Part 18 (1/2)

”Very well, sir.”

d.i.c.k took the note, and, walking to Broadway, jumped on board an omnibus, and in a few minutes found himself opposite the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Here he alighted, and, crossing the Park, entered Madison Avenue, then as now lined with fine houses.

Walking briskly up the avenue, he overtook a boy of about his own size, with a large bundle under his arm. Glancing at him as he pa.s.sed, he recognized Roswell Crawford.

”How are you, Crawford?” said d.i.c.k, in an offhand manner.

Roswell looked at the speaker, whom he recognized.

”I'm well,” said he, in a stiff, ungracious manner.

Ashamed of the large bundle he was carrying, he would rather have been seen by any boy than d.i.c.k, under present circ.u.mstances. He did not fail to notice d.i.c.k's neat dress, and the gold chain displayed on his vest.

Indeed there was nothing in d.i.c.k's appearance which would have been inconsistent with the idea that he lived on the avenue, and was, what Roswell claimed to be, a gentleman's son. It seemed to Roswell that d.i.c.k was immensely presumptuous in swaggering up Madison Avenue in such a style, as he mentally called it, and he formed the benevolent design of ”taking down his pride,” and making him feel uncomfortable, if possible.

”Have you lost your place?” he inquired.

”No,” said d.i.c.k, ”not yet. It's very kind of you to inquire.”

”I suppose they pay you for walking the streets, then,” he said, with a sneer.

”Yes,” said d.i.c.k, composedly; ”that's one of the things they pay me for.”

”I suppose you like it better than blacking boots?” said Roswell, who, supposing that d.i.c.k was ashamed of his former occupation, felt a malicious pleasure in reminding him of it.

”Yes,” said d.i.c.k, ”I like it better on the whole; but then there's some advantages about boot-blackin'.”

”Indeed!” said Roswell, superciliously. ”As I was never in the business, I can't of course decide.”

”Then I was in business for myself, you see, and was my own master. Now I have to work for another man.”

”You don't seem to be working very hard now,” said Roswell, enviously.

”Not very,” said d.i.c.k. ”You must be tired carrying that heavy bundle.

I'll carry it for you as far as I go.”

Roswell, who was not above accepting a favor from a boy he didn't like, willingly transferred it to our hero.

”I carried it out just to oblige,” he said, as if he were not in the daily habit of carrying such packages.

”That's very kind of you,” said d.i.c.k.

Roswell did not know whether d.i.c.k spoke sarcastically or not, and therefore left the remark unnoticed.

”I don't think I shall stay where I am very long,” he said.

”Don't you like?” asked d.i.c.k.

”Not very well. I'm not obliged to work for a living,” added Roswell, loftily, but not altogether truly.