rent to pay, and so we can sell cheap. You'll 
 gave money by always buying your neck-ties here." 
 
 " The only objection to that is, that I don't live 
 in the city, I am here only for a day. I live about 
 fifty miles in the countrv." 
 
 "Then I'll tell you what you'd better do." said 
 Paul. " Lay in half a dozen, while you are about 
 it. It'll only be a dollar and a half, and you'll save 
 as much as that by doing it." 
 
 " I don't know but you are right," said his cus- 
 tomer, whom the suggestion impressed favorably. 
 " As you say, it's only a dollar and a half, and it'll 
 give me a good stock." 
 
 "Let me pick them out for you," said Paul, 
 brisklv, " unless there's something you see yourself." 
 
 "I^like that one." 
 
 " All right. What shall be the next ? " 
 
 Finally the young man selected the entire half 
 dozen, and deposited a dollar and a half in Paul's 
 hands. 
 
 " Come and see me again," said Paul ; " and if 
 you have any friends coming to the city send them to 
 me." 
 
 " T will," said the other. 
 
 " Tell them it's the first stand south of the Astor 
 House. Then they won't miss it." 
 
 "That's a good beginning," said Paul to himself 
 with satisfaction. "Half a day's average sales al- 
 
52 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ready, and I've only been here fifteen minutes. Let 
 me see, what will my profits be on that? Three 
 shillings, I declare. That isn't so bad now ! " 
 
 Paul had reason to be satisfied with himself. If 
 he had not spoken, the young man would very prob- 
 ably have gone on without purchasing at all, or at 
 any rate remained content with a single neck-tie. 
 Paul's manner and timely word had increased his 
 purchase sixfold. That is generally the difference 
 between a poor salesman and one of the first class. 
 Anybody can sell to those who are anxious to buy; 
 but it takes a smart man to persuade a customer that 
 he wants what otherwise he would go without. The 
 difference in success is generally appreciated by deal- 
 ers, and a superior salesman is generally paid a hand- 
 some salary. 
 
 " I don't believe George Barry would have sold 
 that man so many ties," thought Paul. " I hope I 
 shall have as good luck next time." 
 
 But this of course was not to be expected. It is 
 not every customer who can be persuaded to buy 
 half-a-dozen ties, even by the most eloquent of sales- 
 men. However, in the course of an hour more, Paul 
 had sold three more to single customers. Then came 
 a man who bought two. Then there was a lull, and 
 for an hour Paul sold none at all. But business im- 
 proved a little toward the close of the afternoon, and 
 when it was time to close up, our young merchant 
 found that he had disposed of fifteen. 
 
 " My share of the profits will be ninety-three 
 cents," thought Paul, with satisfaction. " That isn't 
 bad f^ £ ^n afternoon's work." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 5iJ*' 
 
 CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 A STROKE OF ILL LUCK. 
 
 Paul transferred his frame of goods to a neighbor- 
 ing office at the end of the afternoon, the arrange- 
 ment ^having been made by George Barry, on first 
 entering into business as a street merchant. This 
 saved a good deal of trouble, as otherwise he would 
 have been compelled to carry them home every night 
 and bring them back in the morning. 
 
 " Well, Paul," asked his mother, when he returned 
 to supper, " have you found anything to do yet ? '^ 
 
 ^^I ha\t^ got employment for a few days," said 
 Paul, " to tend a neck-tie stand. The man that keeps 
 it is sick." 
 
 " How much does he pay you, Paul ? " asked 
 Jimmy. 
 
 ^^ Half the profits. How much do you think I 
 made this afternoon ? " 
 
 " Forty cents." 
 
 " What do you say to ninety-three cents ? Just 
 look at this ; " and Paul displayed his earnings. 
 
 " That is excellent." 
 
 "I had good luck. Generally I shan't make more 
 in a whole day than this." 
 
 " That will be doing very well." 
 
 ^^But I shall make more if I can. One fellow 
 bought six neck-ties of me this afternoon. I wish 
 everybody would do that Now, mother, I hope sup- 
 
54 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 per is most ready, for selling neck-ties has made me 
 hungry." 
 
 " Almost ready, Paul." 
 ^ It was an humble meal, but a good one. There 
 were fresh rolls and butter, tea, and some cold meat. 
 That was all; but the cloth was clean, and every- 
 thing looked neat. All did justice to the plain meal, 
 and never thought of envying the thousands, who, in 
 their rich up-town mansions, were sitting down at the 
 same hour to elaborate dinners costing more than 
 their entire week's board. 
 
 " Are you going out, Paul ? " asked Mrs. Hoff- 
 man, noticing that he took his hat. 
 
 " Yes, I must go and see George Barry, and carry 
 the money I have received for sales." 
 
 " Where does he live ? " 
 
 " In Bleecker Street. I shan't be gone long." 
 
 Paul reached the number which had been given 
 him. It was a large four-story house, with the ap- 
 pearance of a barracks. 
 
 " Mr. Barry," said the servant, in answer to his 
 question, — " he lives upstairs on the fourth floor. 
 Room on the right." 
 
 Paul plodded his way upstairs, and found the room 
 without difficulty. 
 
 On knocking, the door was opened by Mrs. Barry, 
 who looked at him inquiringly. 
 
 " Does George Barry live here ? " asked Paul. 
 
 "Yes. Are you the one he left in charge of his 
 business ? " 
 
 Paul answered in the affirmative, adding, " How is 
 he?" 
 
 " He seems quite feverish. I am afraid he is going 
 to have a fever. It's fortunate that he came home. 
 He was not able to attend to his business." 
 
 "Can I see him?" 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 55 
 
 " Come in," said Mrs. Barry. 
 
 The room was covered with a worn carpet, but 
 looked neat and comfortable. There was a cheap 
 sewing-machine in one corner, and some plain furni- 
 ture. There was a bedroom opening out of this 
 room, and here it was that George Barry lay upon 
 the bed. 
 
 ^^ Is that Paul Hoffman, mother ? " was heard from 
 the bedroom. 
 
 " Yes," said Paul, answering for himself. 
 
 "Go in, if you like," said Mrs. Barry. "My son 
 wishes to see you." 
 
 " How do you feel now, George ? " asked Paul. 
 
 " Not very well, Paul. I didn't give up a minute 
 too soon. I think I am going to have a fever." 
 
 " That is not comfortable," said Paul. " Still yon 
 have your mother to take care of you." 
 
 " I don't know how I should get along without her. 
 Can you look after my business as long as I am 
 sick?" 
 
 " Yes ; I have nothing else to do." 
 
 " Then that is off my mind. By the way, how 
 many ties did you sell this afternoon ? " 
 
 " Fifteen." 
 
 " What ! " demanded Barry, in surprise. " You sold 
 fifteen?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Why, I never sold so many as that in an after- 
 noon." 
 
 "Didn't you?" said Paul, gratified. "Then you 
 think I did well?" 
 
 " Splendidly. How did you do it ? " 
 
 " You see there was a young man from the coun- 
 try that I persuaded to buy six, as he could not get 
 them so cheap at home. That was my first sale, and 
 it encouraged me." 
 
56 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 "I didn't think you'd sell more than six in the 
 whole afternoon." 
 
 " Nor did I when I started ; but I determined to 
 do my best. I don't expect to do as well every day.** 
 
 " No, of course not. I've been in the business 
 more than a year, and I know what it is. Some 
 days are very dull." 
 
 " I've got the money for you. The fifteen ties 
 came to three dollars and seventy-five cents. I keep 
 a quarter of this as my commission. That leaves two 
 dollars and eighty-two cents." 
 
 " Quite correct. However, you needn't give me 
 the money. You may need to change a bill, or else 
 lose a sale. It will do if you settle with me at the 
 end of the week." 
 
 " I see you have confidence in me, George. Sup- 
 pose I should take a fancy to run away with the 
 money ? " 
 
 " I am not afraid." 
 
 " If I do, I will give you warning a week before- 
 hand." 
 
 After a little more conversation, Paul withdrew 
 thinking he might worry the sick man. He offered 
 to come up the next evening, but George Barry said, 
 " It would be too much to expect you to come up 
 every evening. I shall be satisfied if you come up 
 every other evening." 
 
 " Very well," said Paul. " Then you may expect 
 me Saturday. I hope I shall have some good sales 
 to report, and that I shall find you better." 
 
 Paul descended to the street, and walked slowly 
 homeward. He couldn't help wishing that the stand 
 was his own, and the entire profits his. This would 
 double his income, and enable him to save up money. 
 At present this was hardly possible. His own earn- 
 ings had been, and were likely to continue, very 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 57 
 
 fluctuating. Still they constituted the main support 
 of the family. His mother made shirts for an estab- 
 lishment on Broadway at twenty-five cents each, 
 which was more than some establishments paid. She 
 could hardly average more than one shirt a day, in 
 addition to her household work; and in order to ac- 
 complish this even, she was obliged to work very 
 steadily all day. Jimmy of course earned nothing. 
 Not that he was too young. There are plenty of 
 little newsboys who w^re as small as he — perhaps 
 smaller. I have seen boys, who did not appear to he 
 more than four years old, standing at the corners 
 crying the news in their childish treble. But Paul 
 was not willing to have Jimmy sent out into the 
 streets to undergo the rough discipline of street life. 
 He w^as himself of a strong, robust nature, and did 
 not shrink from the rough and tumble of life. He 
 felt sure he could make his way, and give as well as 
 receive blows. But Jimmy was shy and retiring, »f 
 a timid, shrinking nature, who would suffer from 
 what would only exhilarate Paul, and brace him for 
 the contest. So it was understood that Jimmy was 
 to get an education, studying at present at home 
 with his mother, who had received a good education, 
 and that Mrs. Hoffman and Paul were to be the 
 bread-winners. " I wish mother didn't have to sit 
 so steadily at her work," thought Paul, many a time. 
 He resolved some time to relieve her from the neces- 
 sity; but at present it was impossible. To maintain 
 their small family in comfort required all that both 
 could earn. 
 
 The next morning Paul started out after breakfast 
 for the street stand, wondering what success he was 
 destined to meet with. 
 
 About the middle of the forenoon Mrs. HoflEman 
 prepared to go out. 
 
58 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " Do you think you can stay alone for an hour or 
 two, Jimmy ? " she asked. 
 
 " Yes, mother/' answered Jimmy, who was deep in 
 a picture which he was copying from one of the 
 drawing-books Paul had bought him. " Where are 
 you going, mother ? ^ 
 
 " To carry back some work, Jimmy. I have got 
 half-a-dozen shirts done, and must return them, and 
 ask for some more." 
 
 " They ought to pay you more than twenty-five 
 cents a piece, mother. How long has it taken you to 
 make them ? " 
 
 " Nearly a week." 
 
 " That is only a dollar and a half for a week's 
 work." 
 
 " I know it, Jimmy ; but they can get plenty to 
 work at that price, so it won't do for me to complain. 
 I shall be very glad if I can get steady work, even at 
 that price." 
 
 Jimmy said no more, and Mrs. Hoffman, gathering 
 up her bundle, went out. 
 
 She had a little more than half a mile to go. This 
 did not require long. She entered the large store, 
 and advanced to the counter, behind which stood a 
 clerk with a pen behind his ear. 
 
 " How many ? " he said, as she laid the bundle upon 
 the counter. 
 
 " Six." 
 
 " Name." ^ 
 
 " Hoffman." 
 
 " Correct. I will look at them." 
 
 He opened the bundle hastily, and surveyed the 
 work critically. Luckily there was no fault to find; 
 for Mrs. Hoffman was a skilful seamstress. 
 
 " They will do," he said, and, taking from a drawer 
 the stipulated sum, paid for them. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 59 
 
 "Can I have some more?" asked Mrs. Hoffman, 
 anxiously. 
 
 " Not to-day. We're overstocked with goods made 
 up. We must contract our manufacture." 
 
 This was unexpected, and carried dismay to the 
 heart of the poor woman. What she could earn was 
 very little, but it was important to her. 
 
 " When do you think you can give me some more 
 -work ? " she asked. 
 
 " It may be a month or six weeks/' he answered; 
 carelessly. 
 
 A month or six weeks! To have her supply of 
 work cut off for so long a time would, indeed, be a 
 dire misfortune. But there was nothing to say. 
 Mrs. Hoffman knew very well that no one in the 
 establishment cared for her necessities. So, with a 
 heavy heart, she started for home, making up her 
 mind to look elsewhere for work in the afternoon. 
 She could not help recalling, with sorrow, the time 
 when her husband was living, and they lived in a 
 pleasant little home, before the shadow of bereave- 
 ment and pecuniary anxiety had come to cloud their 
 happiness. Still she was not utterly cast down. Paul 
 had proved himself a manly and a helpful boy, self- 
 reliant and courageous, and though they might be 
 pinched, she knew that as long as he was able to 
 work they would not actually suffer. 
 
^ PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 A. NEW PATRON. 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman went out in the afternoon, and 
 Tisited several large establishments in the hope of 
 obtaining work. But everywhere she was met with 
 the stereotyped reply, "Business is so dull that we 
 are obliged to turn off some who are accustomed to 
 work for us. We have no room for new hands.'^ 
 
 Finally she decided that it would be of no use to 
 make any further applications, and went home feel- 
 ing conside" ibly disheartened. 
 
 " I must find something to do," she said to her- 
 self. " I cannot throw upon Paul the entire burden 
 of supporting the family." 
 
 But it was not easy to decide what to do. There 
 are so few paths open to a woman like Mrs. Hoffman. 
 She was not strong enough to take in washing, nor, 
 if she had been, would Paul, who was proud for his 
 mother, though not for himself, have consented to 
 her doing it. She determined to think it over during 
 the evening, and make another attempt to get work 
 of some kind the next day. 
 
 " I won't tell Paul till to-morrow night," she de- 
 cided. " Perhaps by that time I shall have found 
 something to do." 
 
 All that day, the first full day in his new business, 
 Paul sold eighteen ties. He was not as successful 
 proportionately as the previous afternoon. Still hi» 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 61 
 
 share of the profits amounted to a dollar and twelve 
 centS;, and he felt quite satisfied. His sales had been 
 fifty per cent, more than George Barry's average 
 sales, and that was doing remarkably well, consider- 
 ing that the business was a new one to him. 
 
 The next morning, about ten o'clock, as he stood 
 behind his stand, he saw a stout gentleman ap- 
 proaching from the direction of the Astor House. < 
 He remembered him as the one with whom he had 
 accidentally come in collision when he was in pursuit 
 of Mike Donovan. Having been invited to speak to 
 him, he determined to do so. 
 
 " Good-morning, sir," said Paul, politely. 
 
 ^^ Eh ! Did you speak to me ? " inquired the stout 
 gentleman. 
 
 " Yes, sir, I bade 3'ou good-morning." 
 
 " Good-morning. I don't remember you, though. 
 What's your name ? " 
 
 " Paul Hoffman. Don't you remember my running 
 against you a day or two since ? " 
 
 " Oho, you're the boy, then. You nearly knocked 
 the breath out of me." 
 
 '^ I am very sorry, sir." 
 
 " Of course you didn't mean to. Is this your 
 stand?" 
 
 " No, sir ; I am tending for the owner, who is 
 sick." 
 
 '^ Does he pay you well ? " 
 
 " He gives me hall the profits," 
 
 *^ And does that pay you for your labor? '* 
 
 " I can earn about a dollar a day." 
 
 " That is good. It is more than I earned when I 
 was of your age." 
 
 "Indeed, sir!" 
 
 *^Yes, I was a poor boy, but I kept steadily at 
 work, and now I am rich.'' 
 
PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " I hope I shall be rich some time," said PatiL 
 
 '* You have the same chance that I had." 
 
 "I don't care so much for myself as for my 
 mother and my little brother. I should like to be- 
 come rich for their sake." 
 
 " So you have a mother and a brother. Where do 
 they live?" 
 
 Paul told him. 
 
 " And 3^ou help support them ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 '^ That^s a good boy," said the gentleman, approv- 
 ingly. "Is your mother able to earn anji^hing?" 
 
 " Not much, sir. She makes shirts for a Broad- 
 way store, but they only pay her twenty-five cents a 
 piece." 
 
 " That is very small. She can sew well, I sup- 
 pose ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, sir, no fault is ever found with her 
 work." 
 
 " Do vou think she would make me a dozen 
 shirts ?"^ 
 
 " She would be glad to do so," said Paul, quickly, 
 for he knew that his new acquaintance would pay 
 far more liberally than the Broadway firm. 
 
 " I will give the price I usually pay, — ten shil- 
 lings apiece." 
 
 Ten shillings in New York currency amount to a 
 dollar and a quarter, which would be five times the 
 price Mrs. Hoffman had been accustomed to receive. 
 A dozen shirts would come to fifteen dollars, which 
 to a family in their circumstances would be a great 
 help. 
 
 " Thank you, sir," said Paul. '' My mother will 
 accept the work thankfully, and will try to suit yoiL 
 When shall I come for the cloth ? " 
 
 " You may come to my house tills evening, and 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 6a 
 
 I will give you a pattern, and an order for the 
 materials on a dry goods dealer in Broadway/^ 
 
 " \VTiere do 3'ou live, sir ? " 
 
 " No. — Madison Avenue, between Thirty-fourth 
 and Thirty-fifth streets. My name is Preston. Can 
 you remember it ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir ; but I will put i^ down, to make sure." 
 
 '^ Well, good-morning." 
 
 " Good-morning, sir. I suppose you don't want 
 a tie this morning? " 
 
 " I don't think you keep the kind I am accustomed 
 to wear," said Mr. Preston, smiling. " I stick to the 
 old fashions, and wear a stock." 
 
 The old gentleman had scarcely gone when two 
 boys of twelve or thirteen paused before the stand. 
 
 " That's a bully tie, Jeff," said George, the elder 
 of the two. " I have a good mind to buy it." 
 
 " It won't cost much," said Jeff. " Only twenty- 
 five cents. But I like that one better." 
 
 " If you'll buy one, I will." 
 
 " All right," said Jeff, whose full name was Jeffer- 
 son. " We can wear them to dancing-school this 
 afternoon." 
 
 So the two boys bought a neck-tie, and this, in 
 addition to previous sales, made six sold during the 
 morning. 
 
 " I hope T shall do as well as I did yesterday," 
 thought Paul. " If I can make nine shillings every 
 day, I won't complain. It is better than selling prize 
 Dackages." 
 
 Paul seemed likely to obtain his wish, since at 
 twelve o'clock, when he returned home to dinner, 
 he had sold ten ties, making rather more than half 
 of the previous day's sales. 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman had been out once more, but met 
 with no better success than before. There seemed tn 
 
(M, PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR. 
 
 be no room anywhere for a new hand. At several 
 places she had seen others, out of employment like 
 herself, who were also in quest of work. The only 
 encouragement she received was, that probably in 
 a month or six weeks business might so far improve 
 that she could obtain work. But to Mrs. Hoffman 
 it was a serious matter to remain idle even four 
 weeks. She reflected that Paul's present employ- , 
 ment was only temporary, and that he would be 
 forced to give up his post as soon as George Bany 
 should recover his health, which probably would be 
 within a week or two. She tried in vain to think 
 of some temporary employment, and determined, in 
 case she should be unsuccessful in the afternoon, 
 which she hardly anticipated, to consult Paul what 
 she had better do. 
 
 Paul noticed when he came in that his mother 
 looked more sober and thoughtful than usual. 
 
 ** Have you a headache, mother ? " he inquired. 
 
 " No, Paul," she said, smiling faintly. 
 
 " Something troubles you, I am sure," continued 
 Paul. 
 
 " You are right, Paul," said Mrs. Hoffman, 
 " though I didn't mean to tell you till evening." 
 
 *' What is it?" asked Paul, anxiously. 
 
 "When I carried back the last shirts I made for 
 Duncan & Co. they told me I couldn't have any 
 more for a month or six weeks." 
 
 " That will give you some time to rest, mother,'^ 
 said Paul, who wanted to keep back his good new? 
 for a while. 
 
 " But I can't afford to rest, Paul." 
 
 " You forget that I am earning money, mother. I 
 am sure I can earn a dollar a day." 
 
 " I know you are a good, industrious boy, Paul, 
 and I don't know how we should get along without 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 65 
 
 you. Bui; it is necessary for me to do my part, 
 though it is small." 
 
 " Don't be anxious, mother ; I am sure we can get 
 along." 
 
 '' But I am not willing that the whole burden of 
 supporting the family should come upon you. Be- 
 sides, you are not sure how long you can retain your 
 present employment." 
 
 " I know that, mother, but something else will be 
 sure to turn up. If I can't do anything else, I can 
 turn boot-black, though I would prefer something 
 else. There is no chance of my being out of work 
 long. 
 
 " There are fewer things for me to do," said his 
 mother, " but perhaps you can think of something. 
 I shall go out this afternoon, and try my luck once 
 more. If I do not succeed, I will consult with you 
 this evening." 
 
 " Suppose I tell you that I have work for you, 
 enough to last two or three weeks, that will pay five 
 times as well as the work you have been doing; 
 what would you say to that ? " asked Paul, smil- 
 
 " Are you in earnest, Paul ? " asked his mother, 
 very much surprised. 
 
 " Quite in earnest, mother. There's a gentleman 
 up town that wants a dozen shirts made, and is 
 willing to pay ten shillings apiece." 
 
 " Ten shillings ! WTiy, that's a dollar and a 
 quarter." 
 
 " Of course it is. I told him I thought you would 
 accommodate him." 
 
 " You are sure T can get the work to do : '' 
 
 " Certainly. I am to go up to his house this 
 evening, and get the pattern, and an order for the 
 materialso" 
 
66 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 *^It seems too good to be true," said his mother. 
 **' Why, I can earn at least a dollar a day/^ 
 
 " Then you will be doing as well as J am.'* 
 
 " Tell me how you heard of it, Paul," said Mrs. 
 Hoffman. 
 
 Paul told the story of the manner in which he 
 formed Mr. Preston's acquaintance. 
 
 " It's lucky you ran into him, Paul," said Jimmy. 
 
 " He didn't think so at the time," said Paul, laugh- 
 ing. ^^He said I nearly knocked the breath out of 
 him." 
 
 "You won't go out this afternoon, mother, will 
 you?" asked Jimmy. 
 
 " No, it will not be necessary now ; I didn't think 
 this morning that such a piece of good luck wa^ m 
 store for me." 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 PAUL MEETS WITH A LOSS. 
 
 After supper Paul brushed his clothes carefully, 
 and prepared to go to the address given him by Mr. 
 Preston. He decided to walk one way, not wishing 
 to incur the expense of two railroad fares. The 
 distance was considerable, and it was nearly eight 
 o'clock when he arrived at his destination. 
 
 Paul found himself standing before a handsome 
 house of brown stone. He ascended the steps, and 
 inquired, on the door being opened, if Mr. PrestoD 
 was at home. 
 
 ^ I'll see," said the servant. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 67 
 
 She returned in a short time, and said, " He says 
 you may come upstairs." 
 
 Paul followed the servant, who pointed out a 
 door at the head of the first staircase. 
 
 Paul knocked, and hearing " come in," from with- 
 in, opened the door and entered. 
 
 He found himself in a spacious chamber, hand- 
 somely furnished. Mr. Preston, in dressing-gown 
 and slippers, sat before a cheerful open fire. 
 
 ^' Come and sit down by the fire," he said, sociably. 
 
 " Thank you, sir, I am warm with walking ; " and 
 Paul took a seat near the door. 
 
 " I am one of the cold kind," said Mr. Preston, 
 *^and have a fire earlier than most people. You 
 came about the shirts, I suppose ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Will your mother undertake them ? " 
 
 " With pleasure, sir. She can no longer get work 
 from the shop." 
 
 *' Business dull, I suppose." 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 "Then I am glad I thought of giving her 
 -the commission. How's business with you to-day, 
 eh?" 
 
 " Pretty good, sir." 
 
 " How many neck-ties did you sell ? " 
 
 " Nineteen, sir." 
 
 " And how much did you get for that ? " 
 
 " Nine shillings and a half, — a dollar and eighteen 
 cents." 
 
 " That's pretty good for a boy like you. When 
 I was of your age I was working on a farm for myj 
 board and clothes." 
 
 "Were you, sir?" asked Paul, interested. 
 
 "' Yes, I was bound out till I was twenty-one. 
 At the end of that time I was to receive a hundred 
 
68 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 dollars and a freedom suit to begin the world with. 
 That wasn't a ver}^ large capital, eh ? " 
 
 " No, sir." 
 
 " But the death of my employer put an end to my 
 apprenticeship at the age of eighteen. I hadn't a 
 penny of money, and was thrown upon my own re- 
 sources. However, I had a pair of good strong arms, 
 and a good stock of courage. I knew considerable 
 about farming, but I didn't like it. I thought 1 
 should like trade better. So I went to the village 
 merchant, who kept a small dry goods store, and 
 arranged with him to supply me with a small stock 
 of goods, which I undertook to sell on commission, 
 for him. His business w^as limited, and having con- 
 fidence in my honesty, he was quite willing to entrust 
 me with what I wanted. So I set out with my pack 
 on my back, and made a tour of the neighboring viU 
 lages." 
 
 Paul listened with eager interest. He had his own 
 way to make, and it was very encouraging to find 
 that Mr. Preston, who was evidently rich and pros- 
 perous, was no better off at eighteen than he was 
 now. 
 
 "You will want to know how I succeeded. Well^ 
 at first only moderately ; but I think I had some tact 
 in adapting myself to the different classes of persons 
 with w^hom I came in contact; at any rate I was 
 always polite, and that helped me. So my sales 
 increased, and I did a good thing for my employer 
 as well as myself. He would have been glad to 
 employ me for a series of years, but I happened to 
 meet a traveling salesman of a New York wholesale 
 house, wdio offered to obtain me a position similar to 
 his own. As this would give me a larger field and 
 larger profits, I accepted gladly, and so changed the 
 nature of my employment. I became very success* 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 69 
 
 ful. My salary was raised from time to time, till I 
 reached five thousand dollars. I lived frugally and 
 saved money, and at length bought an interest in the 
 house by which I had been so long employed. I am 
 now senior partner, and, as you may suppose, very 
 comfortably provided for." 
 
 "Do you know why I have told you this?" asked 
 Mr. Preston, noticing the eagerness with which Paul 
 had listened. 
 
 " I don't know, sir ; but I have been very much 
 interested." 
 
 " It was because I like to give encouragement to 
 boys and young men who are now situated as I used 
 to be. I think you are a smart boy." 
 
 " Thank you, sir." 
 
 " And though you are poor, you can lift yourself 
 to prosperity, if you are willing to work hard enough 
 and long enough." 
 
 " I am not afraid of work," said Paul, promptly. 
 
 " No, I do not believe you are. I can tell by a 
 boy's face, and you have the appearance of one who 
 is willing to work hard. How long have you been a 
 street peddler ? " 
 
 " About a year, sir. Before that time my father 
 was living, and I was kept at school." 
 
 " You will find the street a school, though of a 
 different kind, in which you can learn valuable les- 
 sons. If you can get time in the evening, however, 
 it will be best to keep up your school studies." 
 
 " I am doing that now, sir." 
 
 " That is well. And now about the shirts. Did 
 your mother say how long it would take her to make 
 them ? " 
 
 "About three weeks, I think, sir. Will that be 
 soon enough ? " 
 
 " That will do. Perhaps it will be weU, however. 
 
70 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 to bring half the number whenever they are Ha* 
 ished/' 
 
 " All right, sir." 
 
 " I suppose your mother can cut them out if I send 
 a shirt as a pattern ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 Mr. Preston rose, and, going to a bureau, took 
 therefrom a shirt which he handed to Paul. He then 
 wrote a few lines on a slip of paper, which he also 
 handed our hero. 
 
 " That is an order on Barclay & Co.," he ex- 
 plained, " for the requisite materials. If either 
 you or your mother present it, they will be given 
 you." 
 
 " Very good, sir," said Paul. 
 
 He took his cap, and prepared to go. 
 
 " Good-evening, Mr. Preston," he said. 
 
 " Good-evening. I shall expect you with the 
 shirts when they are ready." 
 
 Paul went downstairs and into the street, thinking 
 that Mr. Preston was very social and agreeable. He 
 had fancied that rich men were g-enerally " stuck 
 up ; " but about Mr. Preston there seemed an absence 
 of all pretence. Paul's ambition was aroused when 
 he thought of the story he had heard, and he won- 
 dered whether it would be possible for him to raise 
 himself to wealth, and live in as handsome a house 
 as Mr. Preston. He thought what a satisfaction it 
 would be if the time should ever come, when he could 
 free his mother from the necessity of work, and give 
 little Jimmy a chance to develop his talent for draw- 
 ing. However, such success must be a long way off, 
 if it ever came. 
 
 He had intended to ride home, but his mind was 
 so preoccupied that he forgot all about it, and had 
 got some distance on his way before it occurred to 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 71 
 
 him. Then, not feeling particularly tired, he con- 
 cluded to keep on walking, as he had commenced. 
 
 " It will save me six cents/' he reflected ; " and 
 that is something. If I am ever going to be a pros- 
 perous merchant, I must begin to save now." 
 
 So he kept on walking. Passing the Cooper Insti- 
 tute he came into the Bowery, a broad and busy 
 street, the humble neighbor of Broadway, to which it 
 is nearly parallel. 
 
 He was still engaged in earnest thought, when he 
 felt a rude slap on the back. Looking round, he met 
 the malicious glance of Mike Donovan, who probably 
 would not have ventured on such a liberty if he had 
 not been accompanied by a boy a head taller than 
 himself, and, to judge from appearances, of about the 
 same character. 
 
 "What did you do that for, Mike?" demanded 
 Paul. 
 
 " None of your business ; I didn't hurt you, did 
 I ? " returned Mike, roughly. 
 
 " No ; but I don't care to be hit that way by you." 
 
 " So you're putting on airs, are you ? " 
 
 "No; I don't do that," returned Paul; "but I 
 don't care about having anything to do with you." 
 
 " That's because you've got a new shirt, is it ? " 
 sneered Mike. 
 
 " It isn't mine." 
 
 "That's what I thought. Who did you steal it 
 from ? " 
 
 "Do you mean to insult me, Mike Donovan?'* 
 demanded Paul, angrily. 
 
 " Just as you like," said Mike, independently. 
 
 "If you want to know why I don't want to have 
 anvthing to do with you, I will tell you." 
 
 " Tell ahead." 
 
 " Because you're a thief." 
 
72 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ** If you say that again, I'll lick you," said Mike, 
 reddening with anger. 
 
 " It's true. You stole my basket of candy the 
 other day, and that isn't the only time you've been 
 caught stealing." 
 
 " I'll give you the worst licking you ever had. 
 Do you want to fight?" said Mike, flourishing his 
 fist. 
 
 " No, I don't," said Paul. " Some time when I 
 haven't a bundle, I'll accommodate you." 
 
 " You're a coward ! " sneered Mike, gaining cour- 
 age as he saw Paul was not disposed for an en- 
 counter. 
 
 " I don't think I am," said Paul, coolly. 
 
 " I'll hold your shirt," said Mike's companion, with 
 a grin, " if you want to fight." 
 
 Paul, however, did not care to entrust the shirt to 
 a stranger of so unprepossessing an appearance. 
 
 He, therefore, attempted to pass on. But Mike, 
 encouraged by his reluctance, stepped up and shook 
 his fist within an inch of Paul's nose, calling him at 
 the same time a coward. This was too much for 
 Paul's self-restraint. He dropped the shirt, and 
 pitched into Mike in so scientific a manner that the 
 latter was compelled to retreat, and finally to flee at 
 the top of his speed, not without having first received 
 several pretty hard blows. 
 
 '^ I don't think he will meddle with me again," said 
 Paul to himself, as he pulled down the sleeves of his 
 jacket. 
 
 He walked back, and looked for the shirt which he 
 had laid down before commencing the combat. But 
 he looked in vain. Nothing was to be seen of the 
 shirt or of Mike's companion. Probably both had 
 disappeared together. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT 73 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 BARCLAY AND CO. 
 
 The loss of the shirt was very vexations. It was 
 not so much the value of it that Paul cared for, 
 although this was a consideration by no means to be 
 despised by one in his circumstances ; but it had 
 been lent as a pattern, and without it his mother 
 would be unable to make Mr. Preston's shirts. As 
 to recovering it, he felt that there was little chance 
 of this. Besides, it would involve delay, and his 
 mother could not afford to remain idle. Paul felt 
 decidedly uncomfortable. Again Mike Donovan had 
 done him an injury; and this time of a more serious 
 nature than before. 
 
 What should he do? 
 
 There seemed but one answer to this question. He 
 must go back to Mr. Preston, explain the manner in 
 which he had lost the shirt, and ask him for another, 
 promising, of course, to supply the place of the one 
 lost. He was not sure whether Mr. Preston would 
 accept this explanation. He might think it was only 
 an attempt to defraud him. But at any rate it 
 seemed the only thing to do, and it must be done at 
 once. He entered a passing car, for it was too la-fce 
 to walk. 
 
 " I wish I had taken the car down," thought PauL 
 ** Then I shouldn't have lost the shirt." 
 
74: PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 But it was too late for regrets now. He must do 
 the best that remained to him. 
 
 It was nearly ten o'clock when Paul once more 
 stood before the door of Mr. Preston's board- 
 ing-place. He rang the bell, and asked to see 
 him. 
 
 '■^ " You have been here before this evening ? " said 
 the servant. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then you know the room. You can walk right 
 up." 
 
 Paul went upstairs, and knocked at Mr. Preston's 
 room. He was bidden to come in, and did so. 
 
 Mr. Preston looked up with surprise. 
 
 " I suppose you are surprised to see me," said Paul, 
 rather awkwardly. 
 
 " Why, yes. I did not anticipate that pleasure 
 quite so soon," said Mr. Preston, smiling. 
 
 " 1 am afraid it won't be a pleasure, for I bring 
 bad news." 
 
 " Bad news ? " repeated the gentleman, rather 
 startled. 
 
 " Yes, I have lost the shirt .you gave me." 
 
 " Oh, is that all ? " said Mr. Preston, looking re- 
 lieved. " But how did j^ou lose it ? " 
 
 " I was walking home down the Bowery, when two 
 fellows met me. One of them, Mike Donovan, forced 
 me into a fight. I gave him a licking," added Paul, 
 with satisfaction ; " but when it was all over, I found 
 the other fellow ran off with the shirt." 
 
 " I don't believe it will fit him," said Mr. Preston, 
 laughing. 
 
 As the speaker probably weighed nearly two hun- 
 dred and fifty pounds, it was, indeed, rather doubt- 
 ful. Paul couldn't help laughing himself at the 
 thought. 
 
ADVENTURES On' A STKEET MEROHANT. 75 
 
 "You were certainl}^ unlucky," said Mr. Preston. 
 ** Did 3^ou know the boy you fought with ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir; he once before stole my stock of candy, 
 when I was in the prize-package business." 
 
 " That was the day we got acquainted," remarked 
 Mr. Preston. 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " He doesn't seem to be a very particular friend of 
 yours." 
 
 " No ; he hates me, Mike does, though 1 don't know 
 why. But I hope you won't be angry with me for 
 losing the shirt ? " 
 
 " No, it doesn't seem to be your fault, only your 
 misfortune." 
 
 " I was afraid you might think I had made up the 
 story, and only wanted to get an extra shirt from 
 you." 
 
 " No, my 5'oung friend, I have some faith in physi- 
 ognomy, and you have an honest face. I don't be- 
 lieve you would deceive me." 
 
 " No, I wouldn't," said Paul, promptly. " If you 
 will trust me with another shirt, mother will make 
 you an extra one, to make up for the one I have 
 lost." 
 
 " Certainly, you shall have the extra shirt ; but 
 you needn't supply the place of the one lost." 
 
 " It is only fair that I should." 
 
 " That may be, and I am glad you made the offer ; 
 but the loss is of little importance to me. It was no 
 fault of yours that you lost it, and you shall not 
 suffer for it." 
 
 " You are very kind, sir," said Paul, gratefully. 
 
 " Only just, Paul." 
 
 Mr. Preston went to the bureau, and drew out 
 another shirt, which he handed to Paul. 
 
 "Let me suggest, my young friend," he said^ 
 
76 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 "that you ride home this time. It is late, and you 
 might have another encounter with your friend. I 
 should like to see him with the shirt on ; '' and Mr. 
 Preston laughed heartily at the thought. 
 
 Paul decided to follow his patron's advice. He 
 had no idea of running any more risk in the matter. 
 -He accordingly walked to Fourth Avenue, and got on 
 board the car. 
 
 It was nearly eleven o'clock when he reached 
 home. As it was never his habit to stay out late, 
 his mother had become alarmed at his long absence. 
 
 " What kept you so late, Paul ? " she asked. 
 
 "I'll tell you pretty soon, mother. Here's the 
 shirt that is to serve as a pattern. Can you cut out 
 the new shirts by it ? " 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman examined it attentively. 
 
 " Yes," she said ; " there will be no difficulty about 
 that. Mr. Preston m.ust be a pretty large man." 
 
 " Yes, he is big enough for an alderman ; but he is 
 very kind and considerate, and I like him. You 
 shall judge for yourself when I tell you what hap- 
 pened this evening." 
 
 It will not be necessary to tell Paul's adventure 
 over again. His mother listened with pardonable 
 indignation against Mike Donovan and his compan- 
 ion. 
 
 " I hope you won't have an3i:hing to do with that 
 bad boy, Paul," she said. 
 
 " I shan't if I can help it," said Paul. " I didn't 
 want to speak to him to-night, but I couldn't help 
 myself. Oh, I forgot to say, when half the shirts are 
 ready, I am to take them to Mr. Preston." 
 
 " I think I can make one a day." 
 
 " There is no need of working so steadily, mother. 
 You will be well paid, you know." 
 
 " That is true ; and for that reason I shall work 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 77 
 
 more cheerfully. I wish I could get paid as well for 
 all my work." 
 
 " Perhaps Mr. Preston will recommend you to his 
 friends, and you can get more work in that way." 
 
 " I wish I'could." 
 
 " I will mention it to him, when I carry back the 
 last half dozen." 
 
 " Is he going to send the cloth ? " 
 
 " I nearly forgot that too. I have an order on 
 Barclay & Co., for the necessary amount of cloth. I 
 can go up there to-morrow morning and get it." 
 
 " That will take 3'ou from your work, Paul." 
 
 " Well, I can close up for a couple of hours." 
 
 "I don^t think that will be necessary. I will go 
 tip myself and present the order, and get them to 
 send it home for me." 
 
 "Will they do that?" 
 
 " It is their custom. Or, if the bundle isn't too. 
 large, I can bring it home myself in the car." 
 
 "' That's all right, then. And now, mother, as it's 
 past eleven o'clock, I think we may as well both go 
 to. bed." 
 
 The next da}'' Paul went as usual to his business, 
 and Mrs. Hoffman, after clearing away the breakfast, 
 put on her bonnet and shawl, and prepared to go for 
 the materials for the shirts. 
 
 The retail store of Barclay & Co. is of great size, 
 and ranks among the most important in Xew York. 
 It was not so well filled when Mrs. Hoffman entered 
 as it would be later. She was directed to the proper 
 counter, where she presented the order, signed by 
 Mr. Preston. As he was a customer of long stand- 
 ing, there was no difficulty about filling the order. 
 A bundle was made up, which, as it contained the 
 materials for twelve shirts, necessarily was of consid- 
 erable size. 
 
78 PAUL THE PEDDLER ,• OR, 
 
 "Here is your bundle, ma'am," said the clerk. 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman's strength was slender, and she did 
 not feel able to carry the heavy bundle offered her. 
 Even if she took the car, she would be obliged to 
 carry it a portion of the way, and she felt that it 
 would overtask her strength. 
 
 " Don't you send bundles? " she asked. 
 
 " Sometimes," said the clerk looking superciliously 
 at the modest attire of the poor widow, and mentally 
 deciding that she was not entitled to much considera- 
 tion. Had she been richly dressed, he would have 
 been very obsequious, and insisted on sending home 
 the smallest parcel. But there are many who have 
 two rules of conduct, one for the rich, and quite a 
 different one for the poor, and among these was the 
 clerk who was attending upon ]\Irs. Hoffman. 
 
 "Then," said ]\rrs. Hoffman, "I should like to 
 have you send this." 
 
 " It's a great deal of trouble to send everything," 
 said the clerk, impertinently. 
 
 " This bundle is too heavy for me to carry," said 
 the widow, deprecatingly. 
 
 '' I suppose we can send it," said the clerk, ill- 
 naturedly, " if you insist upon it." 
 
 Meanwhile, though he had not observed it, his 
 emplo3Tr had approached, and heard the last part 
 of the colloquy. He was considered by some as a 
 hard man, but there was one thing he always required 
 of those in his employ, that was, to treat all pur- 
 chasers with uniform courtesy, whatever their cir- 
 cumstances. 
 
 " Are you objecting to sending this lady's bun- 
 dle?" said Mr. Barclay, sternly. 
 
 The clerk looked up in confusion. 
 
 " I told her we would send it," he stammered. 
 
 " I heard what passed. You have been deficient in 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 79 
 
 politeness. If this happens again, you leave my em- 
 ploy." 
 
 " I will take your address," said the clerk, in a 
 subdued tone. 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman gave it, and left the store, thankful 
 for the interference of the great merchant, who had 
 given his clerk a lesson which the latter, as he valued 
 his situation, found it advisable to bear in mind. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE BARREL THIEF. 
 
 While Mike Donovan was engaged in his contest 
 with Paul, his companion had quietly walked off with 
 the shirt. It mattered very little to him which party 
 conquered, as long as he carried off the spoils. His 
 conduct in the premises was quite as unsatisfactory 
 to Mike as it was to Paul. When Mike found him- 
 self in danger of being overpowered, he appealed to 
 his companion for assistance, and was incensed to 
 see him coolly disregarding the appeal, and selfishly 
 appropriating the booty. 
 
 "The mane thafe ! " he exclaimed, after the fight 
 was over, and he was compelled to retreat. " He let 
 me be bate, and wouldn't lift his finger to help me. 
 rd like to put a head on him, I would." 
 
 Just at that moment Mike felt quite as angry with 
 his friend, Jerry IMcGaverty, as with his late oppo- 
 nent. 
 
 " The shirt's mine, fair," he said to himself, " and 
 I'll make Jerry give it to me." 
 
 But Jerry had disappeared, and Mike didn't know 
 
go PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 where to look for him. In fact, he had entered a 
 dark alley-way, and, taking the shirt from the paper 
 in which it was wrapped, proceeded to examine his 
 prize. 
 
 The nnusual size struck him. 
 
 " By the powers ! " he muttei'ed, " it's big enough 
 for me great grandfather and all his children. I 
 wouldn't like to pay for the cloth it tuck to make it. 
 But I'll wear it anyway." 
 
 Jerry was not particular as to an exact fit. His 
 nether garments were several sizes too large for him, 
 and the shirt would complete his costume appro- 
 priately. He certainly did need a new shirt, for the 
 one he had on was the only article of the kind he 
 possessed, and was so far gone that its best da3's, 
 if it had ever had any, appeared to date back to a 
 remote antiquity. It had been bought cheap in 
 Baxter Street, its previous history being un- 
 known. ^ 
 
 Jerry decided to make the change at once. The 
 alley afforded a convenient place for making the trans- 
 fer. He accordingly pulled off the ragged shirt he 
 wore, and put on the article he had purloined from 
 Paul. The sleeves w^re too long, but he turned up 
 the cuffs, and the ample body he tucked inside his 
 pants. 
 
 " It fits me too much," soliloquized Jerry, as he 
 surveyed himself after the exchange. " I could let 
 out the half of it, and have enough left for meself. 
 Anyhow it's clane, and it came chape enough." 
 
 He came out of the alley, leaving his old shirt 
 behind him. Even if it had been worth carrying 
 away, Jerry saw no use in possessing more than one 
 shirt. It was'his habit to wear one till it was ready to 
 drop off from him, and then get another if he could. 
 There is a practical convenience in this arrangement, 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 81 
 
 though there are also objections which will readily 
 occur to the reader. 
 
 On the whole, though the shirt fitted him too much, 
 as he expressed it, he regarded himself compla- 
 cently. 
 
 The superabundant material gave the impression 
 of liberal expenditure and easy circumstances, since 
 a large shirt naturally costs more than a small one. 
 So Jerry, as he walked along the Bowery, assumed 
 a jaunty air precisely such as some of my readers 
 may when they have a new suit to display. His 
 new shirt was quite conspicuous, since he was in- 
 cumbered neither with vest nor coat. 
 
 Mike, feeling sore over his defeat, met Jerry the 
 next morning on Chatham Street. His quick eye 
 detected the improved state of his friend's apparel, 
 and his indignation arose, as he reflected that Jerry 
 had pocketed the profits while the hard knocks had 
 been his. 
 
 ^* Jerry ! " he called out. 
 
 Jerry did not see fit to heed the call. He was 
 sensible that Mike had something to complain of, and. 
 he was in no hurry to meet his reproaches. 
 
 *^ Jerry McGaverty ! " called Mike, comfng near. 
 
 '^ Oh, it's you, j\Iike, is it ? " answered Jerry, unable 
 longer to keep up the pretence of not hearing. 
 
 ''Yes, it's me," said Mike. "What made yoTi 
 leave me for last night ? " 
 
 " I didn't want to interfere bet wane two gintle- 
 men," said Jerry, with a grin. " Did you mash him, 
 Mike?'' 
 
 '' No," said Mike, sullenly, " he mashed me. 
 Why didn't you help me ? " 
 
 " I thought you was bating him, so, as I had some 
 business to attind to, I went away." 
 
 " You went away wid the shirt." 
 
82 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR. 
 
 ''Yes, I took it by mistake. Ain't it an iligant 
 fit?" 
 
 " It's big enough for two of 3'ou." 
 
 " Maybe I'll grow to it in time," said Jerry. 
 
 '^Anci how much are you goin' to give me for my 
 share ? " demandecl ]\Iike. 
 
 " Say that ag'in," said Jerry. 
 
 Mike repeated it. 
 
 " I thought maybe I didn't hear straight. It ain't 
 yours at all. Didn't I take it?" 
 
 " You wouldn't have got it if I hadn't fit with 
 Paul." 
 
 "That ain't nothin' to me," said Jerry. "The 
 shirt's mine, and I'll kape it." 
 
 Mike felt strongly tempted to " put a head on " 
 Jerry, whatever that may mean; but as Jerry was a 
 head taller already, the attempt did not seem quite 
 prudent. He indulged in some forcible remarks, 
 which, however, did not disturb Jerry's equa- 
 nimity. 
 
 "I'll give you my old shirt, Mike," he said, "if 
 you can find it. I left it in an alley near the old 
 Bowery." 
 
 " I don't want the dirty rag," said Mike, con- 
 temptou=^ly. 
 
 Finally a compromise was effected, Jerry offering 
 to help Mike on the next occasion, and leave the 
 spoils in his hands. 
 
 I have to chronicle another adventure of Jerry's, 
 in which he was less fortunate than he had been in 
 the present case. He was a genuine vagabond, and 
 lived by his wits, being too lazy to devote himself to 
 any regular street employment, as boot-blacking, or 
 selling newspapers. Occasionally he did a little 
 work at each of these, but regular, persistent industry 
 was out of his line. He was a drone by inclination. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 83 
 
 and a decided enemy to work. On the subject of 
 honesty, his principles were far from strict. If he 
 could appropriate what did not belong to him he 
 was ready to do so without scruple. This propensity 
 had several times brought him into trouble, and he 
 had more than once been sent to reside temporarily 
 on Blackwell's Island, from which he had returned 
 by no means improved. 
 
 Mike was not quite so much of a vagabond as his 
 companion. He could work at times, though he did 
 not like it, and once pursued the vocation of a boot- 
 black for several months with fair success. But 
 Jerry's companionship was doing him no good, and 
 it seemed likely that eventually he would become 
 quite as shiftless as Jerry himself. 
 
 Jerry, having no breakfast, strolled down to one 
 of the city markets. He frequently found an oppor- 
 tunity of stealing here, and was now in search of such 
 a chance. He was a dexterous and experienced barrel 
 thief, a term which it may be necessary to explain. 
 Barrels, then, have a commercial value, and coopers 
 will generally pay twenty-five cents for one in good 
 condition. This is enough, in the eyes of many a 
 young vagabond, to pay for the risk incurred in 
 stealing one. 
 
 Jerry prowled round the market for some time, 
 seeking a good opportunity to walk off with an apple 
 or banana, or something eatable. But the guardians 
 of the stands seemed unusually vigilant, and he was 
 compelled to give up the attempt, as involving too 
 great risk. Jerry was hungry, and hunger is an 
 uncomfortable feeling. He began to wish he had 
 remained satisfied with his old shirt, dirty as it was, 
 and carried the new one to some of the Baxter Street 
 dealers, from whom he could perrrs^ps have got fifty 
 eents for it. Now, fifty ce/fts woulct have paid for 
 
84 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 a breakfast, and a couple of cigars, and those just now 
 
 would have made Jerry happy. 
 
 " What a fool I was not to think of it ! " he said. 
 *^ The old shirt would do me, and I could buy a bully 
 breakfast wid the money I'd get for this." 
 
 Just at this moment he espied an empty barrel, — a 
 barrel apparently quite new and in an unguarded 
 position. He resolved to take it, but the affair must 
 be managed slily. 
 
 He lounged up to the barrel, and leaned upon it 
 indolently. Then, in apparent unconsciousness, he 
 began to turn it, gradually changing its position. If 
 observed, he could easily deny all felonious inten- 
 tions. This he kept up till he got it round the cor- 
 ner, when glancing sharply around to see if he was 
 observed, he quickly lifted it on his shoulder and 
 marched off. 
 
 All this happened without his being observed by 
 the owner of the barrel. But the policeman, who 
 chanced to be going his rounds, had been a witness 
 of Jerry's little game. He remained quiet till Jerry's 
 intentions became evident, then walked quietly up 
 and put his hand on his shoulder. 
 
 " Put do^Ti that barrel," he said, authoritatively. 
 
 Jerry had been indulging in visions of the break- 
 fast he would get with the twenty-five cents he 
 expected to obtain for the barrel, and the interruption 
 was not an agreeable one. But he determined to 
 brazen it out, if possible. 
 
 " What for will I put it down ? " he said. 
 
 " Because you've stolen it, that's why." 
 
 " No," said Jerry, " I'm carry in' it round to m]^ 
 boss. It's his." 
 
 " Where do you work ? " 
 
 '^In Fourth Street," said Jerry, at random. 
 
 " What number ? '^ 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 85 
 
 "" No. 136.- 
 
 " Then your boss will have to get some one in your 
 place, for you will have to come with me." 
 
 "What for?" 
 
 " I saw you steal the barrel. You're a barrel thief, 
 and this isn't tlie first time you've been caught at it. 
 Carry back the barrel to the place you took it from, 
 and then come with me." 
 
 Jerry tried to beg off, but without avail. 
 
 At that mornent Mike Donovan lounged up. 
 When he saw his friend in custody, he felt a degree 
 of satisfaction, remembering the trick Jerry had 
 played on him. 
 
 " Where are you goin', Jerry ? " he asked, with a 
 grin, as he passed him. " Did ye buy that barrel to 
 kape your shirt in ? " 
 
 Jerry scowled, but thought it best not to answer, 
 lest his unlawful possession of the shirt might also 
 be discovered, and lead to a longer sentence. 
 
 " He's goin' down to the Island to show his new 
 shirt," thought Mike, with a grin. " Maybe he'll 
 5et the fashion there." 
 
 Mike was right. Jerry was sent to the Island for 
 two months, there introducing Mr. Preston's shirt to 
 cono^pany little dreamed of by its original proprietor. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 OUT OF BUSINESS. 
 
 The next day Mrs. Hoffman commenced work 
 upon Mr. Preston's shirts. She worked with mucH 
 more cheerfulness now that she was sure of obtaining 
 a liberal price for her labor. As the shirts were of 
 
66 PAUL THui jr'EDDLER ; OR, 
 
 extra size, she found herself unable to finish one in 
 a day, as she had formerly done, but had no difficulty 
 in making four in a week. This, however, gave her 
 five dollars weekly, instead of a dollar and a half ae 
 formerly. Now five dollars may not seem a very 
 large sum to some of my young readers, but to Mrs. 
 Hoffman it seemed excellent compensation for a 
 week's work. 
 
 "If i could only earn as much every week," she 
 said to Paul, on Saturday evening, " I should feel 
 quite rich." 
 
 " Your work will last three weeks, mother, and 
 perhaps at the end of that time some of Mr. Pres- 
 ton's friends mav wish to employ 3^ou." 
 
 " I hope they ''will." 
 
 " How much do you think I have made ? " con- 
 tinued Paul. 
 
 " Six dollars." 
 
 " Seven dollars and a half." 
 
 " So between us both we have earned over twelve 
 dollars." 
 
 " I wish I could earn something," said little 
 Jimmy, looking up from his drawing. 
 
 " There's time enough for that, Jimmy. You are 
 going to be a great artist one of these days." 
 
 " Do you really think I will ? " asked the little 
 boy, wistfully. 
 
 "I think there is a good chance of it. Let m-» 
 see what you are drawing." 
 
 The picture upon which Jimmy was at work rep- 
 resented a farmer standing upright in a cart, drawn 
 by a sturdy, large-framed horse. The copy bore a 
 close resemblance to the original, even in the most 
 difficult portions, — the face and expression, both in 
 the man and the horse, being carefully reproducedc 
 
 " This is wonderful, Jimmy," exclaimed Paul, in 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 87 
 
 real surprise. " Didn't you find it hard to get the 
 man's face just right?" 
 
 " Eather hard," said Jimmy ; " I had to be care- 
 ful, but I like best the parts where I have to take 
 most pains." 
 
 " I wish I could afford to hire a teacher for you," 
 said Paul. " Perhaps, if mother and I keep on earn- 
 ing so much money, we shall be able to, some time." 
 
 By the middle of the next week six of the shirts 
 were finished, and Paul, as had been agreed upon, 
 carried them up to Mr. Preston. He was fortunate 
 enough to find him at home. 
 
 " I hope they will suit you," said Paul. 
 
 " I can see that the sewing is excellent," said Mr. 
 Preston, examining them. " As to the fit, I can tell 
 better after I have tried one on." 
 
 " Mother made them just like the one 3^ou sent ; 
 but if there is anything wrong, she will, of course, 
 be ready to alter them." 
 
 " If they are just like the pattern, they will be 
 sure to suit me." 
 
 " And now, my young friend," he added, " let me 
 know liow you are getting on in your own business." 
 
 " I am making a dollar a day, sometimes a little 
 more." 
 
 " That is very good." 
 
 "Yes, sir; but it won't last long." 
 
 " I believe you told me that the stand belonged to 
 some one else." 
 
 " Yes, sir, I am only tending it in his sickness ; 
 but he is getting better, and when he gets about 
 again, I shall be thrown out of business." 
 
 " But you don't look like one who would remain 
 idle long." 
 
 " Xo, sir, I shall be certain to find something to 
 do, if it is only blacking boots." 
 
88 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ^' Have you ever been in that business ? " 
 
 "I've tried about everything," said Paul, laugh- 
 ing. 
 
 " I suppose you wouldn't enjoy boot-blacking 
 much ? " 
 
 " No, sir ; but I would rather do that than be 
 eaiming nothing." 
 
 "You are quite right there, and I am glad j'ou 
 have no false shame in the matter. There are plenty 
 who have. For instance, a stout, broad-shouldered 
 young fellow applied to me this morning for a clerk- 
 ship. He said he had come to the city in search of 
 employment, and had nearly expended all his money 
 without finding anything to do. I told him I couldn't 
 give him a clerkship, but was in want of a porter. I 
 offered him the place at two dollars per day. He 
 drew back, and said he should not be willing to accept 
 a porter's place." 
 
 " He was very foolish," said Paul. 
 
 " So I thought. I told him that if such were his 
 feelings I could not help him. Perhaps he may 
 regret his refusal, when he is reduced to his last 
 penny. By the way, whenever you have to give up 
 your stand, you may come to me, and I will see what 
 I can do for you." 
 
 " Thank you, sir." 
 
 " And now about these shirts ; I believe I agreed 
 to pay a dollar and a quarter each." 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " As they are of extra size, I think I ought to pay 
 twelve shillings instead of ten." 
 
 " My mother thinks herself well paid at ten shil- 
 lings." 
 
 " There must be a great deal of work about one. 
 Twelve shillings are none too much ; " and Mr. Pres- 
 ton placed nine dollars in Paul's hand. 
 
•ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 89 
 
 " Thank you," said Paul, gratefully. " My mother 
 will consider herself very lucky." 
 
 When Mrs. Hoffman received from Paul a dollar 
 and a half more than she anticipated, she felt in 
 unusually good spirits. She had regretted the loss 
 of her former poorly paid work, but it appeared 
 that her seeming misfortune had only prepared the 
 way for greater prosy^erity. The trouble was that it 
 would not last. Still it would tide over the dull 
 time, and when this job was over, she might be able 
 to resume her old employment. At any rate, while 
 the future seemed uncertain she did not feel like 
 increasing her expenditures on account of her in- 
 creased earnings, but laid carefully away three quar- 
 ters of her receipts to use hereafter in case of need. 
 
 Meanwhile Paul continued to take care of George 
 Barry's business. He had been obliged to renew the 
 stock, his large sales having materially reduced it. 
 Twice a week he went up to see his principal to 
 report sales. George Barry could not conceal the 
 surprise he felt at Paul's success. 
 
 " I never thought you w^ould do so well," he said. 
 " You beat me." 
 
 "I suppose it's because I like it," said Paul. 
 " Then, as I get only half the profits, I have to work 
 the harder to make fair wages." 
 
 " It is fortunate for my son that he found you, to 
 take his place," said Mrs. Barry. " He could not 
 afford to lose all the income from his business." 
 
 "It is a good thing for both of us," said Paul. 
 " I was looking for a job just when he fell sick." 
 
 " What had you been doing before ? " 
 
 " I was in the prize-package business, but that got 
 played out, and I was a gentleman at large, seeking 
 for a light, genteel business that wouldn't require 
 much capital." , 
 
90 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 "I shall be able to take my place pretty soon 
 now," said the young man. " I might go to-morrow, 
 but mother thinks it imprudent." 
 
 " Better get back your strength, first, George/' 
 said his mother, " or you may fall sick again." 
 
 But her son was impatient of confinement, ana 
 anxious to get to work again. So, two days after- 
 wards, about the middle of the forenoon, Paul was 
 surprised by seeing George Barry 2:et out of a Broad- 
 way omnibus, just in front of the stand. 
 
 " Can't I sell you a neck-tie, Mr. Barry ? " he 
 asked, in joke. 
 
 " I almost feel like a stranger," said Barry, " it's 
 so long since I have been here." 
 
 " Do you feel strong enough to take charge now ? '' 
 asked Paul. 
 
 " I am not so strong as I was, and the walk from 
 our rooms would tire me; but I think if I ride both 
 ways for the present I shall be able to get along." 
 
 " Then you won't need me any longer ? " 
 
 " I would like to have you stay with me to-day. I 
 don't know how I shall hold out." 
 
 "All right! I'll stop." 
 
 George Barry remained in attendance the rest of 
 the day. He found that his strength had so far 
 returned that he should be able to manage alone here- 
 after, and he told Paul so. 
 
 " I am glad you are well again, George," said 
 Paul. " It must have been dull work staying at 
 home sick." 
 
 " Yes ; it was dull ; but I felt more comfortable 
 . fom knowing that you Avere taking my place. If I 
 gtt sick a^gain, I will send for you." 
 
 ' I hope you won't get sick ; but if you do, I will 
 do T> hat I can to help you." 
 
 So the two parted on the best terms. Each had 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 91 
 
 been of service to the other, and neither had cause to 
 complain. 
 
 " Well/' said Paul to himself, " I am out of work 
 again. What shall I go at next?" 
 
 It was six o'clock, and there was nothing to be 
 done till the morrow. He kept slowly home-wiard, 
 revolving this subject in his mind. He knew that he 
 need not remain idle. He could black boots, or sell 
 newspapers, if nothing better offered, and he thought 
 it quite possible that he might adopt the latter busi- 
 ness for a few days at least. He had not forgotten 
 Mr. Preston's injunction to let him know when he got 
 out of business; but, as the second half-dozen shirts 
 would be ready in three or four days, he preferred to 
 wait till then, and not make a special call on Mr. 
 Preston. He had considerable independence of feel- 
 ing, and didn't like to put himself in the position of 
 one asking a favor, though he had no objection to 
 accept one voluntarily offered. 
 
 " Well, mother," he said, entering his humble Lome, 
 " I am out of business." 
 
 " Has George Barry recovered, then ? " 
 
 "Yes, he was at the stand to-day, but wanted me 
 to stay with him till this evening." * 
 
 " Oh, I'm so sorry ! " said Jimmy. 
 
 " Sorry that George has got well ? For shame, 
 Jimmy." 
 
 ^No, I don't mean that, Paul. I am sorry yoa 
 are out of work." 
 
 " I shall find plenty to do, Jimmy. Perhaps Mr. 
 Stewart will take me in as senior partner, if I ask 
 him." 
 
 " I don't think he will," said Jimmy, laughing. 
 
 " Then perhaps I can get a few scholars in draw- 
 ing. Can't you recommend me ? " 
 
 " I am afraid not, Paul, unless yon have improved 
 agooddealo" 
 
PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE DIAMOND RING. 
 
 Paul was up betimes the next moTning. He had 
 made up his mind for a few days, at least, to sell 
 newspapers, and it was necessary in this business to 
 begin the day early. He took a dollar with him, and 
 invested a part of it in a stock of dailies. He 
 posted himself in Printing House Square, and began 
 to look out for customers. Being an enterprising 
 boy, he was sure to meet with fair success in any 
 business which he undertook. So it happened that at 
 ten o'clock he had sold out his stock of papers, and 
 realized a profit of fifty cents. 
 
 It was getting late for morning papers, and there 
 was nothing left to do till the issue of the first 
 edition of the afternoon papers. 
 
 " I'll go down and see how George Barry is getting 
 along," thought Paul. 
 
 He crossed Broadway, and soon reached the famil- 
 iar stand. 
 
 " How's business, George ? " he inquired. 
 
 " Fair," said Barry. " I\e sold four ties." 
 
 "How do you feel?" 
 
 " I'm not so strong as I was, yet. I get tired 
 more easily. I don't think I shall stay in this busi- 
 ness long." 
 
 " You don't ? What will you do then ? " 
 
 " I've got a chance in Philadelphia, or I shall have 
 by the first of the month." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHAJSTT. 93 
 
 " What sort of a chance ? '^ 
 
 "Mother got a letter yesterday from a cousin of 
 hers who has a store on Chestnut Street. He offers 
 to take me as clerk, and give me ten dollars a week 
 at first, and more after a while." 
 
 " That's a good offer. I should like to get one 
 like it." 
 
 " I'll tell you what, Paul, you'd better buy out my 
 stand. You know how to sell ties, and can make 
 money." 
 
 " There's only one objection, George." 
 
 "What's that?" 
 
 " I haven't got any capital." 
 
 '^ It don't need much." 
 
 " How much ? " 
 
 " I'll sell out all my stock at cost-price." 
 
 "How much do you think there is?" 
 
 " About twenty-five dollars' worth. Then there is 
 the frame, which is worth, say ten dollars, making 
 thirty-five dollars in all. That isn't much." 
 
 " it's more than I've got. I'll tell you what I'll 
 do. I'll take it, and pay you five dollars down, and 
 the rest in one month." 
 
 ,"I would take your offer, Paul, but I need all the 
 money now. It will be expensive moving to Phila- 
 delphia, and I shall want all I can get." 
 
 " I wish I could buy you out," said Paul, thought- 
 fully. 
 
 " Can't you borrow the money ? " 
 
 " How soon do you want to give up ? " 
 
 "It's the seventeenth now. I should like to get 
 rid of it by the twenty-second." 
 
 " I'll see what I can do. Just keep it for me till 
 to-morrow." 
 
 " All right." 
 
 Paul walked home revolving in his mind this im- 
 
94 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 expected opportunity. He had made, as George 
 Barry's agent, a dollar a day, though he received only 
 half the profits. If he were himself the proprietor, 
 and did equally well, he could make twelve dollars 
 a week. The calculation almost took away his 
 breath. Twelve dollars a week would make about 
 fifty dollars a month. It would enable him to con- 
 tribute more to the support of the family, and save 
 up money besides. But the great problem was, how 
 to raise the necessary money. If Paul had been a 
 railroad corporation, he might have issued first-mort- 
 gage bonds at a high rate of interest, payable in 
 gold, and negotiated them through some leading 
 banker. But he was not much versed in financial 
 schemes, and therefore was at a loss. The only 
 wealthy friend he had was Mr. Preston, and he did 
 not like to apply to him till he had exhausted other 
 wa^^s and means. 
 
 " What makes you so sober, Paul ? " asked his 
 mother, as he entered the room. " You are home 
 parly." 
 
 " Yes, I sold all my papers, and thought I would 
 take an early dinner, so as to be on hand in time for 
 the first afternoon papers." 
 
 "Don't you feel well?" 
 
 " Tip-top ; but I've had a good offer, and I'm think- 
 ing whether I can accept it." 
 
 "What sort of an offer?" 
 
 " George Barry wants to sell out his stand." 
 
 " How much does he ask ? " 
 
 " Thirty-five dollars." 
 
 " Is it worth that ? " 
 
 " Yes ; it's worth all that, and more too. If I had 
 it I could make two dollars a day. But I haven't 
 got thirty-five dollars." 
 
 "I can let you have nine, Paul. I had a little 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 95 
 
 saved up, and I haven't touched the money Mr. Pres- 
 ton paid me for the shirts." 
 
 ^' I've got five myself, out that will only make 
 fourteen." 
 
 " Won't he wait for the rest ? " 
 
 " No, he's going to Philadelphia early next week, 
 and wants the whole in cash." 
 
 " It would he a pity to lose such a good chance,^^ 
 said Mrs. Hoffman. 
 
 " That's what I think." 
 
 " You could soon save up the money on two dollars 
 a day." 
 
 " I could pay for it in a month. I mean all above 
 the fourteen dollars we have." 
 
 " In a day or two I shall have finished the second 
 half-dozen shirts, and then I suppose Mr. Preston 
 will pay me nine dollars more. I could let you have 
 six dollars of that." 
 
 " That would make twenty. Perhaps George 
 Barry will take that. If he won't, I don't know but 
 I will venture to apply to Mr. Preston." 
 
 " He seems to take an interest in you. Perhaps he 
 would trust you with the money." 
 
 " I could offer him a mortgage on the stock," said 
 Paul. 
 
 " If he has occasion to foreclose, he will be well 
 provided with neck-ties," said Mrs. Hoffman, smil- 
 ing. 
 
 " ISTone of which he could wear. I'll tell you what, 
 mother, I should like to pick up a pocket-book in the 
 street, containing, say, twenty or twenty-five dol- 
 lars." 
 
 '^ That would be very convenient," said his mother, 
 '^but I think it will hardly do to depend on sn^h 
 good luck happening to you. By the way," she said, 
 suddenly, " perhaps I can help you after all. Don't 
 
96 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 you remember that gold ring I picked up in Central 
 Park two years ago ? " 
 
 " The one you advertised ? " 
 
 " Yes. I advertised, or rather your father did, but 
 we never found an owner for it." 
 
 " I remember it now, mother. Have you got the 
 rin^ still?" 
 
 "I will get it." 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman went to her trunk, and, opening it, 
 produced the ring referred to. It was a ^old ring 
 with a single stone of considerable size. 
 
 " I don^t know how much it is worth," said 
 Mrs. Hoffman ; " but if the ring is a diamond, 
 as T think it is, it must be worth as much as twenty 
 dollars." 
 
 " Did you ever price it ? " 
 
 " No, Paul, I have kept it, thinking that it would 
 be something to fall back upon if we should ever be 
 hard pressed. As long as we were able to get along 
 without suffering, I thought I would keep it. Besides, 
 I had another feeling. It might belong to some 
 person who prized it very much, and the time might 
 come when we could find the owner. However, that 
 IS not likely after so long a time. So, if you cannot 
 raise the money in any other way, you may sell the 
 ring." 
 
 " 1 might pawn it for thirty days, mother. By 
 that time I should be able to redeem it with the 
 profits of my business." 
 
 " I don't think you could get enough from a pawn- 
 broker." 
 
 " I nan try, at any rate ; but first I will see George 
 Barr}^, and find out whether he will take twenty 
 dollars down, and the rest at the end of a month." 
 
 Paul wrapped up the ring in a niece of paper, and 
 deposited it in his vest-pocket. He waited till after 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 9Y 
 
 dinner, and then went at once to the neck-tie stand, 
 where he made the proposal to George Barry. 
 
 The yonng man shook his head 
 
 "Td like to oblige yon, Paul/' he said, ''but I 
 must have the money. I have an offer of thirty-two 
 dollars, cash, from another party, and I must take up 
 with it if I can't do any better. I'd rather sell out 
 to you, but you know I have to consult my own 
 interest." 
 
 " Of course, George, I can't complain of that." 
 
 " I think you will be able to borrow the money 
 somewhere." 
 
 " Most of my friends are as poor as myself," said 
 Paul. " Still I think I shall be able to raise the 
 money. Only wait for me two days." 
 
 " Yes, Paul, I'll wait that long. I'd like to sell 
 out to you, if only because you have helped me when 
 I was sick. But for you all that would have been 
 lost time." 
 
 " Where there's a will there's a way, George,'^ 
 said Paul. " I'm bound to buy your stand, and I 
 ~^I raise the money somehow." 
 
 Paul bought a few papers, for he did not like to 
 lose the afternoon trade, and in an hour had sold 
 them all off, realizing a profit of twenty cents. This 
 made his profits for the day seventy cents. 
 
 '' That isn't as well as I used to do," said Paul to 
 himself, " but perhaps I can make something more 
 by and by. I will go now and see what I can get 
 for the ring." 
 
 As he had determined, he proceeded to a pawn- 
 broker's shop which he had often passed. It was on 
 Chatham Street, and was kept by an old man, an 
 Englishman by birth, who, though he lived meanly 
 in a room behind his shop, was popularly supposed to 
 have accumulated a considerable fortune. 
 
98 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE pawnbroker's SHOP. 
 
 Stuffed behind the counter, and on the shelves ol 
 the pawnbroker's shop, were articles in almost end- 
 less variety. All was fish that came to his net. He 
 was willing to advance on anything that had a mar- 
 ketable value, and which promised to yield him, I 
 was about to say, a fair profit. But a fair profit was 
 far from satisfying the old man. He demanded an 
 extortionate profit from those whom ill fortune drove 
 to his door for relief. 
 
 Eliakim Henderson, for that was his name, was a 
 small man, with a bald head, scattering 3'ellow 
 whiskers, and fox-like eyes. Spider-like he waited 
 for the flies who flew of their own accord into his 
 clutches, and took care not to let them go until he 
 had levied a large tribute. Wlien Paul entered the 
 shop, there were three customers ahead of him. One 
 was a young woman, whose pale face and sunken 
 cheeks showed that she was waging an unequal con- 
 flict with disease. She was a seamstress by occupa- 
 tion, and had to work fifteen hours a day to earn the 
 little that was barely sufficient to keep body and soul 
 toofether. Confined in her close little room on the 
 fourth floor, she scarcelv dared to snatch time to look 
 out of the window into the street beneath, lest she 
 should not be able to complete hor allotted task. A 
 *;wo days' sickness had compelled her to have m- 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 99 
 
 course to Eliakim Henderson. She had under hei 
 arm a small bundle covered with an old copy of the 
 ** Sun." 
 
 " What have you got there ? " asked the old man, 
 roughly. " Show it quick, for there's others wait- 
 ing." 
 
 Meekly she unfolded a small shawl, somewhat faded 
 from long use. 
 
 " What will you give me on that ? " she asked, 
 timidly. 
 
 "It isn't worth much." 
 
 " It cost five dollars." 
 
 " Then you got cheated. It never was worth half 
 the money. What do you want on it ? " 
 
 The seamstress intended to ask a dollar and a 
 half, but after this depreciation she did not venture 
 to name so high a figure. 
 
 " A dollar and a quarter," she said. 
 
 " A dollar and a quarter ! " repeated the old man, 
 shrilly. " Take it home with you. I don't want it." 
 
 "What will you give?" asked the poor girl, 
 faintly. 
 
 " Fifty cents. Not a penny more." 
 
 " Fifty cents ! " she repeated, in dismay, and was 
 about to refold it. But the thought of her rent in 
 arrears changed her half-formed intention. 
 
 " I'll take it, sir." 
 
 The money and ticket were handed her, and she 
 went back to her miserable attic room, coughing aa 
 she went. 
 
 " Now, ma'am," said Eliakim. 
 
 His new customer was an Irish woman, by no 
 means consumptive in appearance, red of face and 
 portly of figure. 
 
 " And what'll ye be givin' me for this ? " she asked, 
 displaying a pair of pantaloons. 
 
100 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 *' Are they yours, ma'am ? " asked Eliakim, with a 
 chuckle. 
 
 " It's not Bridget McCarty that wears the 
 breeches/' said that lady. " It's me husband's, and 
 a dacent, respectable man he is, barrin' the drink, 
 which turns his head. What'll ye give for 
 'em?'' 
 
 " Name your price," said Eliakim, whose principle 
 it was to insist upon his customers making the first 
 offer. 
 
 " Twelve shillin's," said Bridget. 
 
 " Twelve shillings ! " exclaimed Eliakim, holding 
 up both hands. "That's all they cost when they 
 were new." 
 
 " They cost every cint of five dollars," 'returned 
 Bridget. " They was made at one of the most fash- 
 ionable shops in the city. Oh, they was an iligant 
 pair when they was new." 
 
 " How many years ago was that ? " asked the pawn- 
 broker. . 
 
 " Only six months, and they ain't been worn more'n 
 a month." 
 
 " I'll give you fifty cents." 
 
 " Fifty cints ! " repeated Mrs. McCarty, turning to 
 the other customers, as if to call their attention to an 
 offer so out of proportion to the valuable article she 
 held in her hand. Only fifty cints for these iligant 
 breeches ! Oh, it's you that's a hard man, that lives 
 on the poor and the nady." 
 
 " You needn't take it. I should lose money on it, 
 if you didn't redeem it." 
 
 " He says he'd lose money on it," said Mrs. 
 McCarty. " And suppose he did, isn't he a-rollin' in 
 gold?" 
 
 "I'm poor," said Eliakim; "almost as poor as 
 you, because I'm too liberal to my customers." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A bl*REET MERCHANT. 101 
 
 '' Hear till him ! " said Mrs. McCarty. '^ He says 
 he's liberal, and only offers fifty cints for these ili- 
 gant breeches." 
 
 " Will you take them or leave them ? " demanded 
 the pawnbroker, impatiently. 
 
 " You may give me the money," said Bridget : 
 "and it's I that wonder how you can slape in your 
 bed, when you are so hard on poor folks." 
 
 Mrs. McCarty departed with her money, and 
 Eliakim fixed his sharp eyes on the next customer. 
 It was a tall man, shabbily dressed, with a thin, 
 melancholy-looking face, and the expression of one 
 who had struggled w4th the world, and failed in the 
 struggle. 
 
 " How much for this ? " he asked, pointing to the 
 violin, and speaking in a slow, deliberate tone, as if 
 he did not feel at home in the language. 
 
 " What do you want for it ? " 
 
 " Ten dollar," he answered. 
 
 " Ten dollars ! You're crazy ! " was the contempt- 
 uous comment of the pawnbroker. 
 
 " He is a very good violin," said the man. " If 
 5^ou would like to hear him ; " and he made a move- 
 ment as if to play upon it. 
 
 " Never mind ! " said Eliakim. " I haven't any 
 time to hear it. If it were new it would be worth 
 something; but it's old, and — " 
 
 " But you do not understand," interrupted the cus- 
 tomer, eagerly. " It is worth much more than new. 
 Do you see, it is by a famous maker? I would not 
 sell him, but I am poor, and my Bettina needs bread. 
 It hurts me very much to let him go. I will buy him 
 back as soon as I can." 
 
 " I will give you two dollars, but I shall lose on it, 
 unless you redeem it.". 
 
 "Two dollar!" repeated the Italian. "Ocielo, it 
 
102 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 is nothing. But Bettina is at home without bread, 
 poor little one ! Will you not give three dollar ? '' 
 
 " Not a cent more." 
 
 " I will take it." 
 
 " There's your money and ticket." 
 • And with these the poor Itahan departed, giving 
 one last, lingering glance at his precious violin, as 
 Eliakim took it roughly and deposited it upon a shelf 
 behind him. But he thought of his little daughter at 
 home, and the means of relief which he held in his 
 hand, and a smile of joy lightened his melancholy 
 features. The future might be dark and unpromis- 
 ing, but for three days, at any rate, she should not 
 want bread. 
 
 Paul's turn came next. 
 
 " What have you got? " asked the pawnbroker. 
 
 Paul showed the ring. 
 
 Eliakim took it, and his small, bead-like e3^es 
 sparkled avariciously as he recognized the diamond, 
 for his experience was such that he could form a tol- 
 erably correct estimate of its value. But he quickly 
 suppressed all outward manifestations of interest, and 
 said, indiiferently, " Wliat do you want for it ? " 
 
 " I want twenty dollars," said Paul, boldly. 
 
 " Twentv dollars ! " returned the pawnbroker. 
 " That's a joke." 
 
 " No, it isn't," said Paul. ^' I want twenty dol- 
 lars, and you can't have the ring for less." 
 
 " If you said twenty shillings, I might give it to 
 you," said Eliakim; "but you must think I am a 
 fool to give twenty dollars." 
 
 " That's cheap for a diamond ring," said Paul. 
 '^ It's worth a good deal more." 
 
 The pawnbroker eyed Paul sharply. Did the boy 
 know that it was a diamond ring ? What chance was 
 there of deceiving him as to its value? The old 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 103 
 
 man, whose business made him a good judge, decided 
 that the ring was not worth less than two hundred 
 and fifty dollars, and if he could get it into his pos- 
 session for a trifle, it would be a paying opera- 
 tion. 
 
 " You're mistaken, boy,'' he said. *' It is not a 
 diamond." 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 " A very good imitation.'' 
 
 " How much is it worth ? " 
 
 " ril give you three dollars." 
 
 " That won't do. I want to raise twenty dollars, 
 and if I can't get that, I'll keep the ring." 
 
 The pawnbroker saw that he had made a mistake. 
 Paul was not as much in need of money as the 
 majority of his customers. He would rather pay 
 twenty dollars than lose the bargain, though it went 
 against the grain to pay so much money. But after 
 pronouncing the stone an imitation, how could he 
 rise much above the offer he had already made ? He 
 resolved to approach it gradually. Surveying it more 
 closely, he said : — 
 
 " It is an excellent imitation. I will give you five 
 dollars." 
 
 Paul was not without natural shrewdness, and this 
 sudden advance convinced him that it was, after all, 
 a real stone. He determined to get twenty dollars or 
 carry the ring home. 
 
 " Five dollars won't do me any good," he said. 
 " Give me back the ring." 
 
 ^'' Five dollars is a good deal of money," said 
 Eliakim. 
 
 " I'd rather have the ring." 
 
 " What is your lowest price ? '* 
 
 " Twenty dollars." 
 
 " I'll give you eight.'' 
 
104 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " Just now you said it was worth only three," said 
 Paul, sharply. 
 
 " It is very fine gold. It is better than I thought. 
 Here is the money.'^ 
 
 " You're a little too fast/' said Paul, coolly. " I 
 haven't agreed to part with the ring for eight dollars, 
 .and I don't mean to. Twenty dollars is my lowest 
 price." 
 
 " I'll give ten," said the old man, whose eagerne?'' 
 increased with Paul's indifference. 
 
 " No, you won't. Give me back the ring." 
 
 " I might give eleven, but I should lose money." 
 
 " I don't want you to lose money, and I've con- 
 cluded to keep the ring," said Paul, rightly inferring 
 from the old man's eagerness that the ring was much 
 more valuable than he had at first supposed. 
 
 But the old pawnbroker was fascinated by the 
 sparkling bauble. He could not make up his mind 
 to give it up. By fair means or foul he must possess 
 it. He advanced his bid to twelve, fourteen, fifteen 
 dollars, but Paul shook his head resolutely. He had 
 made up his mind to carry it to Ball & Black's, or 
 some other first-class jewellers, and ascertain whether 
 it was a real diamond or not, and if so, to obtain an 
 estimate of its value. 
 
 '* I've changed my mind," he said. " I'll keep the 
 ring. Just give it back to me." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 105 
 
 CHAPTEE XYL 
 
 THE jeweller's PRICE. 
 
 But to give it back was not Eliakim's intention. 
 Should he buy it at twenty dollars, he would make at 
 least two hundred, and such bargains were not to be 
 had every day. He decided to give Paul his price. 
 
 "I will give you twenty dollars/' he said; "but it 
 is more than the ring is worth." 
 
 " I have concluded not to take twenty dollars/' said 
 Paul. " You may give it back." 
 
 " You agreed to take twenty dollars/' said Eliakim, 
 angrily. 
 
 " That was when I first came in. You said you 
 wouldn't give it." 
 
 " I have changed my mind." 
 
 " So have I/' said Paul. " Y^ou had a chance to 
 get it, but now it's too late." 
 
 Eliakim was deeply disappointed. Generally he 
 had his own way with his customers, who, being in 
 urgent need of money, were obliged to accept such 
 terms as he chose to offer. But now the tables were 
 turned, and Paul proved more than a match for him. 
 He resolved to attempt intimidation. 
 
 " Boy, where did you get this ring ? " he asked, in 
 a significant tone. 
 
 " Honestly/' said Paul. " That's all you need to 
 know." 
 
 "I don't believe it/' said the old man, harshly. 
 " I believe you stole it." 
 
106 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; Ok, 
 
 "You may believe what you like, but you must 
 give it back to me/' said Paul, coolly. 
 
 " I've a great mind to call a policeman/' said 
 Eliakim. 
 
 " If you did," said Paul, " I'd tell him that you 
 were anxious to get the ring, though you believed it 
 to be stolen. Perhaps he might have something to 
 say to you." 
 
 Eliakim perceived the force of Paul's argument, 
 for in law the receiver of stolen goods is as bad as 
 the thief, and there had been occasions when the 
 pawnbroker had narrowly escaped punishment for 
 thus indirectly conniving at theft. 
 
 "If you say you got it honestly, I'll buy it of 
 you," he said, changing his tune. " What will you 
 take?" 
 
 " I don't care about selling to-day," answered 
 Paul. 
 
 " I'll give you twenty-five dollars." 
 
 " I can't sell without consulting my mother. It 
 belongs to her." 
 
 Reluctantly Eliakim gave back the ring, finding 
 his wiles of no effect. 
 
 " Bring your mother round to-morrow," he said. 
 " I'll give you a better price than you will get any- 
 where else." 
 
 " All right," said Paul. " I'll tell her what you 
 say." 
 
 The old pawnbroker followed Paul with wistful 
 glances, vainly wishing that he had not at first 
 depreciated the ring to such an extent, that his sub- 
 sequent advances had evidently excited his custom- 
 er's suspicion that it was more valuable than he sup- 
 posed. He felt that he had lost it through not 
 understanding the character of the boy with whom 
 he had to deal. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT l^f 
 
 ** Well, Paul, what news of the ring ? '' asked Mrs. 
 Hoffman, as he re-entered the room. 
 
 " I was offered twenty-five dollars for it/' said 
 Paul. 
 
 "Did you sell it?" 
 
 " No, mother." 
 
 "Why not?" asked Jimmy. "Twenty-five dol- 
 lars is a lot of money." 
 
 " I know it," said Paul ; " but the ring is worth a 
 great deal more." 
 
 " What makes you think so, Paul ? " 
 
 "Because the offer was made by a pawnbroker, 
 who never pays quarter what an article is worth. 
 I am sure the ring is worth a hundred dol- 
 lars." 
 
 " A hundred dollars ! " repeated Jimmy, awestruck 
 at the magnitude of the sum. 
 
 " Yes, I am sure it is worth all that." 
 
 " What shall we do about it, Paul ? " asked his 
 mother. " A hundred dollars v'ill do us much more 
 good than the ring." 
 
 "I know that, mother. What I propose is, to 
 carry it to Ball & Black's, or Tiffany's, and sell it 
 for whatever they say it is worth. They are first- 
 class houses, and we can depend upon fair treat- 
 ment." 
 
 " Your advice is good, Paul. I think we will fol- 
 low it. When will you go ? " 
 
 "I will go at once. I have nothing to do, and 
 I would like to find out as soon as I can how much it 
 will bring. Old Henderson wanted me to think, at 
 first, that it was only imitation, and offered me 
 twenty shillings on it. He's an old cheat. When he 
 found that I wasn't to be humbugged, he raised 
 his offer by degrees to twenty-five dollars. That was 
 what made me suspect its value." 
 
108 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " If you get a hundred dollars. Paul/' said Jimmy, 
 " you can buy out the stand." 
 
 " That depends on whether mother will lend me 
 the money," said Paul. " You know it's hers. She 
 may not be willing to lend without security." 
 
 " I am so unaccustomed to being a capitalist," said 
 Mrs. Hoffman, smiling, " that I sha'n't know how to 
 sustain the character. I don't think I shall be afraii? 
 to trust Paul." 
 
 Once more, with the ring carefully wrapped in *■ 
 paper and deposited in his pocket-book, Paul startec' 
 up town. Tiffany, whose fame as a jeweller i'«, 
 world-wide, was located on Broadway. Ke had nof 
 yet removed to his present magnifioent store oi» 
 tJnion Square. Paul knew the store, but had nevet 
 entered it. Now as he entered, he was struck with 
 astonishment at the sight of the immense and costly 
 stock, unrivalled by any similar establishment, not 
 only in the United States, but in Europe. Our hero 
 walked up to the counter, and stood beside a richly- 
 dressed lady who was bargaining for a costly brace- 
 let. He had to wait ten minutes while the lady was 
 making her choice from a number submitted to her 
 inspection. Finally she selected one, and paid for it. 
 The clerk, being now at leisure, turned to our hero 
 and asked : — 
 
 " Well, young man, what can I do for you ? " 
 
 " I have a ring which I should like to show you. 
 I want to know how much it is worth." 
 
 " Very well. Let me see it." 
 
 When Paul produced the diamond ring, the clerk, 
 ■who had long been in the business, and perceived its 
 value at once, started in surprise. 
 
 " This is a very valuable ring," he said. 
 
 " So I thought," said Paul. " How much is it 
 worth?" 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 109 
 "Do you mean how much should we ask for 
 
 " No ; how much would you give for it ? " 
 
 " Probably two hundred and fifty dollars." 
 
 Paul was quite startled on finding the ring so much 
 more valuable than he had supposed. He had 
 thought it might possibly be worth a himdred dol- 
 lars; but he had not imagined any rings were worth 
 as much as the sum named. 
 
 " Will you buy it of me ? " he asked. 
 
 The clerk regarded Paul attentively, and, as he 
 thought, a little suspiciously. 
 
 ^^ Does the ring belong to you ? " he asked. 
 
 " No, to my mother." 
 
 "Where did she buy it?" 
 
 '' She didn't buy it at all. She found it one day at 
 Central Park." 
 
 " Then it does not belong to her." 
 
 " It belongs to her now. She advertised for an 
 owner, and examined the papers to see if it was 
 advertised as lost, but could hear nothing of the one 
 to whom it belonged." 
 
 " How long ago was this ? " 
 
 " Two years ago." 
 
 " I will show the ring to Mr. Tiffany," said the 
 clerk. 
 
 " Very well." 
 
 Paul took a seat, and waited. 
 
 Soon Mr. Tiffany came up. 
 
 *^ Are you the boy who brought in the ring ? '' he 
 asked. 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 "You say your mother found it two years ago in 
 Central Park?" 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " It is a valuable ring. I should be willing to buy 
 
110 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 it for two hundred and fifty dollars if I were qnitii 
 certain that you had a right to dispose of it." 
 
 " I have told you the truth, Mr. Tiffan}^" sai4 
 Paul, a little nettled at having his word doulDted. 
 
 " That may be, but there is still a possibility tha'fe 
 the original owner may turn up." 
 
 " Won't you buy it, then ? " asked Paul, disap- 
 pointed, for, if he were unable to dispose of the ring, 
 he would have to look elsewhere for the means of 
 buying out Barry's street stand. 
 
 " I don't say that ; but I should want a guaranty 
 of indemnity against loss in case the person who lost 
 it should present a claim," 
 
 " In that case," said Paul, " I would give you back 
 the money you paid me." 
 
 Mr. Tiffany smiled. 
 
 "But suppose the money were all spent," he sug- 
 gested. "I suppose you are intending to use the 
 money ? " 
 
 " I am going to start in business with it/' said 
 Paul, " and I hope to add to it." 
 
 " Every one thinks so who goes into business ; but 
 some get disappointed. You see, my young friend, 
 that I should incur a risk. Remember I don't know 
 you. I judge from your appearance that you are 
 honest; but appearances are sometimes deceit- 
 ful." 
 
 " Then I suppose you won't buy it ? " said Paul, 
 who saw the force of this remark. 
 
 " If you can bring here any responsible gentleman 
 who knows you, and is willing to guarantee me 
 against loss in the event of the owner's being found, 
 I will buy the ring for two hundred and fifty dol- 
 lars." 
 
 Paul brightened up. He thought at once of Mr. 
 Preston, and, from the friendly interest which that 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT, m 
 
 gentleman appeared to take in him, he judged that he 
 would not refuse him this service. 
 
 " I think I can do that," he said. " Do you know 
 Mr. Andrew Preston? He is a wealthy gentleman, 
 who lives on Madison Avenue, between Thirty-fourth 
 and Thirty-fifth Streets." 
 
 " Not personally. I know him by reputation." 
 
 " Will he be satisfactory ? " 
 
 '' Entirely so." 
 
 ** He knows me well," said Paul. " I think he will 
 be willing to stand security for me. I will come back 
 in a day or two." 
 
 Paul took the ring, and left the store. He deter- 
 mined to call that evening on Mr. Preston, and ask 
 ^he favor indicated. 
 
 CHAPTEE XVIL 
 
 MR. FELIX MONTGOMERY. 
 
 Paul had an errand farther up town, and, on 
 leaving Tiffany^s, walked up as far as Twenty-Third 
 Street. Feeling rather tired, he got on board a Uni- 
 versity Place car to return. They had accomplished, 
 perhaps, half the distance, when, to his surprise, 
 George Barry entered the car. 
 
 " HoW do you happen to be here, at this time, 
 Barry?" he asked. ^^ I thought you werp. attending 
 to business." 
 
 " I closed up for a couple of hours, having an er- 
 rand at home. Where have you been?'' 
 
 " To Tiffany's." 
 
 "What, the jeweller's?" 
 
112 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " To buy a diamond ring, I suppose/' said Barry, 
 
 jocosely. 
 
 " No, not to buy one, but to sell one." 
 
 ^^ You are joking," said his companion, incredu- 
 lously. 
 
 " No, I am not. The ring belongs to my mother. 
 I am trying to raise money enough on it to buy you 
 out." 
 
 " I didn't know your mother was rich enough to 
 indulge in such expensive jewelry." 
 
 " She isn't, and that's the reason I am trying to 
 sell it." 
 
 " I mean, I didn't think she was ever rich enough." 
 
 " I'll explain it," said Paul. " The ring was found 
 some time since in Central Park. As no owner has 
 ever appeared, though we advertised it, we consider 
 that it belongs to us." 
 
 " How much is it worth ? " 
 
 '^ Mr. Tiffany offered two hundred and fifty dollars 
 for it." 
 
 Barry uttered an exclamation of surprise. " Well, 
 that is what I call luck. Of course you accepted it." 
 
 " I intend to do so ; but I must bring some gen- 
 tleman who will guarantee that I am all right, and 
 have the right to sell it." 
 
 "Can you do that?" 
 
 " I think so ; I am going to ask Mr. Preston. I 
 ihink he will do me that favor." 
 
 " Then there's a fair chance of your buying me 
 out." 
 
 "Yes. I guess I can settle the whole thing up 
 to-morrow." 
 
 " Have you got the ring with you ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 *' I should like to see it, if you have no objection." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 113 
 
 Paul drew it from his pocket, and passed it over 
 to Barry. 
 
 " It's a handsome one, but who would think such 
 a little thing could be worth two hundred and fifty 
 dollars?'' 
 
 " I'd rather have the money than the ring." 
 
 " So would I." 
 
 On the right of Paul sat a man of about forty, 
 well dressed and respectable in appearance, with a 
 heavy gold chain ostentatiously depending from his 
 watch-pocket, and with the air of a substantial citi- 
 zen. He listened to the conversation between Barry 
 and Paul with evident interest, and when Barry had 
 returned the ring, he said, " Young gentleman, would 
 you be kind enough to let me look at your ring ? I am 
 m3'Self in business as a jeweler in Syracuse, and so 
 feel an interest in examining it." 
 
 " Certainly, sir," said Paul, the stranger's explana- 
 tion of his motives inspiring him with perfect confi- 
 dence. 
 
 The jeweler from Syracuse took the ring in his 
 hands and appeared to examine it carefully. 
 
 "This is a handsome ring," he said, ''and one of 
 great value. How much were you offered for it at 
 Tiffany's?" 
 
 " Two hundred and fifty dollars." 
 
 " It is worth more." 
 
 "Yes, I suppose so," said Paul; "but he has to 
 sell it, and make a profit." 
 
 " He could do that, and yet make a profit. I will 
 pay you two hundred and seventy-five dollars, my- 
 self, — that is, on one condition." 
 
 " I don't object to getting twenty-five dollars 
 more," said Paul. " What is tlie condition ? " 
 
 " I have an order from a gentleman for a diamond 
 ring for a young lady, — an engagement ring, in short. 
 
114 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 If this suits him, as I think it will, I will pay yon 
 what I said. I can easily get three hundred and 
 twenty-five from him/^ 
 
 " How are you going to find out whether it will suit 
 him?'' 
 
 " Easily. He is stopping at the same hotel with 
 me." 
 
 "What hotel is that?" 
 
 "Lovejoy's. If you can spare the time, and will 
 come with me now, we can arrange matters at once. 
 By the way, you can refer me to some responsible 
 citizen, who will guarantee you. Not of course that 
 I have any doubts, but we business men are forced to 
 be cautious." 
 
 Paul mentioned Mr. Preston's name. 
 
 " Quite satisfactory," answered the jeweller. " I 
 know Mr. Preston personally, and as I am pressed 
 for time T will accept hi? name without calling upon 
 him. What is vour name?" 
 
 "Paul Hoffman." 
 
 " I will note it down." 
 
 The gentleman from Syracuse drew out a memo- 
 randum-book, in which he entered Paul's name. 
 
 " When you see Mr. Preston, just mention my 
 name, — Felix Montgomery." 
 
 " I will do so." 
 
 " Say, if you please, that T would have called upon 
 him, but coming to the city strictly on business, was 
 too hurried to do so." 
 
 This also Paul promised, and counted himself for- 
 tunate in falling in with a friend, or, at all events, ac- 
 quaintance of Mr. Pre?ton. since he was likely to 
 make twenty-five dollars more than he could other- 
 wise have done. 
 
 AVhen they irot out of the cnr at the Astor House, 
 the stranger said, " It will be half an hour before J 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. US 
 
 can reach Love joy's, as I have a business call to make 
 first. Can you call there, say, in three quarters of an 
 hour?" 
 
 '' Yes, sir." 
 
 "Very well then, I will expect you. Inquire for 
 me at the desk, and ask the servant to conduct you 
 to my room, — you remember my name ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, Mr. Felix Montgomery." 
 
 " Quite right. Good-by then till we meet." 
 
 Mr. Felix Montgomery went into the Astor House, 
 and remained about five minutes. He then came out 
 on the steps, and looking about him to see if Paul 
 was anywhere near, descended the steps, and walked 
 across to Lovejoy's Hotel. Going up to the desk, 
 he inquired, " Can you accommodate me with a 
 room ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir. Please enter your name." 
 
 The stranger entered his name with a flourish, as 
 Felix Montgomery, Syracuse. 
 
 *' Room No. 237," said the clerk ; " will you go up 
 
 now 
 
 ?" 
 
 " Yes, I think so." 
 
 " Any luggage ? " 
 
 " My trunk will be broue^ht from the St. Nicholas 
 in the course of the afternoon." 
 
 " We require payment in advance where there is 
 no luggage." 
 
 "Very well. I will pay for one day. I am not 
 sure but I shall get through my business in time to 
 go away to-morrow." 
 
 Here the servant appeared to conduct Mr. Mont- 
 gomery to his room. 
 
 " By the way," he said, turning back, as if it were 
 an after thought, " I directed a boy to call here for 
 me in about half an hour. When he comes you may 
 send him up to my room." 
 
116 PAUL THE PEEDLER ; OR, 
 
 *' Very well, sir." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery followed the servant upstairs to 
 room No. 237. It was rather high up, but he seemed 
 well pleased that this was the ease. 
 
 " Hope you won't get tired of climbing, sir," said 
 the servant. 
 
 " No, I've got pretty good wind." 
 
 "Most gentlemen complain of going up so far." 
 
 " It makes little difference to me." 
 
 At length they reached the room, and Mr. Mont- 
 gomery entered. 
 
 " This will answer very well," he said, with a 
 hasty glance about him. " When my trunk comes, I 
 want it sent up." 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " I believe that is all ; you can go." 
 
 The servant retired, and Mr. Felix Montgomery 
 sat down upon the bed. 
 
 " My little plot seems likely to succeed," he said to 
 himself. " I've been out of luck lately, but this 
 boy's ring will give me a lift. He can't suspect any- 
 thing. He'll be sure to come." 
 
 Probably the reader has already suspected that 
 Mr. Felix Montgomery was not a jeweller from 
 Syracuse, nor had he any claim to the name under 
 which he at present figured. He was a noted confi- 
 dence man, who lived by preying upon the com- 
 munity. His appearance was in his favor, and it was 
 his practice to assume the dress and air of a respect- 
 able middle-aged citizen, as in the present instance. 
 The sight of the diamond ring had excited his cupid- 
 ity, and he had instantly formed the design of getting 
 possession of it, if possible. Thus far his plan prom- 
 ised success. 
 
 Meanwhile Paul loitered away the time in the City 
 Hall Park for half an hour or more. He did not care 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. Hy 
 
 to go home until his negotiation was complete, and he 
 could report the ring sold, and carry home the money. 
 
 " Won't mother be astonished/' he thought, " at 
 the price I got for the ring ? I'm in luck this morn- 
 ing." 
 
 When the stipulated time had passed, Paul rose 
 from the bench on which he was seated, and walked 
 to Lovejoy's Hotel, not far distant. 
 
 " Has Mr. Felix Montgomery a room here ? " he 
 asked. 
 
 " Yes," answered the clerk. " Did you wish to see 
 him?" 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " He mentioned that a boy would call by appoint- 
 ment. Here, James, show this boy up to isTo. 237, — 
 Mr. Montgomery's room." 
 
 A hotel servant appeared, and Paul followed him 
 up several flights of stairs till they stood before No. 
 237. 
 
 " This is the room, sir," said James. " Wait a 
 minute, and I'll knock." 
 
 In answer to the knock, Mr. Montgomery himself 
 opened the door. 
 
 " Come in," he said to Paul. ^^I was expecting 
 you." 
 
 So Paul, not suspecting treachei? entered No. 237. 
 
118 PAUL TBili FEDDLEK ; OB, 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 PAUL CREATES A DISTURBANCE. 
 
 '^ Take a seat," said Mr. MontgoTne^3^ " My 
 friend will be in directly. Meanwhile will you let 
 me look at the ring once more ? " 
 
 Paul took it from his pocket, and handed it to the 
 jeweller from Syracuse, as he supposed him to be. 
 
 Mr. Montgomery took it to the window, and ap- 
 peared to be examining it carefully. 
 
 He stood with hi? back to Paul, but this did not 
 excite suspicion on the part of our hero. 
 
 " I am quite sure," he said, still standing with his 
 back to Paul, " that this will please my friend. From 
 the instructions he gave me, it is precisely what he 
 wanted." 
 
 While uttering these words, he had drawn a sponge 
 and a vial of chloroform from his side pocket. He 
 saturated the former from the vial, and then turning 
 quickly seized Paul, too much taken by surprise to 
 make immediate resistance, and applied the sponge 
 to his nose. When he realized that foul play was 
 meditated, he began to struggle, but he was in a firm 
 grasp, and the chloroform was already beginning to 
 do its work. His head began to swim, and he was 
 speedily in a state of insensibility. When this was 
 accomplished Mr. Felix Montgomery, eying the in- 
 sensible boy with satisfaction, put on his hat, walked 
 quickly to the door, which he locked on the outside, 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. Il9 
 
 and made his way rapidly downstairs. Leaving the 
 key at the desk, he left the hotel and disappeared. 
 
 Meanwhile Paul slowly recovered consciousness. 
 As he came to himselt, he looked about him bewil- 
 dered, not at first comprehending where he was. All 
 at once it flashed upon him, and he jumped up 
 eagerly, and rushed to the door. He tried in vain to 
 open it. 
 
 " I am regularly trapped ! " he thought, with a 
 feeling of mingled anger and vexation. " What a 
 fool I was to let myself be swindled so easily! I 
 wonder how long I have been lying here insensi- 
 ble ?'' 
 
 Paul was not a boy to give up easily. He meant 
 to get back the ring if it was a possible thing. The 
 first thing was, of course, to get out of his present 
 confinement. He was not used to hotel arrange- 
 ments, and never thought of the bell, but, as the 
 only thing he could think of, began to pound upon 
 the door. But it so happened that at this time then 
 were no servants on that floor, and his appeals for 
 help were not heard. Every moment that he had to 
 wait seemed at least five, for no doubt the man who 
 had swindled him was improving the time to escape 
 to a place of safety. Finding that his blows upon 
 the door produced no effect, he began to jump up and 
 down upon the floor, making, in his heavy boots, a 
 considerable noise. 
 
 The room directly under No. 237 was occupied by 
 an old gentleman of a very nervous and irascible 
 temper, Mr. Samuel Piper, a co^intry merchant, who, 
 having occasion to be in the city on business for a 
 few daj^s, had put up at Lovejoy's Hotel. He had 
 fatigued himself by some business calls, and was now 
 taking a little rest upon the bed, when he was aroused 
 from half sleep by the pounding overhead. 
 
120 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 *^I wish people would have the decency to keep 
 quiet," he said to himself, peevishly. " How can I 
 rest with such a confounded racket going on above ! " 
 
 He lay back, thinkinc^ the noise would cease; but 
 Paul, finding the knocking on the door ineffectual, 
 began to jump up and down, a? I have already said. 
 Of course this noise was heard distinctly in the room 
 below. 
 
 " This is getting intolerable ! " exclaimed Mr. 
 Piper, becoming more and more excited. " The man 
 ought to be indicted as a common nuisance. How 
 they can allow such goings-on in a respectable hotel, I 
 can't understand. I should think the fellow was split^r 
 ting wood upstairs." 
 
 He took his cane, and, standing on the bed, strucl 
 it furiously against the ceiling, intending it as a sig • 
 nal to the man above to desist. But Paul, catching 
 the response, began to jump more furiously than ever, 
 finding that he had attracted attention. 
 
 Mr. Piper became enraged. 
 
 " The man must be a lunatic or overcome by 
 drink," he exclaimed. " I can't and I won't Pyand 
 it." 
 
 But the noise kept on. 
 
 Mr. Piper put on his shoes and his coat, an/^, seiz- 
 ing his cane, emerged upon the landing. He espied 
 a female servant just coming upstairs. 
 
 " Here, you Bridget, or Nancy, or whate^/er your 
 name is," he roared, "there's a lunatic upstairs, 
 making a tremendous row in the room o/er mine. 
 If you don't stop him I'll leave the hotel. Hear him 
 now ! " 
 
 Bridget let fall her duster in fright. 
 
 " Is it a crazy man ? " she asked. 
 
 "Of course he must be. I want 70 v ^0 go np and 
 stop him." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANl'. 121 
 
 " Is it me that would go near a crazy man ? " ex- 
 claimed Bridget, horror-struck ; " I wouldn't do it 
 for a million dollars ; no, I wouldn't." 
 
 " I insist upon your going up," said Mr. Piper, 
 irritably. " He must be stopped. Do you think I 
 am going to stand such an infernal thumping over 
 my head ? " 
 
 " I wouldn't do it if you'd go down on your knees 
 to me," said Brid,cret, fervently. 
 
 " Come along, I'll go with you." 
 
 But the terrified girl would not budge. 
 
 " Then go down and toll your ixi aster there's a mad 
 man up here. If you don't, I will." 
 
 This Bridget consented to do; and, going down- 
 stairs, gave a not very coherent account of the dis- 
 turbance. Three male servants came back with 
 her. 
 
 " Is that the man ? " asked the first, pointing to 
 Mr. Piper, who certainly looked half wild with irrita- 
 tion. 
 
 " Yes," said Bridget, stupidly. 
 
 Immediately Mr. Piper found himself pinioned on 
 either side by a stout servant. 
 
 " What have you been kickin' up a row for?" de- 
 manded the first. 
 
 ^^Let me alone, or I'll have the law of you," 
 ecreamed the outraged man. " Can't you hear the 
 fellow that's making the racket ? " 
 
 Paul, tired with thumping, had desisted for a mo- 
 ment, but now had recommenced with increased en- 
 ergy. The sounds could be distinctly heard on the 
 floor below. 
 
 " Excuse me, sir. I made a mistake," said the 
 first speaker, releasing his hold. " We'll go up and 
 Bee what's the matter." 
 
 So the party went upstairs, followed at a distance 
 
122 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 b}' Bridget, who, influenced alike by fear and curios- 
 ity, did not know whether to go up or retreat. 
 
 The sounds were easily traced to room Xo. 237. 
 In front of this, therefore, the party congregated. 
 
 " What's the matter in there ? " asked James, the 
 first servant, putting his lips to the keyhole. 
 
 "Yes," chimed in Mr. Piper, irritably; "what do 
 you mean by such an infernal hubbub? " 
 
 " Open the door, and let me out," returned Paul, 
 eagerly. 
 
 The party looked at each other in surprise. They 
 did not expect to find the desperate maniac a boy. 
 
 " Perhaps there's more than one of them," sug- 
 gested the second servant, prudently. 
 
 " \Yhy don't you come out yourself ? " asked James. 
 
 " I am locked in." 
 
 The door was opened with a pass-key, and Pau/ 
 confronted the party. 
 
 " Now, young man, what do you mean, by making 
 such a disturbance ? " demanded Mr. Piper, excitably. 
 " My room is just below, and I expected every min- 
 ute you would come through." 
 
 " T am sorry if I disturbed you, sir," said Paul, po- 
 litely ; " but it was the only way I could attract at- 
 tention." 
 
 " How came 5^ou locked up here ? " 
 
 " Yes," chimed in James, suspiciously, " how came 
 you locked up here ? " 
 
 " I was drugged with chloroform, and locked in," 
 said Paul. 
 
 "Who did it?" 
 
 " Mr. Felix jMontgomery ; or that's what he called 
 himself. I came here bv appointment to meet him." 
 
 "What did he do that for?" 
 
 " He has carried off a diamond ring which I came 
 np here to sell him." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STkEET MERCHANT. 123 
 
 "A very improbable story/' said Mr. Piper, sus- 
 piciously. " What should such a boy have to do with 
 a diamond ring ? " 
 
 Nothing is easier than to impart suspicion. Men 
 are prone to believe evil of each other; and Paul was 
 destined to realize this. The hotel servants, igno- 
 rant and suspicious, caught the suggestion. 
 
 " It's likely he's a thafe," sai(? Bridget, from a safe 
 distance. 
 
 "If I were," said Paul, coolly, "I shouldn't be 
 apt to call your attention by such a noise. I can 
 prove to you that I am telling the truth. I stopped 
 at the office, and the book-keeper sent a servant to 
 show me up here." 
 
 " If this is true," said Mr. Piper, " why, when you 
 found yourself locked in, didn't you ring the bell, 
 instead of making such a confounded racket? My 
 nerves won't get over it for a week." 
 
 "I didn't think of the bell," said Paul; "I am 
 not much used to hotels." 
 
 " What will we do with him ? " asked James, look- 
 ing to Mr. Piper for counsel. 
 
 " You'd better take him downstairs, and see if his 
 story is correct," said the nervous gentleman, with 
 returning good sense. 
 
 " I'll do it," said James, to whom the very obvious 
 suggestion seemed marked by extraordinary wisdom, 
 and he grasped Paul roughly by the arm. 
 
 " You needn't hold me," said our hero, shaking off 
 the grasp. " I haven't any intention of running 
 away. I want to find out, if I can, what has become 
 of the man that swindled me." 
 
 James looked doubtfully at Mr. Piper. 
 
 " I don't think he means to run away," said that 
 gentleman. " I begin to think his story is correct. 
 And hark you, my young friend, if you ever get 
 
124 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 locked up in a hotel room again, just see if there 
 is a bell iDefore you make such a confounded racket/* 
 
 " Yes, sir, I will/' said Paul, half smiling ; " but 
 I'll take care not to get locked up again. It won't 
 be easy for anybody to play that trick on me again." 
 
 The party filed downstairs to the office, and Paul 
 told his story to the book-keeper. 
 
 " Have you seen Mr. Montgomery go out ? " asked 
 our hero. 
 
 " Yes, he went out half an hour ago, or perhaps 
 more. He left his key at the desk, but said nothing. 
 He seemed to be in a hurry." 
 
 " You didn't notice in what direction he went." 
 
 " No." 
 
 Of course no attempt was made to detain Paul. 
 There could be no case against him. He went out 
 of the hotel, and looked up and down Broadway in 
 a state of indecision. He did not mean to sit down 
 passively and submit to the swindle. But he had 
 no idea in what direction to search for Mr. Felix 
 Montgomery. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 PAUL DELIBERATES. 
 
 Paul stood in the street irresolute. He looked 
 hopelessly up and down Broadway, but of course the 
 jeweller from Syracuse was not to be seen. Seeking 
 for him in a city containing hundreds of streets and 
 a million of inhabitants was about as discouraging 
 as hunting for a needle in a haystack. But, difficult 
 as it was, Paul was by no means ready to give up the 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 125 
 
 search. Indeed, besides the regret he felt at the 
 loss, he was mortified at having been so easily out- 
 witted. 
 
 "He^s taken me in jnst as if I was a country 
 boy," thought Paul. " I dare say he's laughing at me 
 now. I'd like to get even with him.'' 
 
 Finally he decided to go to Tiffany's, and ask them 
 to detain any one who might bring in the ring and 
 offer it for sale. He at once acted upon his thought, 
 and hailing a Broadway stage, for no time was to be 
 lost, soon reached his destination. Entering the store, 
 he walked up to the counter and addressed the clerk 
 to whom he had before shown the ring. 
 
 " Do you remember my offering you a diamond ring 
 for sale this morning ? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes, I remember it very well. Have you got it 
 with you ? " 
 
 " No. it has been stolen from me." 
 
 " Indeed ! How was that ? " asked the clerk, with 
 interest. 
 
 " I met in the cars a well-dressed man, who called 
 himself a jeweler from Syracuse. He examined the 
 ring, and offered me more than Mr. Tiffany, but 
 asked me to bring it to him at Lovejoy's Hotel. 
 When I got there, he drugged me with chloroform, 
 and when I recovered he was gone." 
 
 " You have been unlucky. There are plenty of 
 such swindlers about. You should have been careful 
 about, displaying the ring before strangers." 
 
 " I was showing it to a friend." 
 
 ^^Have you notified the police?" 
 
 " Not yet. I came here to let you know, because 
 I thought the thief might bring it in here to sell." 
 
 " Very likely. Give me a description of him." 
 
 Paul described Mr. Felix Montgomery to the best of 
 his ability. 
 
X26 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " I think I should know him from 3^our description. 
 I will speak to Mr. Tiffany, and he will no doubt 
 give orders to detain any person who may offer the 
 ring for sale." 
 
 " Thank you." 
 
 " If you will give me your address, we will notify 
 you in case the ring is brought in." 
 
 Paul left his address, and went out of the store, 
 feeling that he had taken one step towards the recov- 
 ery of his treasure. He next visited the police head- 
 quarters, and left a detailed description of the man 
 who had relieved him of the ring, and of the circum- 
 stances attending the robbery. Then he went home. 
 
 His mother looked up as he entered. 
 
 " Well, Paul ? " she said, inquiringly. 
 
 " I've got bad news, mother," he said. 
 
 " What is it? Tell me quick ! " she said nervously. 
 
 " The ring has been stolen from me." 
 
 *' How did it happen, Paul ? " 
 
 *' First, I must tell you how much the ring is 
 worth. I went up to Tiffany's, and showed the ring 
 to Mr. Tiffany himself. He told me that he would 
 give me two hundred and fifty dollars for it, if I 
 would satisfy him that I had a right to sell it." 
 
 " Two hundred and fifty dollars ! " repeated Mrs. 
 Hoffman, in amazement. 
 
 " Yes, the diamond is very large and pure." 
 
 " Two hundred and fifty dollars would be a great 
 help to us." 
 
 " Yes, mother, that is what makes me feel so bad 
 about being swindled out of it." 
 
 " Tell me how it happened. Is there no chance of 
 recovering it ? " 
 
 " A little. I shall do what I can. I have already 
 notified the police, and Mr. Tiffany." 
 
 ** You have not told me yet how you lost it." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 12? 
 
 When Paul had told the story, his mother asked, 
 *' Did you mention it in the cars that you had ofiered 
 it at Tiffany's?" 
 
 " Yes, and I mentioned his offer/' 
 
 " Perhaps the thief would be cautious about going 
 there, for that very reason. He might think the ring 
 would be recognized." 
 
 *' He would go to a large place, thinking that so 
 valuable a ring would be more readily purchased 
 there." 
 
 " He might go to Ball & Black's." 
 
 " That is true." 
 
 ^' It would be w^ell to give notice there also." 
 
 "I will go up there at once. I only wish I could 
 meet Mr. Felix Montgomery ; I don't think he would 
 find it so easy to outreach me a second time." 
 
 " Take some dinner first, Paul." 
 
 " Then I must hurry it down, mother ; I don't 
 •want to run the risk of getting too late to Ball & 
 Black's. I can't help thinking what a splendid thing 
 it would be if we had the two hundred and fifty dol- 
 lars. I would buy out Barry's stand, and I would 
 get a sewing-machine for you, and we could live 
 much more comfortably. It makes me mad to think 
 I let that villain take me in so ! He must think me 
 jolly green." 
 
 " Anybody might have been deceived, Paul. You 
 mustn't blame yourself too much for that." 
 
 Leaving Paul on his way to Ball & Black's, we 
 return to Mr. Felix ]\Iontgomery, as we shall con- 
 tinue to call him, though he had no right to the name. 
 After stupefying Paul, as already described, he made 
 his way downstairs, and, leaving his key at the desk, 
 went out. 
 
 " I hope my young friend will enjoy himself up- 
 stairs," he chuckled to himself. " iSe's quite wel- 
 
128 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 come to the use of the room till to-morrow morning. 
 It's paid for in advance, and I don't think I shall find 
 it convenient to stop there." 
 
 He took the ring from his vest-pocket, and glanced 
 at it furtively. 
 
 " It's a beauty," he murmured, complacently. " I 
 never saw a handsomer ring of the size. What was 
 it the boy said he was offered for it? Two hundred 
 and fifty dollars! That'll give me a lift, and it 
 doesn't come any too soon. My money is pretty low.'^ 
 
 He walked across the City Hall Park, and at Baiv 
 clay Street entered a University Place car. 
 
 " Evenin' paper, mister ? " said a ragged newsboy, 
 whose garments were constructed on the most ap- 
 proved system of ventilation. 
 
 " What have you got ? " 
 
 " ' Evenin' Post,' ' Mail,' ' Express ! ' " 
 
 " Give me an ' Express.' Here's ten cents." 
 
 " I haven't got but three cents change, mister.'^ 
 
 " Xever mind' the change," said Mr. Montgomery, 
 in a fit of temporary generosit}^, occasioned by his 
 good luck. 
 
 " Thank you, sir," said the newsboy, regarding Mr. 
 Montgomery as a philanthropist worthy of his ven- 
 eration. 
 
 Felix Montgomery leaned back in his seat, and, 
 with a benevolent smile, ran his eyes over the col- 
 umns of the " Express." Among the paragraphs 
 which attracted his attention was one relating to a 
 comrade, of similar profession, who had just been 
 arrested in Albany while in the act of relieving a 
 gentleman of his pocket-book. 
 
 " Jerry always was a bungler," said Mr. Mont- 
 gomery, complacently, to himself. " He can't hold 
 a candle to me. I flatter myself that I know how 
 to manage a little affair, like this, for instance, as 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 129 
 
 well as the next man. It'll take a sharp detective to 
 lay hold of me." 
 
 It might have been thought that the manner in 
 which he had gained possession of the ring would 
 have troubled Mr. Montgomery, but it was many 
 years since he had led an honest life. He had made 
 a living by overreaching others, and his conscience 
 had become so blunted as to occasion him little 
 trouble. He appeared to think that the world owed 
 him a living, and that he was quite justified in col- 
 lecting the debt in any way he could. 
 
 About twenty minutes brought the car to Amity 
 Street. Mr. Montgomery signalled the conductor, 
 and the car being stopped he got out. 
 
 He walked a few rods in a westerly direction, and 
 paused before a three-story brick house, which ap- 
 peared to have seen better days. It was now used 
 as a boarding, or rather lodging house. The guests 
 were not of a very high character, the landlady not 
 oeing particular as long as her rent was paid regu- 
 larly. Mr. Montgomery ascended the steps in a 
 jaunty way, and, opening the door with a pass-key, 
 ascended the front staircase. He paused before a 
 room on the third floor, and knocked in a peculiar 
 manner. 
 
 The door was opened by a tall woman, in rather 
 neglected attire. 
 
 " So you're back," she said. 
 
 "Yes, my dear, home again. As the poet says, 
 ' There is no place like home.' " 
 
 '^ I should hope there wasn't," said Mrs. Mont- 
 gomery, looking about her disdainfully. "A very 
 delightful home it makes with such a charming 
 prospect of the back yard. I've been moping here 
 all day." 
 
 " You've found something to console you, I see,* 
 
130 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 said her husband, glancing at the table, on which 
 might be seen a bottle of brandy, half emptied, and 
 a glass. 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Montgomery; "I felt so bad I 
 had to send out for sbmething. It took every cent 
 I had. And, by the way, Mrs. Flagg sent in her 
 bill, this morning, for the last two weeks' board; 
 she said she must have it." 
 
 " My dear," said Mr. Montgomery, " she shall have 
 it." 
 
 "Yon don't mean to say you've got the money, 
 Tony ! " exclaimed his wife, in surprise. 
 
 " No, I haven't got the money; but I've got what's 
 just as good." 
 
 " What have you got ? " 
 
 " What do you say to this ? " and Mr. Montgomery 
 drew from his pocket the diamond-ring, whose loss 
 was so deeply felt by our hero. 
 
 " Is that genuine ? " asked the lady. 
 
 " It's the real thing." 
 
 " Wliat a beauty ! Wliere did you get it ? " 
 
 " It was kindly presented me by a young man of 
 the tender age of fifteen or thereabouts, who had 
 no further use for it." 
 
 " You did him out of it, that is. Tell me how you 
 did it." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery told the story. His wife listened 
 with interest and appreciation. 
 
 " That was a smart operation, Tony," she said. 
 
 " I should say it was. Maria." 
 
 " How much is the ring worth? " 
 
 " Two hundred and fiftv dollars." 
 
 "Canyouget that for it?" 
 
 " I can get that for it.'* 
 
 " Tony, you are a treasure." 
 
 ** Have you just found that out, my dear I'* 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 131 
 
 CHAPTEE XX. 
 
 FELIX MONTGOMERY IN A NEW CHARACTER. 
 
 It will be inferred, from the preceding conversa- 
 tion, that Mrs. Montgomery was not likely to be 
 shocked by the lack of honesty in her husband. Her 
 conscience was as elastic as his ; and she was perfectly 
 willing to help him spend his unlawful gains. 
 
 " How soon are you going to sell the ring ? " she 
 asked. 
 
 " I should like to dispose of it at once, Maria." 
 
 " You will need to. Mrs. Flagg wants her bill 
 paid at once." 
 
 '^ I quite understand the necessity of promptness, 
 my dear. Only, you know, one has to be cautious 
 about disposing of articles obtained in this way." 
 
 " You say you left the boy locked up. It seems 
 to me you'd better sell the ring before he has a 
 chance to get out and interfere." 
 
 "I don't know but you're right, my dear. Well, 
 we'll get ready." 
 
 " Do you want me to go with you ? " 
 - " Yes ; it will disarm suspicion if you are with me. 
 I think I'll go as a country parson." 
 
 " Country parsons are not apt to have diamond 
 rings to dispose of." 
 
 " Very true, my dear. The remark does credit to 
 your good judgment and penetration. But I know 
 how to get over that/' 
 
132 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 "As how?" 
 
 " Be a little more particular about your speech, 
 my dear. Piemember, you are a minister's wife, and 
 must use refined expressions. What is easier than 
 to say that the ring was given me by a benevolent 
 lady of my congregation, to dispose of for the bene- 
 fit of the poor." 
 
 " Well thought of, Tony. You've got a good head- 
 piece." 
 
 " You're right, my dear. I don't like to indulge in 
 self-praise, but I believe I know a thing or two. 
 And now for the masquerade. Where are the duds ? '' 
 
 " In the black trunk." 
 
 ^^ Then we'd better lose no time in putting them 
 on." 
 
 Without describing the process of transformation 
 in detail, it will be sufficient to say that the next 
 twenty minutes wrought a decided change in the 
 appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Felix Montgomery. The 
 former was arrayed in a suit of canonical black, not 
 of the latest cut. A white neck-cloth was substituted 
 for the more gaudy article worn by the jeweller from 
 Syracuse, and a pair of silver-bowed spectacles, com- 
 posed of plain glass, lent a scholarly air to his face. 
 His hair was combed behind his ears; and, so far as 
 appearance went, he quite looked the character of a 
 clergyman from the rural districts. 
 
 " How will I do, my dear ? " he asked, compla- 
 cently. 
 
 " Tip-top," answered the lady. " How do I look ? " 
 
 Mrs, Montgomery had put on a dress of sober tint, 
 and scant circumference, contrasting in a marked 
 manner with the mode then prevailing. A very plain 
 collar encircled her neck. Her hands were encased 
 in brown silk gloves, while her husband wore black 
 kids. Her bonnet was exceedingly plain, and her 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. I33 
 
 whole costume was almost Quaker-like in its sim?- 
 plicity. 
 
 Her husband surve^^ed her with satisfaction. 
 
 " My dear/' he said, " you are a fitting helpmeet 
 for the Eev. Mr. Barnes, of Hayfield Centre., By 
 Jove, you do me credit ! " 
 
 " By Jove is not a proper expression for a man of 
 your profession, Mr. Barnes/' said the new minister's 
 wife, with a smile. 
 
 " You are right, my dear. I must eschew pro- 
 fanity, and cultivate a decorous style of speech. Well, 
 are we readv ? " 
 
 ^^lam.""' 
 
 '^ Then let us set forth on our pilgrimage. We will 
 imagine, Mrs. Barnes, that we are about to make 
 some pastoral calls." 
 
 They emerged into the street. On the way down- 
 stairs they met Mrs. Flagg, the landlady, who bowed 
 respectfully. She was somewhat puzzled, however, 
 not knowing when they were let in. 
 
 " Good-morning, madam," said Mr. Barnes. "Are 
 you the landlady of this establishment?" 
 
 '' Yes, sir." 
 
 " I have been calling on one of your lodgers, — Mr. 
 Anthony Blodgett (this was the name by which Mr. 
 Felix Montgomery was known in the house). He is 
 a very worthy man." 
 
 Now, to tell the truth, Mrs, Flagg had not been 
 particularly struck by the moral worth of her lodger, 
 and this testimony led her to entertain doubts as to 
 the discernment of her clerical visitor. 
 
 " You know him then ? " 
 
 " I know him as myself, madam. Have you never 
 heard him mention the name of Eev. Mr. Barnes, of 
 Hayfield Centre, Connecticut?" 
 
 "I can't say I have," answered the landlady. 
 
134: PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 "That is singular. We were always very inti- 
 mate. We attended the same school as boys^ and in 
 fact were like Damon and Pythias." 
 
 Mrs. Flagg had never heard of Damon and Py- 
 thias, still she understood the comparison. 
 
 " You're in rather a different line now/' she re- 
 marked, drily. 
 
 "Yes, our positions are different. My friend 
 dwells in the busy metropolis, while I pass a quiet, 
 peaceful existence in a secluded country village, doing 
 what good I can. But, my dear, we are perhaps de- 
 taining this worthy lady from her domestic avoca- 
 tions. I think we must be going." 
 
 " Very well, I am ready." 
 
 The first sound of her voice drew the attention of 
 the landlady. Mrs. Felix Montgomery possessed a 
 thin, somewhat shrill voice, which she was unable to 
 conceal, and, looking attentively at her, Mrs. Flagg 
 penetrated her disguise. Then turning quickly to 
 the gentleman, aided by her new discovery, she also 
 recognized him. 
 
 " Well, I declare," said she, " if j^ou didn't take me 
 in beautifully." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery laughed heartily. 
 
 " You wouldn't know me then ? " he said. 
 
 " You're got up excellent," said Mrs. Flagg, with a 
 slight disregard for grammar. " Is it a joke ? " 
 
 " Yes, a little practical joke. We're going to call 
 on some friends, and see if they know us." 
 
 "You'd do for the theatre," said the landlady, 
 admiringly. 
 
 " I flatter m^^self T might have done something on 
 the stage, if my attention had been turned that way. 
 But, my dear, we must be moving, or we shan't get 
 through our calls." 
 
 "I wonder what mischief they are up to now/' 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 135 
 
 thought Mrs. Flagg, as she followed them to the 
 door. " I know better than to think they'd take the 
 trouble to dress up that way just to take in their 
 friends. No, they're up to some game. Not that I 
 care, as long as they get money enough to pay my 
 bill.'' 
 
 So the worldly wise landlady dismissed them from 
 her thoughts, and went about her work. 
 
 Mr. Barnes and his wife walked up towards Broad- 
 way at a slow, decorous pace, suited to the character 
 they had assumed. More than one who met them 
 turned back to look at what they considered a perfect 
 type of the country minister and his wife. They 
 would have been not a little surprised to learn that 
 under this quiet garb walked two of the most accom- 
 plished swindlers in a city abounding in adventurers 
 of all kinds. 
 
 Ml. Barnes paused a moment to reprove a couple 
 of urchins who were pitching pennies on the side- 
 walk. 
 
 " Don't you know that it's wrong to pitch pen- 
 nies ? " he said, gravely. 
 
 " None of your chaff, mister," retorted one of the 
 street boys, irreverently. " Wlien did you come from 
 the country, old Goo-gjes?" 
 
 " My son, you should address me with more re- 
 spect." 
 
 " Just get out of the way, mister ! I don't want to 
 hear no preachin'." 
 
 " I am afraid you have been badly brought up, my 
 son." 
 
 " I ain't your son, and I wouldn't be for a shillin'. 
 Just you go along, and let me alone ! " 
 
 " A sad case of depravity, my dear," remarked Mr. 
 Barnes to his wife. " I fear we must leave these boys 
 to their evil ways." 
 
X36 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ^' You'd better," said one of the boys. 
 
 " They're smart little rascals ! " said Mr. Mont- 
 gomery, when they were out of hearing of the boys. 
 "I took them in, though. They thought I was the 
 genuine article." 
 
 " We'd better not waste any more time," said his 
 wife. " That boy might get out, you know, and give 
 us trouble." 
 
 " I don't believe he will get out in a hurry. I 
 locked the door, and he'd have to pound some time 
 before he could make any one hear. I declare, I 
 should like to see how he looked when he recovered 
 from his stupor, and realized that his ring was gone." 
 
 " What sort of a boy was he, Tony ? " 
 
 "Better not call me by that name, my dear. It 
 might be hard, you know, and might not be con- 
 sidered in character. As to your question, he was 
 by no means a stupid boy. Eather sharpish, I should 
 say." 
 
 " Then how came he to let you take him in ? " 
 
 " As to that, I claim to be rather sharp myself, and 
 quite a match even for a smart boy. I haven't 
 knocked about the world forty-four years for noth- 
 ing." 
 
 They were now in Broadway. Turning the corner 
 of Amity Street, they walked a short distance down 
 town, and paused before the handsome jewelry store 
 of Ball & Black. 
 
 " I think we had better go in here," said Felix 
 Montgomery — (I hesitate a little by which of his 
 numerous names to call him). 
 
 " Why not go to Tiif any's ? " 
 
 " I gather from what the boy told me that the ring 
 has already been offered there. It would be very 
 likely to be recognized, and that would be awkward, 
 you know." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 137 
 
 " Are you sure the ring has not been offered here ? ^' 
 asked his wife. 
 
 " Quite sure. The boy would have mentioned it, 
 had such been the case." 
 
 " Very well. Let us go in then." 
 
 The Eev. Mr. Barnes and his wife, of Hayfield 
 Centre, entered the elegant store, and ten minutes 
 later Paul Hoffman entered also, and took his station 
 at the counter, wholly unconscious of the near prox- 
 imity of the man who had so artfully swindled him. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PAUL IS CHECKMATED. 
 
 On entering the large jewelry store, Mr. Montgom- 
 ery and his wife walked to the rear of the store, and 
 advanced to the counter, behind which stood a clerk 
 unengaged. 
 
 " What shall I show you ? " he inquired. 
 
 " I didn't come to purchase," said Mr. Montgom- 
 er}% with suavity, " but to sell. I suppose you pur- 
 chase jewelry at times." 
 
 " Sometimes/' said the clerk. " Let me see what 
 you have." 
 
 " First," said the adventurer, " let me introduce 
 myself. I am the Eev. Mr. Barnes, of Hayfield Cen- 
 tre, Connecticut. You perhaps know the place?" 
 
 *^I don't think I remember it," said the clerk, 
 respectfully. 
 
 " It is a small place," said Mr. Montgomery, mod- 
 estly, "but my tastes are plain and unobtrusive, and 
 I do not aspire to a more conspicuous post. How- 
 
138 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ever, that is not to the purpose. A lady parishioner, 
 desiring to donate a portion of her wealth to the 
 poor, has placed in my hand a diamond ring, the pro- 
 ceeds to be devoted to charitable objects. I desire to 
 sell it, and, knowing the high reputation of your firm, 
 feel safe in offering it to you. I know very little of 
 the value of such things, since they are not in my 
 line, but I am sure of fair treatment at jour hands.^' 
 
 " You may depend upon that,'' said the clerk, fa- 
 vorably impressed with the appearance and manners 
 of his customer. " Allow me to see the ring." 
 
 The brilliant was handed over the counter. 
 
 " It is quite valuable," said he, scrutinizing it 
 closely. 
 
 " So I supposed, as the lady is possessed of wealth. 
 You may rely upon its being genuine." 
 
 " I am not authorized to purchase," said the clerk, 
 '' but I will show it to one of the firm." 
 
 Just at that moment Mr. Montgomery, chancing 
 to look towards the door, w^as startled by seeing the 
 entrance of Paul Hoffman. He saw that it would be 
 dangerous to carry the negotiation any farther, and 
 quickly gave a secret signal to his wife. 
 
 The hint was instantly understood and acted upon. 
 
 Mrs. Montgomery uttered a slight cr}^, and clung 
 to her husband's arm. 
 
 " My dear," she said, " I feel one of my attacks 
 coming on. Take me out quickly." 
 
 " My wife is suddenly taken sick," said Mr. Mont- 
 gomery, hurriedly. " She is subject to fits. If you 
 will give me the ring, I wall return to-morrow and 
 negotiate for its sale." 
 
 " I am very sorry," said the clerk, with sympathy, 
 handing back the ring. " Can I get anvthing for the 
 lady?" 
 
 " No, thank you. The best thing to do is to get 
 
.IU3VENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. I39 
 
 her into the open air. Thank you for your kind- 
 ness/' 
 
 "Let me help you/' said the clerk, and coming 
 from behind the counter he took one arm of ]\Irs. 
 Montgomery, who, leaning heavily on her husband 
 and the clerk, walked, or rather was carried, to the 
 street door. 
 
 Of course the attention of all within the store was 
 drawn to the party. 
 
 " What was the matter ? " inquired a fellow-clerk, 
 as the salesman returned. 
 
 " It was a clergyman from Connecticut, who 
 wished to sell a diamond ring, given him for chari- 
 table purposes. His wife was taken suddenly sick. 
 He will bring it back to-morrow." 
 
 " Was the ring a valuable one ? " 
 
 " It must be worth in the neighborhood of three 
 hundred dollars.'' 
 
 Paul listened to this explanation, and a sudden 
 light flashed upon him, as he heard the estimated 
 value of the ring. There had been something famil- 
 iar in the appearance of the adventurer, though, on 
 account of his successful disguise and his being ac- 
 companied by a lady, he had not before felt any 
 suspicion as to his identity with the man w^ho had 
 swindled him. Now he felt convinced that it was 
 Mr. Felix Montgomery, and that it was his own 
 appearance which had led to the sudden siclmess and 
 the precipitate departure. 
 
 " That trick won't work, Mr. Montgomery," he 
 said to himself. " I've got on your track sooner than 
 I anticipated, and I mean to follow you up." 
 
 Eeaching the sidewalk, he caught sisrht of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Montgomery just turning the corner of a side 
 street. The pair supposed they were safe, not think- 
 ing that our hero had recognized them, and the lady 
 
140 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 no longer exhibited illness, but was walking briskly 
 at her husband's side. Paul hurried up, and tapped 
 the adventurer on the shoulder. Mr. Montgomery, 
 turning, was annoyed on finding that he had not yet 
 escaped. He determined, however, to stick to his 
 false character, and deny all knowledge of the morn- 
 ing's transaction. 
 
 " Well, my young friend," he said, '^ do you want 
 me? I believe I have not the pleasure of your 
 acquaintance." 
 
 " You are mistaken there, Mr. ^Felix Montgomery," 
 said Paul, significantly. 
 
 "By what name did jow address me?" said the 
 swindler, assuming a tone of surprise. 
 
 " I addressed you as Mr. Felix Montgomery." 
 
 " You have made a mistake, my good friend. I 
 am an humble clergyman from Connecticut. I am 
 called the Rev. Mr. Barnes. Should you ever visit 
 Hayfield Centre, I shall be glad to receive a call from 
 you." 
 
 " When I last met you, you were a jeweller from 
 3yracuse," said Paul, bluntly. 
 
 Mr. Montgomery laughed heartily. 
 
 "My dear," he said, turning to his wife, "is not 
 this an excellent joke ? My young friend here thinks 
 he recognizes in me a jeweller from Syracuse." 
 
 " Indeed, you are quite mistaken," said the lady. 
 " My husband is a country minister. We came up 
 to the city this morning on a little business." 
 
 " I understand on what business," said Paul. " You 
 wanted to dispose of a diamond ring." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery was disposed to deny the charge, 
 but a moment's reflection convinced him that it 
 would be useless, as Paul had doubtless been in- 
 formed in Ball & Black's of his business there. He 
 decided to put on a bold front and admit it. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 14J 
 
 '' I suppose you were in Ball & Black's just now/^ 
 he said. 
 
 " I was." 
 
 ^^And so learned my business there? But I am 
 at a loss to understand why you should be interested 
 in the matter.'' 
 
 " That ring is mine," said Paul. '' You swindled 
 me out of it this morning." 
 
 " My young friend, you must certainly be insane," 
 said Mr. Montgomery, shrugging his shoulders. " My 
 dear, did you hear that ? " 
 
 *' He is an impudent boy," said the lady. " I am 
 surprised that you should be willing to talk to 
 him." 
 
 " If you leave here I will put a policeman on your 
 track," said Paul. 
 
 He looked so determined that Mr. Montgomery 
 found that he must parley. 
 
 " You are under a strange hallucination, my young 
 friend," he said. " If you will walk along with me, 
 I think I can convince you of your mistake." 
 
 " There is no mistake about the matter," said Paul, 
 walking on with them. " The ring is mine, and I 
 must have it." 
 
 " My dear, will you explain about the ring ? He 
 may credit your testimony." 
 
 "I don't see that any explanation is necessary," 
 said the lady. " However, since you wish it, I will 
 say that the ring was handed you by Mrs. Benton, a 
 wealthy lady of your parish, with instructions to sell 
 it; and devote the proceeds to charitable purposes." 
 
 '^ Is that explanation satisfactory ? " asked Mr. 
 Montgomery. 
 
 "N"o, it is not," said Paul, resolutely. "I don't 
 believe one word of it. I recognize you in spite of 
 your dress. You gave me chloroform this morning in 
 
142 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 a room in Lovejoy's Hotel, and when I was "uncon- 
 scious you made off with the ring which I expected to 
 sell you. You had better return it, or I will call a 
 policeman." 
 
 " I am not the person you take me for," said Felix 
 Montgomery. 
 
 " You are the jeweller from S3Tacuse who swindled 
 me out of my ring." 
 
 " I never was a jeweller, and never lived in Syra- 
 cuse," said the adventurer, with entire truth. 
 
 " You may be right, but that is what you told me 
 this morning." 
 
 " I wish 3'ou would go away, and cease to annoy 
 us," said the lady, impatiently. 
 
 " I want my ring." 
 
 " We have no ring of yours." 
 
 " Show me the ring, and if it is not mine I will go 
 away." 
 
 " You are a very impudent fellow, upon my word," 
 said Mrs. Montgomery, sharply, " to accuse a gentle- 
 man like my husband of taking your ring. I don't 
 believe j^ou ever had one." 
 
 " My dear," interposed her husband, mildly, " I 
 dare say my young friend here really thinks we have 
 his ring. Of course it is a great mistake. Imagine 
 what our friends in Hayfield Centre would think of 
 such a charge! But you must remember that he is 
 unacquainted with my standing in the community. 
 In order to satisfy his mind, I am willing to let him 
 see the ring." 
 
 " To let him see the ring ? " repeated the lady, in 
 surprise. 
 
 " Yes. Here, my lad," taking the ring from his 
 pocket, " this is the ring. You will see at once that 
 it is not yours." 
 
 *'l see that it is mine," said Paul, taking the 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT, I43 
 
 proffered ring, and preparing to go, astonished at his 
 own good fortune in so easily recovering it. 
 
 " Not so fast ! " exclaimed Mr. Montgomer}^, seiz- 
 ing him by the shoulder. " Help ! Police ! " 
 
 An officer had turned the corner just before, and it 
 was this that had suggested the trap. He came up 
 quickly, and looking keenly from one to the other, 
 inquired what was the matter. 
 
 " This boy has just purloined a ring from my 
 wife," said Mr. Montgomery. " Fortunately I caught 
 him in the act." 
 
 " Give up the ring, you young scoundrel ! " said the 
 officer, imposed upon by the clerical appearance of 
 the adventurer. 
 
 " It is mine," said Paul. 
 
 " None of your gammon ! Give up the ring, and 
 come with me." 
 
 The ring was restored to Mr. Montgomery, who 
 overwhelmed the officer with a profusion of 
 thanks. 
 
 " It is not a diamond, only an imitation," he said ; 
 " but my wife values it as the gift of a friend. Don't 
 be too hard on the boy. He may not be so bad as 
 he seems." 
 
 " I'll attend to him," said the policeman, emphat- 
 ically. " I'll learn him to rob ladies of rings in the 
 street. Come along, sir ! " 
 
 Paul tried to explain matters, but no attention was 
 paid lO his protestations. To his anger and mortifica- 
 tion he saw the swindler make off triumphantly with 
 the rins:, while he, the wronged owner, was arrested 
 as a thief. 
 
 But at the station-house he had his revenge. He 
 was able to prove to his captor that he had lodged 
 information against Mr. Montgomery, and the police- 
 man in turn was mortified to think how readily he 
 
144 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 had been imposed upon. Of course Paul was set 
 free, but the officer's blundering interference seemed 
 to render the recovery of the ring more doubtful than 
 ever. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIL 
 
 A MAN OF RESOURCES. 
 
 ^^ Well, that was a narrow escape," said Mr. Mont- 
 gomery, with a sigh of relief. " I think I managed 
 rather cleverly, eh ? " 
 
 " I wanted to box the boy's ears," said Mrs. Mont- 
 gomery, sharply. 
 
 " It wouldn't have been in character, my dear. 
 Ha, ha ! " he laughed softly, " we imposed upon the 
 officer neatly. Our young friend got rather the worst 
 of it." 
 
 "Why don't you call things by their right names? 
 He isn't much of a friend." 
 
 '^ Names are of no consequence, my dear." 
 
 " Well, what are you going to do next ? " asked the 
 ladv, abruptlv. 
 
 "About the ring?'' 
 
 " Of course." 
 
 "I hardly know," said Mr. Montgomery, reflect- 
 ively. "If it were not for appearing too anxious, I 
 would go back to Ball & Black's, now that our young 
 friend is otherwise engaged, and can't interrupt us." 
 
 " Suppose we go ? " 
 
 " Well, you see, it might be considered rather soon 
 for you to recover from your fit. Besides, I don't 
 know what stories this boy may have thought fit to tell 
 about us." 
 
, ADVENTURES OP A STREET MERCHANT. I45 
 
 " He didn't have time to say anything.'' 
 
 " Perhaps you are right." 
 
 " We want to dispose of the ring as soon as pos- 
 sible, and leave the city." 
 
 " That is true. Well, if you say so, we will go 
 back." 
 
 " It seems to me now is the best time. The boy 
 will tell his story to the officer, and we may be in- 
 quired for." 
 
 " Then, my dear, I will follow your advice." 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery turned, and directed 
 their steps again towards Broadway. The distance 
 was short, and fifteen minutes had scarcely elapsed 
 since they left the store before they again entered it. 
 They made their way to the lower end of the store 
 and accosted the same clerk with whom they had 
 before spoken. 
 
 " Is your wife better ? " he asked. 
 
 "Much better, thank you. A turn in the air al- 
 ways relieves her, and she is quite herself again. I 
 have returned, because it is necessary for me to leave 
 the city by the evening train, and my time is, there- 
 fore, short. Will you be kind enough to show the 
 ring to your employer, and ask him if he will pur- 
 chase ? " 
 
 The clerk returned, and said that the firm would 
 pay two hundred and fifty dollars, but must be as- 
 sured of his risfht to dispose of it. 
 
 " Did you mention my name ? " asked the adven- 
 turer. 
 
 " I mentioned that 3'ou were a clerg}'man. I could 
 not remember the name." 
 
 " The Eev. Mr. Barnes, of Hayfield Centre, Con- 
 necticut. I have been preaching there for — is it six 
 or seven years, my dear ? " 
 
 " Seven," said his wife. 
 
146 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OH, 
 
 " I should think that would be sufficient. You 
 may mention that to Mr. Ball or Mr. Black if you 
 please. I presume after that he will not be afraid to 
 purchase." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery said this with an air of conscious 
 respectability and high standing, which might readily 
 impose upon strangers. But, by bad luck, what he 
 had said was heard by a person able to confute him. 
 
 "Did you say you were from Hayfield Centre?^' 
 asked a gentleman standing a few feet distant 
 
 " Yes," said Mr. Montgomery. 
 
 " I think you said your name was Barnes ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " And that you had been preaching there for the 
 last seven years ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir," answered Mr. Montgomery, but there 
 was rather less confidence in his tone. In fact he 
 was beginning to feel uneasy. 
 
 " It is very strange," said the other. " I have a 
 sister living in Hayfield Centre, and frequently visit 
 the place myself, and so of course know something of 
 it. Yet I have never heard of any clergyman named 
 Barnes preaching there." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery saw that things looked critical. 
 
 " You are strangely mistaken, sir," he said. " How- 
 ever, I will not press the sale. If you will return the 
 ring (to the clerk) I will dispose of it elsewhere." 
 
 But the clerk's suspicions had been aroused by what 
 had been said. 
 
 " I will first speak to Mr. Ball," he said. 
 
 " There is no occasion to speak to him. I shall 
 not sell the ring to-day. To-morrow I will come with 
 witnesses whose testimony will outweigh that of this 
 gentleman, who I suspect never was in Hayfield Cen- 
 tre in his life. I will trouble you for the ring." 
 
 *' I hope you don't intend to give it to him," said 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 147 
 
 the gentleman. " The presumption is, that, as he is 
 masquerading, he has not come by it honestly.^^ 
 
 " I shall not deign to notice your insinuations/' 
 said Mr. Montgomery, who concealed beneath a con- 
 sequential tone his real uneasiness. " The ring, if 
 you please." 
 
 " Don't give it to him.'' 
 
 As the clerk seemed disinclined to surrender the 
 ring, Mr. Montgomery said : — 
 
 " Young man, you will find it to be a serious mat- 
 ter to withhold my property." 
 
 " Perhaps I had better give it to him," said the 
 clerk, imposed upon by the adventurer's manner. 
 
 " Eequire him to prove property. If it is really 
 his, he can readily do this." 
 
 "My dear," said the Eev. Mr. Barnes, "we will 
 leave the store." 
 
 " ^\Tiat, and leave the ring ? " 
 
 " For the present. I will invoke the aid of the 
 police to save me from being robbed in this extraor- 
 dinary manner." 
 
 He walked to the street door, accompanied by his 
 wife. He was deeply disappointed at the failure of 
 the sale, and would gladly have wreaked vengeance 
 upon the stranger who had prevented it. But he saw 
 that his safety required an immediate retreat. In 
 addition to his own disappointment he had to bear his 
 wife's censure. 
 
 "If you had the spirit of a man, Mr. Montgom- 
 ery," she commenced, "you wouldn't have given up 
 that ring so easily. He had no business to keep 
 it." 
 
 " I would have called in a policeman, if I dared, 
 but you know I am not on the best of terms with 
 these gentlemen." 
 
 " Are we to lose the ring then ? '* 
 
i48 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OB, 
 
 " I am afraid so, unless I can make them believe in 
 the store that I am really what I pretend to he." 
 
 "Can't you do it?" 
 
 " Not very easily unless — stay, I have an idea. Do 
 you see that young man ? " 
 
 He directed his wife's attention to a young man, 
 evidently fresh from the country, who was approach- 
 ing, staring open-eyed at the unwonted sights of the 
 city. He was dressed in a blue coat with brass but- 
 tons, while his pantaloons, of a check pattern, termi- 
 nated rather higher up than was in accordance with 
 the fashion. 
 
 " Yes, I see him," said Mrs. Montgomery. " What 
 of him?" 
 
 " I am going to recover the ring through his help." 
 
 " I don't see how." 
 
 " You will see." 
 
 " How do you do ? " said the adventurer, cordially, 
 advancing to the young man, and seizing his hand. 
 
 " Pretty smart," said the countryman, looking sur- 
 prised. 
 
 " Are your parents quite well ? " 
 
 " They're so's to be around." 
 
 " When did vou come to the city." 
 
 " This momin'." 
 
 " Do you stay any length of time ? " 
 
 " I'm goin' back this afternoon." 
 
 "You didn't expect to meet me now, did you?" 
 asked Mr. Montgomery. 
 
 " I s'pose I'd orter know you," said the perplexed 
 youth, " but I can't think what your name is." 
 
 " What ! jSTot know Mr. Barnes, the minister of 
 Hayfield Centre! Don't you remember hearing me 
 preach for your minister ? " 
 
 " Seems to me I do," answered ttie young man, 
 persuading himself that he ought to remember. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. I49 
 
 "Of course you do. Now, my young friend, I am 
 very glad to have met you/' 
 
 " So am I," said the other awkwardly. 
 " You can do me a favor if you will." 
 " Of course I will," said Jonathan. " If it's any 
 thing I can do." 
 
 " Yes, you will have no trouble about it. You see 
 I went into a jeweller's near by, to sell a valuable 
 ring, and they wanted to make sure I was really a 
 minister, and not intending to cheat them. If you 
 will go in with me, and say that you have often heard 
 me preach, and that I am the Eev. Mr. Barnes, of 
 Hayfield Centre, I won't mind paying you five dollars 
 for your trouble." 
 
 " All right ; I'll do it," said the rustic, considering 
 that it would be an unusually easy way of earning 
 five dollars. 
 
 " You'll remember the name, won't you ? " 
 " Yes. Parson Barnes, of Hayfield Centre." 
 " That's right. The store is near by. Walk along 
 with us, and we will be there in five minutes." 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 A NEW EXPEDIENT. 
 
 -"1 BELIEVE your name is Peck," said Mr. Mont- 
 gomery, hazarding a guess. 
 
 " No, it's Young. — Ephraim Young." 
 
 " Of course it is. I remember now, but I am very 
 apt to forget names. You said your parents were 
 quite well ? " 
 
 " Yes, the/re pretty smart." 
 
150 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " I am glad to hear it ; I have the pleasantest 
 Tecollections of your excellent father. Let me see, 
 didn't you call there with me once, Mrs. Barnes ? " 
 
 " Not that I remember." 
 
 " You must go with me the next time. I want you 
 to know the parents of our young friend. They are 
 excellent people. Do you go back this afternoon, 
 Mr. Young?'' 
 
 " Yes, I guess so. You don't know of any sitoo- 
 ation I could get in a store round here, do 
 you?" 
 
 " Not at present, but I have some influential 
 friends, to whom I will mention your name. Suppose 
 now I could obtain a situation for you, how shall I 
 direct the letter letting you know ? " 
 
 " Just put on the letter ' Ephraim Young.' Every- 
 body in Plainfield knows me." 
 
 " So he lives in Plainfield," said Mr. Montgomery 
 to himself. "It's as well to know that." Then 
 aloud, " I won't forget, ^Ir. Young. What sort of 
 a business would you prefer?" 
 
 " Any kind that'll pay," said the gratified youth^ 
 firmly convinced of his companion's ability to fulfill 
 his promise. " I've got tired of stayin' round home, 
 and I'd like to try York a little while. Folks say it's 
 easy to make money here." 
 
 " You are right. If I were a business man, I 
 would come to New York at once. For a smart 
 young man like you, it offers a much better opening 
 than a country village." 
 
 " That's what I've told dad often," said the rustic, 
 " but he's afraid I wouldn't get nothing to do, and he 
 says it's dreadful expensive livin' here." 
 
 " So it is expensive, but then you will be better 
 paid than in the country. However, here we are. 
 You won't forget what I told you ? " 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 151 
 
 " No, I'll remember," said the young man. 
 
 The reappearance of Mr. Barnes and wife so soon 
 excited some surprise in the store, for it had got 
 around, as such things will, that he was an impostor, 
 and it was supposed that he would not venture to 
 show his face there again. The appearance of his 
 rustic companion likewise attracted attention. Cer- 
 tainly Mr. Montgomery (it makes little difference 
 what we call him) did not exhibit the slightest ap- 
 pearance of apprehension, but his manner was quite 
 cool and self-possessed. He made his way to that 
 part of the counter attended by the clerk with whom 
 he had before spoken. He observed with pleasure and 
 relief that the man who had questioned his identity 
 with any of the ministers of Hayfield Centre was no 
 longer in the store. This would make the recovery of 
 the ring considerably easier. 
 
 " Well, sir," he said, addressins^ the clerk, " I sup- 
 pose you did not expect to see me again so soon ? " 
 
 '' No, sir." 
 
 " Nor did I expect to be able to return for the ring 
 before to-morrow, not supposing that I could bring 
 witnesses to prove that I was what I represented. 
 But fortunately I met just now a young friend, who 
 can testify to my identity, as he has heard me preach 
 frequently in Plainfield, where he resides. Mr. 
 Young, will you be kind enough to tell this gentle- 
 man who I am ? " 
 
 " Parson Barnes, of Hayfield Centre," said the 
 3^outh, confidently. 
 
 " You have heard me preach, have you not, in 
 Plainfield ? " 
 
 " Yes," said the young man, fully believing that he 
 was telling the truth. 
 
 " And r have called on your parents ? ^ 
 
 " Yes." 
 
152 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " I think," said the adventurer, " that will be suffi- 
 cient to convince you that I am what I ap- 
 pear." 
 
 It was hard to doubt in .the face of such evidence. 
 Ephraim Young was so unmistakably from the rural 
 districts that it would have been absurd to suspect 
 him of being an artful city rogue. Besides, Mr. 
 Barnes himself was got up so naturally that all the 
 clerk's doubts vanished at once. He concluded that 
 the customer who had questioned his genuineness 
 must be very much mistaken. 
 
 " I ought to apologize to you, sir," he said, " for 
 doubting your word. But in a city like this you 
 know one has to be very careful." 
 
 " Of course," said the adventurer, blandly, " I do 
 not blame you in the least. You only did your duty, 
 though it might have cost me some trouble and 
 inconvenience." 
 
 " I am sorry sir." 
 
 " No apologies, I beg. If has all turned out right, 
 and your mistake was a natural one. If you will 
 kindly return me the ring, I will defer selling it, I 
 think, till another day." 
 
 The clerk brought the ring, which he handed back 
 to Mr. Montgomery. The latter received it with so 
 much the more satisfaction, as he had made up his 
 mind at one time that it was gone irrevocably, and 
 put it away in his waistcoat-pocket. 
 
 " I had intended to buy some silver spoons," he 
 eaid, " but it will be necessary to wait until I have 
 disposed of the ring. However, I may as well look 
 at some, eh, Mrs. Barnes ? " 
 
 " If you like," assented the lady. 
 
 So the pair examined some spoons, and fixed upon 
 a dozen, which they said they would return and buy 
 on the next day, and then with a polite good-by went 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 153 
 
 out of the store, leaving behind, on the whole, a favor- 
 able impression. 
 
 Ephraim Young accompanied them out, and 
 walked along beside theni. in the street. He, too, 
 was in good spirits, for had not his companion prom- 
 ised him five dollars for his services, which he had 
 faithfully rendered ? Five dollars to the young man 
 from the rural districts was a very considerable sum 
 of money, — quite a nugget, in fact, — and he already 
 enjoyed in advance the pleasure which he anticipated 
 of telling his friends at home how easily he had 
 earned such a sum in " York." He walked along 
 beside the adventurer, expecting that he would say 
 something about paying him, l3ut no allusion was 
 made by the adventurer to his promise. Indeed, five 
 dollars was considerably more than he had in his 
 possession. When they reached Amity Street, for 
 they were now proceeding up Broadway, he sought 
 to shake off the young man, whose company he no 
 longer desired. 
 
 " This is our way," he said. " I suppose you are 
 going further. I am very glad to have met you, Mr. 
 Young. I hope you will give our regards to your 
 excellent parents ; " and he held out his hand in token 
 of farewell. 
 
 "Ain't you goin' to pay me that money?" said 
 Ephraim, bluntly, becoming alarmed at the prospect 
 of losing the nugget he had counted on with so much 
 confidence. 
 
 " Bless me, I came near forgetting it 1 I hope yon 
 will excuse me," and to Ephraim's delight he drew 
 out his pocket-book. But the prospect of pay- 
 ment was not so bright as the young man sup- 
 posed. 
 
 ^' I don't think I have a five-dollar bill," said Mr. 
 Ilontgomeiy, after an examination of the pocket- 
 
154 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 book. " Mis. Montgomery, do you happen to have a 
 five with you ? " 
 
 " No, I haven't," said the lady, promptly. ^^ I 
 spent all my money shopping this morning." 
 
 " That is unfortunate. Our young friend has ren- 
 dered us suc-h a service I don't like to make him wait 
 for his money." 
 
 Ephraim Young looked rather blank at this sug- 
 gestion. 
 
 " Let me see, I have a hundred-dollar bill here," 
 said Mr. Montgomery. " I will go into the next store, 
 and see if I can't get it changed. Mr. Young, will 
 you be kind enough to remain with my wife ? " 
 
 " Certain," said Ephraim, brightening up. 
 
 j\[r. ^lontgomery went into a shop near by, but 
 made no request to have a hundred-dollar bill 
 changed. He was rather afraid that they might com- 
 ply with his request, which would have subjected him 
 to some embarrassment. He merely inquired if he 
 could use a pen for a moment; a request which was 
 readily granted. In less than five minutes he 
 emerged into the street again. Ephraim Young 
 looked towards him eagerly. 
 
 " I am sorry to say, my j^oung friend," he re- 
 marked, "that I was unable to get my bfU changed. 
 I might get it changed at a bank, but the banks are 
 all closed at this hour." 
 
 The countryman looked disturbed. 
 
 " I am afraid," continued Mr. Montgomery, " I 
 must wait and send you the money in a letter from 
 HayfieJd Centre." 
 
 " I'd ratlier have it now," said Ephraim. 
 
 " I am sorry to disa]3point .you," said the adven- 
 turer, smoothly ; " but after all you will only have a 
 day or two to wait. To make up to you for the delay 
 I have decided to send you ten dollars instead of 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. \ S5 
 
 five. Finding I could not change my bill, I wrote a 
 niote for the amount, which I will hand you/' 
 
 Ephraim received the paper, which the other 
 handed him, and read as follows : — 
 
 " New York, Sept. 15, 18—. 
 '^ Three days from date I promise to pay Mr. 
 Ephraim Young ten dollars. 
 
 " JoTHAM Barnes, 
 
 " Of Hayfield Centre." 
 
 ^ How will that do ? " asked the adventurer. " By 
 waiting three da3^s you double your money." 
 
 " You'll be sure to send it," said Ephraim, doubt- 
 fully. 
 
 " My young friend, I hope you do not doubt me," 
 said the Rev. Mr. Barnes, impressively. 
 
 " I guess it's all right," said Ephraim, " only I 
 thought I might like to spend the money in the 
 city." 
 
 "Much better save it up," said the other. "By 
 and by it may come in use." 
 
 Ephraim carefully folded up the note, and depos- 
 ited it in an immense wallet, the gift of his father. 
 He would have preferred the money which it repre- 
 sented; but three days would soon pass, and the ten 
 dollars would be forwarded to him. He took leave 
 of his new acquaintances, Mr. Montgomery shaking 
 his hand with aifectionate warmth, and requesting 
 him to give his best respects to his parents. Wlien 
 Ephraim was out of sight, he turned to his wife, with 
 a humorous twinkle in his eye, and said : — 
 
 " Wasn't that cleverly done, old lady ? " 
 
 " Good enough ! " remarked the lady. " IN'ow 
 you've got the ring back again, what are you going 
 to do with it?" 
 
156 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 '^ That, my dear, is a subject which requires the 
 maturest consideration. I shall endeavor to convert 
 it as soon as possible into the largest possible sum in 
 greenbacks. Otherwise I am afraid our board bill, 
 and the note I have just given to my rural friend, 
 will remain unpaid." 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 MR. MONTGOMERY'S ARREST. 
 
 Having shaken off his country acquaintance, of 
 whom he had no further need, Mr. Montgomery 
 started to return to his lodgings. On the whole, he 
 was in good spirits, though he had not effected the 
 sale of the ring. But it was still in his possession, 
 and it had a tangible value. 
 
 " I am sorry you did not sell the ring," said Mrs. 
 Montgomery. 
 
 " So am I," said her husband. " We may have to 
 ell it in some other city." 
 
 " We can't leave the city without money." 
 
 " That^s true," returned her husband, rather taken 
 aback by what was undeniably true. 
 
 ** We must sell the ring, or raise money on it, in 
 New York." 
 
 " I don't know but you are right, i'he trouble is, 
 there are not many places where they vtdll buy so 
 expensive an article. Besides, they will be apt to ask 
 impertinent questions." 
 
 " You might go to a pawnbroker's." 
 
 '' And get fleeced. If I got a quarter of the yalue 
 from a pawnbroker^ I should be lucky." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. I57 
 
 " We must do .something with it," said Mrs. Mont- 
 gomery, decidedly. 
 
 " Eight, my dear. We must get the sinews of war 
 somewhere. Eichard will never be himself again till 
 his pocket-book is lined with greenbacks. At pres- 
 ent, who steals my purse steals trash." 
 
 " Suppose you try Tiffany's ? " 
 
 " The ring has already been offered there. They 
 might remember it." 
 
 "If they do, say that he is your son." 
 
 " A good thought," answered the husband. " I 
 will act upon it. But, on the whole, I'll doff this dis- 
 guise, and assume my ordinary garments. This time, 
 m}^ dear, I shall not need your assistance." 
 
 " Well, the sooner it's done the better. That's all 
 I have to say." 
 
 "As soon as possible." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery returned to his lod.snings in Amity 
 Street, and, taking off his clerical garb, appeared in 
 the garb in which we first made his acquaintance. 
 The change was very speedily effected. 
 
 " Wish me good luck, Mrs. M.," he said, as he 
 opened the door. " I am going to make another 
 attempt." 
 
 " Good luck to you, Tony ! Come back soon." 
 
 " As soon as my business is completed. If I get 
 the money, we will leave for Philadelphia this even- 
 ing. You may as well be packing up." 
 
 " I am afraid the landlady won't let us carry away 
 our baggage unless we pay our bill." 
 
 " Never mind ! Pack it up, and we'll run our 
 chance." 
 
 Felix Montgomery left the house with the ring 
 carefully deposited in his vest-pocket. To judge from 
 his air of easy indifference, he might readily have 
 been taken for a substantial citizen in excellent cir- 
 
158 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 cumstances ; but then appearances are oftentimes de- 
 ceitful, and they were especially so in the present 
 instance. 
 
 He made his way quickly to Broadway, and thence 
 to Tiffany's, at that time not so far up town as at 
 present. He entered the store with a nonchalant air, 
 and advancing to the counter accosted the same clerk 
 to whom Paul had shown the ring earlier in the 
 day. 
 
 " I have a valuable ring which I would like to 
 sell," he said. "Will you \ell me its value?'' 
 
 The clerk no sooner took it in his hand than he 
 recognized it. 
 
 "I have seen that ring before," he said, looking at 
 Mr. Montgomery keenly. 
 
 " Yes." said the latter, composedly; " this morning, 
 wasn't it?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " My boy brought it in here. I ought not to have 
 sent him, for he came very near losing it on the way 
 home. I thought it best to come with it my- 
 self." 
 
 This was said so quietly that it was hard to doubt 
 the statement, or would have been if information had 
 not been brought to the store that the ring had been 
 stolen. 
 
 " Yes, boys are careless," assented the clerk, not 
 caring to arouse Mr. Montgomery's suspicions. " Yon 
 wish to sell the ring, T suppose." 
 
 " Yes," answered the other, " I don't like to carry 
 a ring of so great value. Several times I have come 
 near having it stolen. Will you buy it?" 
 
 " I am not authorized to make the purchase," said 
 the clerk. "I will refer the matter to Mr. 
 Tiffany.'^ 
 
 " Very well," said Mr. Montgomery. " I am will- 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 159 
 
 ing to accept whatever he may pronounce a fair 
 price/' 
 
 " No doubt/' thought the clerk. 
 
 He carried the ring to his employer, and quickly 
 explained the circumstances. 
 
 " The man is doubtless a thief. He must be ar- 
 rested," said the jeweller. 
 
 " If I go for an officer, he will take alarm." 
 
 "Invite him to come into the back part of the 
 "hop, and I will protract the negotiation while you 
 summon a policeman." 
 
 The clerk returned, and at his invitation Mr. 
 Montgomery walked to the lower end of the store, 
 where he was introduced to the head of the establish- 
 ment. Sharp though he was, he suspected no plot. 
 
 " You are the owner of this ring ? " asked Mr. 
 Tiffany. 
 
 " Yes, sir," said the adventurer. " It has been in 
 our family for a long time." 
 
 " But you wish to sell it now ? " 
 
 " Yes ; I have come near losing it several times, 
 and prefer to dispose of it. What is its value ? " 
 
 " That requires some consideration. I will ex- 
 amine it closely." 
 
 Mr. Montgomery stood with his back to the en- 
 trance, waiting patiently, while the jeweller ap- 
 peared to be engaged in a close examination of the 
 ring. He congratulated himself that no questions 
 had been asked which it might have been difficult for 
 him to answer. He made up his mind that after due 
 examination Mr. Tiffany would make an offer, which 
 he determined in advance to accept, whatever it 
 might be, since he w^ould consider himself fortunate 
 to dispose of it at even two-thirds of its value. 
 
 Meanwhile the clerk quietly slipped out of the 
 store, and at a short distance encountered a police- 
 
160 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 man, upon whom he called for assistance. At the 
 same momerit Paul and Mr. Preston came np. Our 
 hero, on being released from arrest, had sought Mr. 
 Preston, and the latter obligingly agreed to go with 
 him to Tiffany's, and certify to his honesty, that, if 
 the ring should be brought there, it might be retained 
 for him. Paul did not recognize the clerk, but the 
 latter at once remembered him. 
 
 " Are you not the boy that brought a diamood 
 ring into our store this morning? " he asked. 
 
 "IntoTiffan/s?'' 
 
 '' Yes.'^' ' 
 
 " Have you seen anything of it ? " asked our hero, 
 eagerly. " I am the one who brought it in." 
 
 " A man just brought it into the store," said the 
 clerk. 
 
 " Is he there now ? " 
 
 " He is talking with Mr. Tiffany. I came out for 
 a policeman. He will be arrested at once." 
 
 " Good ! " ejaculated Paul ; " I am in luck. I 
 thought I should never see the ring again. What 
 sort of a man is it ? " 
 
 J'rom the description, Paul judged that it was Felix 
 Montgomery himself, and, remembering what a trick 
 th'C adventurer had played upon him at Lovejoy's 
 Kotel, he felt no little satisfaction in the thought that 
 the trapper was himself trapped at last. 
 
 " I'll go along with you," he said. " I want to 
 tee that man arrested." 
 
 " You had better stay outside just at first, until 
 we have secured him." 
 
 Meanwhile ^Ir. Tiffany, after a prolonged examin- 
 action, said, " The ring is worth two hundred and 
 fifty dollars." 
 
 " That will be satisfactory," said Mr. Montgomery, 
 promptly. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 161 
 
 " Shall I give you a cheque for the amount ? ^ 
 asked the jeweller. 
 
 " I should prefer the money, as I am a stranger in 
 the city, and not known at the banks." 
 
 *' I can make the cheque payable to bearer, and 
 then you will have no difficulty in getting it cashed." 
 
 While this conversation was going on, the clerk 
 entered the store with the policeman, but Mr. Mont- 
 gomery's back was turned, and he was not aware of 
 the fact, till the officer tapped him on the shoulder, 
 saying, " You are my prisoner." 
 
 " What does this mean ? There is some mistake," 
 said the adventurer, wheeling round with a start. 
 
 " No mistake at all. You must come with me." 
 
 " What have I done ? You take me for some one 
 else." 
 
 " You have stolen a diamond ring." 
 
 " Who says so ? " demanded the adventurer boldly. 
 " It is true I brought one here to sell, but it has 
 belonged to me for years." 
 
 "You are mistaken, Mr. Montgomery," said -Paul, 
 who had come up unperceived. " You stole that ring 
 from me this morning, after dosing me with chloro- 
 form at Lovejoy's Hotel." 
 
 " It is a lie," said the adventurer boldly. " That 
 boy is my son. He is in league with his mother to 
 rob me. She sent him here this morning unknown to 
 me. Finding it out, I took the ring from him, and 
 brought it here myself." 
 
 Paul v^^as certainly surprised at being claimed as 
 a son by the man who had swindled him, and an- 
 swered, " I never saw you before this morning. I 
 have no father living." 
 
 " I will guarantee this boy's truth and honesty," 
 said Mr. Preston, speaking for the first time. "I 
 believe you know me, Mr. Tiffany." 
 
162 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ^' I need no other assurance/' said the jeweller, 
 bowing. " Officer, j^ou may remove your prisoner." 
 
 " The game is up/' said the adventurer, finding no 
 further chance for deception. " I played for high 
 stakes, and I have lost the game. I have one lavor 
 to ask. Will some one let my wife know where I 
 am?'' 
 
 " Give me her address/' said Paul, " and I will let 
 her know." 
 
 " No. — Amity Street. Ask her to come to the 
 station-house to see me." 
 
 "I will go at once." 
 
 ^^ Thank you," said Mr. Montgomery; " as I am not 
 to have the ring, I don't know that I am sorry it has 
 fallen into your hands. One piece of advice I will 
 venture to offer you, my lad," he added, smiling. 
 "Beware of any jewellers hailing from Syracuse. 
 They will cheat you, if you give them a chance." 
 
 " I will be on my guard/' said Paul. " Can I do 
 anything more for you ? " 
 
 " Nothing, thank you. I have a fast friend at my 
 side, who will look after me." 
 
 The officer smiled grimly at the jest, and the two 
 left the store arm in arm. 
 
 "Do you still wish to sell this ring?" asked Mr. 
 Tiffany, addressing Paul. 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 "I renew my offer of this morning. I will give 
 you two hundred and fifty dollars." 
 
 " I shall be glad to accept it." 
 
 The sale was quickly effected, and Paul left the 
 store with what seemed to him a fortune in his pocket. 
 
 "Be careful not to lose your money," said Mr, 
 Preston. 
 
 " I should like to place a hundred and fifty dollars 
 In jour hands/' said Paul, turning to Mr. Preston. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 163 
 
 " I will willingly take care of it for you, and 
 allow you interest upon it." 
 
 The transfer was made, and, carefully depositing 
 the balance of the money in his pocket-book, our 
 hero took leave of his friend and sought the house in 
 Amity Street. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 PAULAS ri^s^AL SUCCESS. 
 
 Mrs. Mo^^tgomery impatiently awaited the return 
 of her husband. Meanwhile she commenced pack- 
 ing the single trunk which answered both for her 
 husband and herself. She was getting tired of ISTew 
 York, and anxious to leave for Philadelphia, being 
 fearful lest certain little transactions in which she 
 and her husband had taken part should iDCcome 
 known to the police. 
 
 She had nearly completed her packing when Paul 
 rang the door-bell. The summons was answered by 
 the landlady in person. 
 
 " Is Mrs. Montgomery at home ? '^ asked Paul. 
 
 " No such lady lives here," was the answer. 
 
 It occurred to Paul as very possible that Mr. Mont- 
 gomery might pass under a variety of names. He ac- 
 cordingly said, " Perhaps I have got the name wrong. 
 The lady I mean is tall. I come with a message 
 from her husl^and, who is a stout man with black 
 hair and whiskers. He gave me this number." 
 
 " Perhaps you mean Mr. Grimsby. He and his 
 wife Live here." 
 
 " Probably that is the name," said Paul. 
 
164 TAUh THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " I will give Mrs. Grimsby your message/' returned 
 the landlady, whose curiosity was excited to learn 
 something further about her boarders. 
 
 " Thank you," said Paul ; " but it is necessary for 
 me to see the lady m3'self." 
 
 " Well, you can follow me then," said the landlady, 
 rather ungraciously. 
 
 She led the way upstairs, and knocked at the door 
 ©f Mrs. Grimsby, or, as we will still call her, Mrs. 
 Montgomer}', since that name is more familiar to the 
 reader, and she was as much entitled to the one as 
 the other. 
 
 Mrs. Montgomery opened the door, and regarded 
 our hero suspiciously, for her mode of life had taught 
 her suspicion of strangers. 
 
 " Here's a boy that wants to see you," said the 
 landlady. 
 
 " I come with a message from your husband," 
 said Paul. 
 
 Mrs. Montgomery remembered Paul as the boy who 
 was the real owner of the diamond ring, and she eyed 
 him with increased suspicion. 
 
 " Did my husband send you ? When did you see 
 him." 
 
 "Just now at Tiffany's," answered Paul, signifi- 
 cantly. 
 
 " What is his message ? " asked Mrs. Montgomery, 
 beginning to feel uneasy. 
 
 Paul glanced at the landlady, who, in the hope of 
 gratifying her curiosity, maintained her stand by his 
 side. 
 
 " The message is private," he said. 
 
 " I suppose that means that I am in the way," 
 remarked the landlady sharply. " I don't want to 
 pry into anybody's secrets. Thank Heaven, I haven't 
 got any secrets of my ovm." 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 165 
 
 " Walk in, 5'Oung man/' said Mrs. Montgomery. 
 
 Paul entered the room, and she closed the door 
 behind him. Meanwhile the landlady, who had gone 
 part way downstairs, retraced her steps softly, and 
 put her ear to the key-hole. Her curiosity, naturally 
 strong, had been stimulated by Paul's intimation that 
 there was a secret. 
 
 " jSTow," said Mrs. Montgomery, impatiently, " out 
 with it ! Wliy does my husband send a message by 
 you, instead of coming himself ? " 
 
 " He can't come himself." 
 
 "Why can't he?" 
 
 " I am sorry to say that I am the bearer of bad 
 news," said Paul, gravely. " Your husband has been 
 arrested for robbing me of a diamond ring." 
 
 " Where is he ? " demanded Mrs. Montsfomery, not 
 so much excited or overcome as she would have been 
 had this been the first time her husband had fallen 
 into the clutches of the law. 
 
 " At the Street station-house. He wants you 
 
 to come and see him." 
 
 " Have you got the ring back ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 Mrs. Montgomery was sorry to hear it. She hoped 
 her husband might have been able to secrete it, in 
 which case he could pass it over to her to dispose 
 of. Xow she was rather awkwardly situated, 
 being without money, or the means of making 
 any. 
 
 " I will go," she said. 
 
 Paul, who was sitting next to the door, opened it 
 suddenly, with unexpected effort, for the landlady, 
 whose ear was fast to the key-hole, staggered into the 
 room involuntarily. 
 
 "So you were listening, ma'am, were you?" de- 
 manded Mrs. Montgomery, scornfully. 
 
166 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 " Yes, I was/' said the landlad}^ rather red in the 
 face. 
 
 ^^ You were in good business/' 
 
 " It's a better business than stealing diamond 
 rings," retorted the landlady, recovering herself. 
 ^' I've long ' suspected there was something wrong 
 about you and your husband, ma'am, and now I 
 know it. I don't want no thieves nor jail-birds in 
 my house, and the sooner you pay your bill and 
 leave, the better I'll like it." 
 
 " I'll leave as soon as you like, but I can't pay your 
 bill." 
 
 " I dare say," retorted the landlady. " You're a 
 nice character to cheat an honest woman out of four 
 weeks' board." 
 
 " I can't help it," said Mrs. Montgomery, coolly ; 
 "if I haven't got the money, I can't pay you. I'll 
 move to-morrow." 
 
 " You'll move to-night," said the landlady, angrily, 
 " and you won't take your trunk either. I ain't 
 going to lose fifty dollars for nothing." 
 
 " I don't think my clothes will fit you," said her 
 boarder. 
 
 " Perhaps they won't," said the landlady, who was 
 short and dumpy, while Mrs. IMontgomery was tall 
 and spare; "but you won't get them again, at any 
 rate, unless you pay the money." 
 
 " I suppose I needn't stay any longer," said Paul, 
 who had listened in silence to the dialogue between 
 the two women. 
 
 " No. Tell my husband, if you see him, I will 
 come to him." 
 
 " It's my belief you're as bad as he is," said the 
 landlady. 
 
 This was the last of the conference which Paul 
 heard. It may interest the reader to learn that Mrs. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 167 
 
 Montgomery got her trunk, after all. The next day 
 the landlady received a telegram, purporting to come 
 from her sister in Brooklyn, summoning her to her 
 sick-bed. She answered the summons in great haste, 
 but on her arrival found her sister in her usual 
 health, quite unconscious that any such telegram had 
 been sent. The landlady returned as soon as pos* 
 sible, but too late. Half an hour after her depart- 
 ure, Mrs. Montgomery appeared with an expressman, 
 and carried aw^ay her trunk, the landlady in her haste 
 having forgotten to leave any instructions on the sub- 
 ject vnth the servants. It may be as well in this 
 connection to add that Mr. Montgomery was found 
 guilty of the offence charged against him, through 
 the testimony of Paul, and was sent to Sing Sing for 
 a term of years. The sentence would not have been 
 so severe but for the manner of the robbery, and the 
 fact that he was an old offender. His wife, left to 
 her own resources, is preying upon the community in 
 a variety of characters. Sometimes she is a widow, 
 seeking the assistance of the charitable to carry her 
 back to her children in Canada. Sometimes she begs 
 help for an invalid husband and family of dependent 
 children. In fact, being a woman of fertile invention, 
 and ready adaptation to new characters, she is not 
 likely to starve, but there is some chance of the law 
 eventually taking cognizance of her not very credit- 
 able shifts to make a living. As the compact be- 
 tween her and her husband was one of interest rather 
 than of affection, her grief at his confinement is not 
 very deep. Still she will be glad to welcome him on 
 his return to freedom, though the community can 
 hardly be congratulated on the event. 
 
 When Paul left the house in Amity Street, he 
 did not at once return home, but took a University 
 Place car as far as the Astor House. He was in a 
 
168 -^AUL THE PEDDLER ; Oii 
 
 hurry to conclude his bargain with George Barry, 
 fearing lest Barry might accept the other offer, un- 
 less he presented himself promptly. In point of fact, 
 he found Barry talking with the other applicant. As 
 he came up he heard Barry say, " I can^t give you a 
 decided answer until I see Paul Hoffman. I have 
 given him the refusal of the stand until to-mor- 
 row." 
 
 " How much does he offer ? " asked the stranger. 
 
 '^ He will pay me thirty-five dollars, if he can raise 
 the money." 
 
 " Do you think he can ? " 
 
 "I am not certain. If he can't, I may accept 
 your offer, though I ought to have more money." 
 
 The other would have offered more, but from what 
 Barry said he concluded that Paul would be unable 
 to raise the mone}^, and he would succeed in getting 
 the stand at his own price. 
 
 It was just at this moment that Paul came up. 
 
 " Well, Paul, what news ? " asked Barry. 
 
 " I am ready to buy your stand," said Paul. 
 
 " Can you pav me all the money down ? " 
 
 " On the spot." 
 
 " Then it is all settled," said Barry, with satisfac^ 
 tion. "I am glad of it, for now I shall be able to 
 go on to Philadelphia to-morrow." 
 
 Paul drew a roll of bills from his pocket, and 
 proceeded to count out thirty-five dollars. Barry 
 noticed with surprise that he had a considerable 
 amount left. 
 
 " You are getting rich, Paul," he said. 
 
 " I am not rich yet," answered Paul, " but I mean 
 to be some time, if I can accomplish it by industry 
 and attention to business." 
 
 "You'll be sure to succeed," said George Barry. 
 *VYou're just the right sort. Good-by, old fellow. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 169 
 
 When you come on to Philadelphia, come and see 
 me/' 
 
 " I may establish a branch-stand in Philadelphia 
 before long/' said Paul, jocosely. 
 
 CHAPTEK XXYI. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 When Paul was left in charge of the stand, and 
 realized that it was his own, he felt a degree of sat- 
 isfaction which can be imagined. He had been a 
 newsboy, a baggage-smasher, and in fact had pretty 
 much gone the round of the street trades, but now he 
 felt that he had advanced one step higher. Some of 
 my readers may not appreciate the diiference, but to 
 Paul it was a great one. He was not a merchant 
 prince, to be sure, but he had a fixed place of busi- 
 ness, and with his experience he felt confident he 
 could make it pay. 
 
 " I am sure I can make from ten to fifteen dollars 
 a week," he said to himself. " I averaged over a 
 dollar a day when T worked for George Barry, and 
 then I only got half profits. Now I shall have the 
 whole." 
 
 This consideration was a very agreeable one. He 
 would be able to maintain his mother and little 
 Jimmy in greater comfort than before, and this he 
 cared more for than for any extra indulgences for 
 himself. In fact he could relieve his mother entirely 
 from the necessity of working, and 3'et live better 
 than at present. When Paul thought of this, it gave 
 him a thrill of satisfaction, and made him feel almost 
 like a man. 
 
170 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 He set to work soliciting custom, and had soon 
 sold three neck-ties at twenty-five cents each. 
 
 " All that money is mine," he thought proudly. 
 " I haven't got to hand any of it over to George 
 Barry. That's a comfort" 
 
 As this thought occurred to him he recognized an 
 old acquaintance strolling along the sidewalk in his 
 direction. It was no other than Jim Parker, the 
 friend and crony of Mike Donovan, who will be 
 remembered as figuring in not a very creditable way 
 in the earlier chapters of this story. It so happened 
 that he and Paul had not met for some time, and Jim 
 was quite ignorant of Paul's rise in life. 
 
 As for Jim himself no great change had taken 
 place in his appearance or prospects. His suit was 
 rather more racfcred and dirty than when we first 
 made his acquaintance, having been worn night and 
 day in the streets, by night stretched out in some 
 dirty alley or out-of-the-way corner, where Jim found 
 cheap lodgings. He strolled along with his hands in 
 his pockets, not much concerned at the deficiencies 
 in his costume. 
 
 " Hallo ! " said he. stopping opposite Paul's stand. 
 " What are you up to ? " 
 
 " You can see for j^ourself ," answered Paul. " I 
 am sellin.s: neck-ties." 
 
 " How long've you been at it ? '' 
 
 " Just bes^un." 
 
 " Who's Tour boss ? " 
 
 " I haven't any." 
 
 "You ain't runnin' the stand yourself, be you?'' 
 asked Jim, in surprise. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Where'd yow borrow the stamps? " 
 
 " Of my mother," said Paul. " Can't I sell yon a 
 neek-tie this morning?" 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 171 
 
 *^ Not much/^ said Jim, laughing at the joke. 
 "Fve got my trunks stuffed full of 'em at home, 
 but I don't wear 'em only Sundays. Do you make 
 much money ? " 
 
 " I expect to do pretty well." 
 
 " What made you give up sellin' prize packages ? " 
 asked Jim, slyly. 
 
 " Customers like you/' answered Paul. 
 
 Jim laughed. 
 
 " You didn't catch me that time you lost your 
 basket," he said. 
 
 " That was a mean trick," said Pail, indignantly. 
 
 "You don't want to hire me to sell for you, do 
 you?" 
 
 " That's where you're right. I don't." 
 
 " I'd like to go into the business." 
 
 " You'd better open a second-hand clothing store," 
 suggested Paul, glancing at his companion's ragged 
 attire. 
 
 " Maybe I will," said Jim, with a grin, " if you'll 
 buy of me." 
 
 " I don't like the style," said Paul. " Who's your 
 tailor?" 
 
 " He lives round in Chatham Street. Say, can't 
 you lend a fellow a couple of shillin' to buy some 
 breakfast ? " 
 
 " Have you done any work to-day ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 " Then you can't expect to eat if you don't 
 work." 
 
 " I didn't have no money to start with." 
 
 " Suppose you had a quarter, what would you do? " 
 
 '^ I'd buy a ten-cent plate of meat, and buy some 
 evenin' papers with the rest." 
 
 *^ If you'll do that, I'll give you what you ask 
 for." 
 
172 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ^' You'll give me two shillin' ? " repeated Jim in- 
 credulously, for he remembered how he had wronged 
 Paul. 
 
 " Yes," said Paul. " Here's the money ; " and he 
 drew a twenty-five cent scrip from his vest-pocket, 
 ■ and handed it to Jim. 
 
 " You give me that after the mean trick I played 
 you? " said Jim. 
 
 " Yes, I am sorry for you, and want to help you 
 along." 
 
 " You're a brick ! " exclaimed Jim, emphatically. 
 " If any feller tries to play a trick on you, you just 
 tell me, and I'll lam him." 
 
 " All right, Jim ! " said Paul, kindly ; ^' I'll remem- 
 ber it." 
 
 " There ain't anybody you want licked, is there ? '' 
 asked Jim, earnestly. 
 
 " Not at present, thank you," said Paul, smiling. 
 
 " When you do, I'm on hand," said Jim. " Now 
 I'll go and get some grub." 
 
 He shuffled along towards Ann Street, where there 
 was a cheap eating-house, in which ten cents would 
 pay for a plate of meat. He was decidedly hungryp 
 and did justice to the restaurant, whose style of cook- 
 ery, though not very choice, suited him so well that he 
 could readily have eaten three plates of meat instead 
 of one, but for the prudent thought that compelled 
 him to reserve enough to embark in business after- 
 wards. Jim was certainly a hard ticket; but Paul's 
 unexpected kindness had won him, and produced a 
 more profound impression than a dozen floggings 
 could have done. I may add that Jim proved lucky 
 in his business investment, and by the close of the 
 afternoon had enough money to provide himself with 
 supper and lodging, besides a small fund to start 
 with the next day. 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 173 
 
 Paul sold three more neck-ties, and then, though it 
 yet lacked an hour of the time when he generally 
 proposed to close, he prepared to go home. He 
 wanted to communicate the good news to his mother 
 and little Jimmy. 
 
 Mrs. Hoffman raised her eyes from her sewing as 
 he entered. 
 
 " Well, Paul," she said, " have you heard any- 
 thing of the ring ? " 
 
 ^' Yes, mother, it's sold." 
 
 "Is it? Well, we must do without it then," said 
 his mother, in a tone of disappointment. 
 
 " There won't be any trouble about that, mother, 
 as long as we have got the money for it. I would 
 rather have that th^u the ring." 
 
 " Did you recover it then ? " asked his mother, 
 eagerly. 
 
 " Yes. mother, — listen, and I will tell you all 
 about it." 
 
 He sat down and told the story to two very atten- 
 tive listeners. 
 
 " What did 3'Ou do with the money, Paul ? " asked 
 Jimmy. 
 
 '^^Mr. Preston is keeping a hundred and fifty dol- 
 lars for me. He will allow seven per cent, interest. 
 But I must not forget that the money belongs to you, 
 mother, and not to me. Perhaps you would prefer 
 to deposit it in a savings-bank." 
 
 " I am quite satisfied with your disposal of it, 
 Paul," said Mrs. Hoffman. " I little thought, when 
 I found the ring, that it would be of such service to 
 us." 
 
 " It has set me up in business," said Paul, " and I 
 am sure to make money. But I am getting out of 
 stock. I must go round and buy some more neck-ties 
 to-morrow." 
 
^74 PAUL THE PEDDLER ; OR, 
 
 ''How much do you pay for jouv ties, Paul?'* 
 asked his mother. 
 
 " One shilling ; I sell them for two. That gives 
 jie a good profit." 
 
 " I wonder whether I couldn't make them ? " said 
 Mrs. Hoffman. " I find there is no sewing at present 
 to be got, and, besides," she added, " I think I would 
 father work for you than for a stranger." 
 
 " There is no need of your working, mother. I 
 can earn enough to support the family." 
 
 " Wiule I have health I would prefer to work, 
 Paul." 
 
 " Then I will bring roimd some of the ties to-mor- 
 row. I have two or three kinds. There is nothing 
 very hard about any of them. I think they would be 
 easy to make." 
 
 " That will suit me much better than making 
 shirts." 
 
 " Suppose I admit you to the firm, mother ? I can 
 get a large sign-board, and have painted on it, — 
 
 PAUL HOFFMAN AND MOTHER, 
 
 DEALERS IN" NECK-TIES. 
 
 How would that sound ? " 
 
 " I think I would rather leave the business part in 
 your hands, Paul." 
 
 " T begin to feel like a wholesale merchant al- 
 ready " said Paul. " Who knows but I may be one 
 some day?" 
 
 " Many successful men have begun as low down," 
 said his mother : " with energy and industry much 
 may be accomplished." 
 
 •^Do you think I'll ever be a wholesale painter?'* 
 
ADVENTURES OF A STREET MERCHANT. 175 
 
 asked Jimm}^ whose small ears had drank in the con- 
 versation. 
 
 " Better try for it, Jimmy," said Paul. " I don't 
 know exactly what a wholesale painter is, unless it's 
 one who paints houses.'' 
 
 " I shouldn't like that," said the little hoy. 
 
 " Then, Jimmy, you'd hetter he a retail painter." 
 
 " I guess I will," said Jimmy, seriously. 
 
 Thus far we have accompanied Paul Hoffman in 
 his career. He is considerably better off than when 
 we met him peddling prize packages in front of the 
 post office. But we have reason to believe that 
 greater success awaits him. He will figure in the 
 next two volumes of this series, more particularly in 
 the second, to be called Slow and Sure; or, From 
 the Sidewalk to the Shop. Before this appears, how- 
 ever, I propose to describe the adventures of a friend 
 and protege of Paul's — under the title of 
 
 Phil, the Fiddler; 
 
 OR, 
 
 The Young Street Musician. 
 
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 DREADNOUGHT BOYS SERIES 
 
 w] TALES OF THE NEW NAVY 
 
 By CAPT. WILBUR LAWTON 
 
 Cloth. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per volume 
 
 The Dreadnought Boys on 
 Battle Practice 
 
 Especially interesting and timely Is 
 this Dook which introduces the reader 
 with its heroes, Ned and Here, to the 
 jcreat ships of modem warfare and to 
 the intimate life and surprising adven- 
 tures of Uncle Sam's sailors. 
 
 The Dreadnought Boys 
 Aboard a Destroyer 
 
 In this story real dangers threaten 
 and the boys' patriotism is tested in a 
 peculiar international tangle. The 
 scene i^ laid on the South American 
 coast. 
 
 DREADNOUGHT 
 '^O*^ BOYS 51 
 A SUBMARINE- 
 CAPTAIN waauR uwToii 
 
 The Dreadnought Boys on a Submarine 
 
 To the inventive genius — trade-school boy or mechanic — ^this 
 story has special charm, perhaps, but to every reader its my- 
 stery and clever action are fascinating. 
 
 The Dreadnought Boys on Aero Service 
 
 Among the volunteers accepted for Aero Service are Ned and 
 Here. Their perilous adventures are not confined to the air, how- 
 ever, although they malie daring and notable flights in the name 
 of the Government; nor are they always able to fly beyond the 
 reach of their old "enemies," who are also iiirmen. 
 
 The Dreadnought Boys* World Cruise 
 
 From San Francisco the boys start on their world cruise. At 
 Hawaii, Japan, Egypt and Gibraltar they meet experiences unfor- 
 seen and eventful. 
 
 The Dreadnought Boys in Home Waters 
 
 Into mimic naval warfare creeps actual intrigue that compli- 
 cates the defense of New York Harbor. 
 
 It would be hard work to find a boy — young or old — who is 
 not keenly alive to the achievements of our great Navy. You 
 can get a good conception of what Uncle Sam is doing by reading 
 these marvellous stories. 
 
 Sent postpaid for 50 cents per volume, or the set of six for 
 $2.50. 
 
 HURST & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK 
 
AVIATORS 
 IN NICARAGUA 
 
 IN LEAGUE WITH 
 THE INSURGENTS 
 
 CAl^AIN WILBUR LAWTON 
 
 HURST &. COMPANY'S BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BOY AVIATORS SERIES 
 
 11] Thrilling Airship Stories 
 
 By CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON 
 
 Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid. 
 
 THE BOY AVIATORS IN NICA- 
 RAGUA 
 
 "Boys of all ages will be captivated by 
 this clever story of two bright American 
 lads who in an aeroplane of unusual con- 
 struction have many adventures in Nica- 
 ragua." 
 THE BOY AVIATORS ON SECRET 
 
 SERVICE 
 
 "Its heroes go in an airship to the 
 Everglades of Florida, and use their 
 wireless telegraph to assist in the rescue 
 of a Government inventor. Japanese spies 
 are plotting against them, and the result 
 is a thrill in every chapter." 
 
 THE BOY AVIATORS IN AFRICA 
 
 "In this book the lads go to Africa in 
 their flying machine and strike an aerial 
 ivory trail. Adventures come thick and fast. One cannot help 
 wishing himself fourteen years old once more, to take this book 
 out back on the barn, or under the pear tree, to enjoy it in fashion." 
 
 THE BOY AVIATORS' TREASURE QUEST 
 
 "The author takes the boys on a quest after the golden galleon, 
 lost in a position where it is imaginatively possible to obtain the 
 treasure. The story is one of the keenest interest from the boy 
 Btandpoint." 
 
 THE BOY AVIATORS IN RECORD FLIGHT 
 
 "The story deals with aerial contests for a big prize offered by 
 newspapers to fly from New York across the continent and tha 
 hairbreadth escapes encountered." 
 
 THE BOY AVIATORS' POLAR DASH 
 
 "The useful information concerning the Antarctic regions, and 
 the aviation features and their technical correctness, set the book 
 apart from those of simple entertainment and adventure." 
 
 — The Dallas News, Dallas, Texas. 
 
 THE BOY AVIATORS' FLIGHT FOR A FORTUNE 
 
 "The volume is packed with incidents from cover to cover, and 
 conveys an accurate idea of modern aeroplanes." 
 
 THE BOY AVIATOIS WITH THE AIR RAIDERS 
 
 In view of the world-wide interest in practical aviation, this 
 book is especially thrilling and timely. It pertains to the Great 
 European War. 
 
 Up-to-the-minute AIRSHIP Books which record the most thrill 
 ling experiences any daring aviator could wish for. The Stories 
 are written by a famous aviation instructor and are technically 
 correct in details. One million copies have been sold. 
 
 Sent postpaid at 50c, per volume, any four books for 
 $1.75, or the complete set of eight for $3.25. 
 
 HURST & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK 
 
^ 
 
 a& OCEAN 
 WIRELESJ 
 
 BOy Son tie 
 
 ATLANTIC 
 
 CAPTWLBURLAWTON 
 
 nVtrST & COMPANY^S BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLg 
 
 OCEAN WIRELESS SERIES 
 
 By CAPT. WILBUR LAWTON 
 
 12] 
 
 Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid 
 
 The Ocean Wireless Boys 
 on the Atlantic 
 
 How a Brooklyn boy became a wirelesa 
 operator and shared in the work of res- 
 cue on the sea makes a thrilling tale. 
 
 The Ocean Wireless Boys 
 and the Lost Liner 
 
 This book takes the young wireless 
 operators into southern waters and 
 through grave perils. 
 
 The Ocean Wireless Boys of the Iceberg 
 Patrol 
 
 The sinking of the Titanic emphasized the usefulness of the 
 wireless in the iceberg zones described in this volume. 
 
 The Ocean Wireless Boys and the Naval 
 Code 
 
 Combine warships and wireless, danger, intrigue, and daring 
 and you have an exciting tale of the sea. 
 
 The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific 
 
 Just as fascinating, thrilling and interesting as any of the 
 preceeding volumes. Plenty of action for red-blooded boys. 
 
 The tragedies of the seas became less dreadful with the intro- 
 duction of the wireless aboard steamships and it is to be hoped 
 ultimately that the "ocean grave-yard** will be a thing of the 
 past. These volmnes describe daring and exciting tales. 
 
 Sent postpaid upon receipt of SO cents each, or tbc 
 five books for $2,25. 
 
 HURST & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK 
 
BORDER'BOYSj 
 ON -THE 'TRAIL 
 
 FHEMONT-B-DEEKWO 
 
 HURST & COMPANY'S BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BORDER BOYS SERIES 
 
 MEXICAN AND CANADIAN FRONTIER SERIES 
 
 13] By FREMONT B. DEERING 
 
 Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid 
 
 THE BORDER BOYS ON THE 
 TRAIL 
 
 WTiat it meant to make an enemy of 
 Black Ramon De Barrios — that is the 
 problem that Jack Merrill and his 
 friends, including Coyote Pete, face in 
 this exciting tale. 
 
 THE BORDER BOYS ACROSS 
 
 THE FRONTIER 
 
 Read of the Haunted Mesa and its my- 
 steries of the Subterranean River and its 
 strange uses, of the value of gasolene and 
 steam "in running the gauntlet," and you 
 will feel that not even the ancient splend- 
 ors of the Old World can furnish a bet- 
 ter setting for romantic action than the 
 Border of the New. 
 
 THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS 
 
 As every day is making history — faster, it is said, than ever 
 before — so books that keep pace with the changes are full of 
 rapid action and accurate facts. This book deals with lively 
 times on the Mexican border. 
 
 THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS 
 
 The Border Boys have already had much excitement and 
 adventure in their lives, but all this has served to prepare them 
 for the experiences related in this volume. They are stronger, 
 l)raver and more resourceful than ever, and the exigencies of 
 their life in connection with the Texas Rangers demand all their 
 trained ability. 
 
 THE BORDER BOYS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 
 
 On mountain trails beside mountain canyons the Border Boys 
 ^'end their adventurous way, led by Mountain Jim, a rare type of 
 *'guide, philosopher and friend." The solving of a mountain my-. 
 Ctery lends added interest to their tour of exploration. 
 
 THE BORDER BOYS ALONG THE ST. LAWRENCE 
 
 The swift waters of the St. Lawrence River make a good set- 
 ting for this tale of adventure, for its turnings and twistings and 
 •^'indings are as unexpected and surprising as the treacherous 
 spots in the river itself. 
 
 Life on the border is a fascination; these frontier stories 
 abound with incidents, with plenty of excitement and adven- 
 ture mixed in. Good, wholesome books for the up-to-the- 
 minute boy. 
 
 Sent postpaid at 50 cents each, or we will forward the six 
 for $2.50. 
 
 HURST & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK 
 
HURST & COMPANY'S BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 MOTOR RANGERS SERIES 
 
 HIGH SPEED MOTOR STORIES 
 
 "J By MARVIN WEST 
 
 Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid 
 
 The Motor Rangers' Lost 
 Mine 
 
 This is an absorbing story of the con- 
 tinuous adventures of a Daotor car in 
 the hands of Nat Trevor and his friends. 
 
 The Motor Rangers 
 Through the Sierras 
 
 Enemies in ambush and the guarding 
 of treasure make exciting times for tho 
 Motor Rangers — yet there is a strong 
 flavor of fun and freedom, with a 
 typical Western mountaineer for spice. 
 
 The Motor Rangers on Blue Water 
 
 The strange adventures of the sturdy craft "Nomad" and the 
 stranger experiences of the Rangers themselves froxn the basis of 
 this well-spun yarn of the sea. 
 
 The Motor Rangers' Cloud Cruiser 
 
 From the "Nomad" to the "Discoverer," from the sea to tlie 
 sky, the scene changes in which the Motor Rangers figure. 
 
 The Motor Rangers' Wireless Station 
 
 The "Nomad" again figures largely in this story of the Motor 
 Rangers, and its adventures begin in response to a wireless call 
 for help. 
 
 The Motor Rangers Touring for the Trophy 
 
 Keen rivalry between a number ef motor cars in a long-dis- 
 tance race gives rise to a series of experiences, laughable, serious 
 and exciting. 
 
 The Motor Rangers are "on the go" all the time; never a dull 
 minute when you are with them. They spin along into .new 
 climes and encounter strange experiences. High speed books 
 which boys will enjoy. 
 
 We send any title postpaid upon receipt of 50 cents 
 or the set of six for $2.30. 
 
 HURST & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK 
 
HURST & COMPANY'S BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BUNGALOW BOYS SERIES 
 
 15] By DEXTER J. FORRESTER 
 
 Cloth. Illustrated. Price 50c. Each 
 
 The Bungalow Boys 
 
 How the Bungalow Boys received their 
 title and how they retained the right to 
 it in spite of much opposition makes a 
 lively narrative of lively boys. 
 
 The Bungalow Boys Ma* 
 rooned in the Tropics 
 
 A real treasure hunt of the most thrill- 
 ing kind makes a subject of intense in- 
 terest at any time, but add to that a 
 Land of desperate men, a dark plot and a 
 devil-fish, and you have the combina- 
 tion that brings strange adventures. 
 
 The Bungalow Boys in the Great North West 
 
 The clever assistance of a young detective saves the boys from 
 the clutches of Chinese smugglers, of whose nefarious trade they 
 know too much. 
 
 The Bungalow Boys on the Great Lakes 
 
 The Bungalow Boys start for a quiet cruise on the Great 
 Lakes and a visit to an island. A storm and a band of wreck- 
 ers interfere with the serenity of their trip, and a submarine 
 adds zest and adventure to it. 
 
 The Bungalow Boys Along the Yukon 
 
 Into a wild country on a dangerous quest the Bungalow Boys 
 go next, their uncle and his partner in charge of the enter- 
 prise to which they are pledged. 
 
 The Bungalow Boys North of Fifty-Three 
 
 This volume continues the strangely interesting adventures of 
 the boys in Alaska. A vivid picture of the land in the grip of 
 winter is given. 
 
 If you want real live-wire books of adventure, the "Bunga- 
 low Boys" stories will fill the bill. They are snappy, clever and 
 overflowing with thrilling incidents and experiences. You will 
 like these books. 
 
 Sent postpaid at SO cents per vot.^ or the six for $2 JO, 
 HURST & COMPANY, Publishers, NEW YORK 
 
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