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 JAMES 
 
i£x IGibrtB 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
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JOSIAH IN NEW YORK; 
 
 OR, 
 
 A COUPON FROM THE FRESH 
 AIR FUND. 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES OTIS, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "TOBT TTLKB," "LITTLE JOE," "JACK TH« HUNCH- 
 BACK," ETC. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 HURST & COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS. 
 
?S L 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 10OS, 
 BT 
 
 A. I. Bradley k Ca 
 
 All Rights Reserved- 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter. Page. 
 
 I. Thk Shtndle Fabm 1 
 
 II. The Arrival 19 
 
 III. A Friend in Need 34 
 
 IV. A Systematic Search 49 
 
 V. A Mean Trick 63 
 
 VI. A Theatre Party 79 
 
 VII. A Midnight Alarm 93 
 
 VIII. The Zoological Collection 114 
 
 IX. The Excursion 130 
 
 X. A Disappearance 145 
 
 XI. Bob's Friend 168 
 
 XII. The Museum 171 
 
 XIII. The Feast 186 
 
 XIV. The Pursuit 201 
 
 XV. The Arrest 215 
 
 XVI. The Coupon 227 
 
 XVII. At Home 246 
 
 iii 
 
JOSIAH IN NEW YORK; 
 
 OR, 
 
 A COUPON FROM THE FRESH AIR FUND. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE SHINDLE FARM. 
 
 On this particular day an almanac would not 
 have been needed to prove to the visitor at the 
 Shindle Farm that winter was near at hand. 
 
 The wide-spreading trees leading from the road 
 to the low-studded house, which made up in 
 breadth what it lacked in height, had already 
 put on their autumnal dress of crimson, gold, and 
 brown, embroidered here and there with green left 
 over from the last summer's wardrobe. The enor- 
 mous barn was crowded to overflowing with 
 fruits of the harvest. Mows were heaped high 
 
 5 
 
S Jonah in New York, 
 
 with sweet-scented hay, and the corn-bins filled 
 almost to bursting. The granaries seemed to groan 
 under their heavy burdens, and the sleek cattle, 
 noting the lack of grass in the pastures, looked 
 into the building now and then with an air of 
 satisfaction because of the ample supply of food 
 housed for their especial benefit. 
 
 The broad fields, so lately beautified with waving 
 grass, golden grain, and nodding plumes of vege- 
 tables, were waiting for the mantle of snow with 
 which they were to be covered until spring should 
 come again. 
 
 The yellow pumpkins, dotting the brown earth 
 like nuggets of gold, were all that remained 
 uncared for among the varied fruits of Farmer 
 Shindle's industry. 
 
 The barn-yard fowls were fat, and looked so con- 
 tented that it seemed certain they could have no 
 forebodings of the Thanksgiving soon to come, 
 while the sheep were comparing their new wool 
 coats as if proud of the perfect-fitting garments. 
 
 In the roomy kitchen, whose well-scrubbed floor 
 contrasted vividly with the bright brick hearth, 
 were festoons of apples threaded on strings, like 
 
The Shindle Farm. T 
 
 a Christmas-tree's pop-corn ornaments, and hung 
 on convenient pegs by the thrifty housewife, who 
 bent solicitously over the huge porcelain kettle 
 wherein pumpkin rind was being converted inta 
 imitation citron. 
 
 Everything about the farm, animate or inanl 
 mate, appeared to be aware of winter's approach j 
 and none so plainly gave evidence of this fact as 
 did the heir of the Shindle estate, Master Josiah. 
 
 He was concluding his share of the harvesl 
 labors by tying together large bunches of herbs 
 which were to be hung in the broad-beamed 
 attic to serve, at no distant day, either as pleasing 
 condiments for the table, or distasteful tea foi 
 Josiah when his stomach should rebel against too 
 heavy a burden. * 
 
 He well knew the uses to which these herbs 
 would be put, and treated them correspondingly. 
 
 The sage and summer savory were fastened 
 together with tender care, and a far-away look 
 of happy anticipation came into his eyes as he 
 thought of the Thanksgiving turkey ; while the 
 pennyroyal and thoroughwort were bound up 
 roughly and tightly, as if he wished to avenge 
 
8 Josiah in New York, 
 
 himself in advance on the disagreeable mixtures 
 these herbs would form for his especial benefit. 
 
 This was to be the last of his duties on the 
 farm for several days ■ and the most careless obser- 
 ver could have told, from his movements as well 
 as the expression on his face, that some very- 
 decided change was near at hand. 
 
 Every few moments he ran to his room where a 
 well-worn but serviceable leather valise stood kelx- 
 packed with a miscellaneous assortment of wear- 
 ing apparel and trinkets, and, after a hasty survey 
 of the odd collection, returned to his work, each 
 time consulting with his mother as to the possi- 
 bility of a storm in the near future. 
 
 Three months previous Mr. Shindle had received 
 as boarders from New York, fiveKBkeficiaries of the 
 Fresh Air Fund in the persons of the Bartlett 
 twins, their brother Tom, and Bob and little Jimmy 
 Green. 
 
 These visitors, three of whom were too young to 
 get into very much mischief, had spent a week at 
 the farm; six whole days of pleasure unalloyed, 
 save at certain intervals, and when they returned 
 to their homes it was with the distinct under- 
 
The Shindle Farm. 9 
 
 standing that Josiah should pay them a visit 
 as soon after the harvesting was ended as might 
 be convenient. 
 
 Master Shindle's parents had been parties to 
 this agreement ; and from the time he bade farewell 
 to Bob and Tom at the railroad station, probably 
 not a single day passed without his speaking of 
 the promised visit. 
 
 He had never seen anything larger in the way 
 of a town than Berry's Corner, where he lived, and 
 which comprised not more than twenty buildings, 
 including one store, a blacksmith's shop, and the 
 post-office. 
 
 Josiah's anticipations were probably more keen 
 than if no obstacles had arisen which threatened 
 to prevent the longj^romised visit. 
 
 A week previous Farmer Shindle discovered 
 that there was a possibility of his being unable 
 to go to the city at the time set by his son, 
 because of business which called him in another 
 direction ; and for several days it seemed as if 
 Josiah would be obliged to defer the journey. 
 
 The first arrangement was that his father should 
 accompany him to New York, and come after him 
 
10 Josiah in New York. 
 
 at the expiration of a week ; for neither Mr. nor 
 Mrs. Shindle believed their son could, with safety, 
 travel so far alone. 
 
 As a matter of course the boy's disappointment 
 was great ; and, after several long and grave con- 
 sultations, it was decided that if a letter could be 
 received from either Master Bartlett or Master 
 Green, announcing a willingness to meet him at 
 the station in Jersey City, he should be allowed to 
 go unattended. 
 
 Josiah himself carried the letter addressed to 
 " Thomas Bartlett, Baker's Court, New York, 
 N.Y.," to the post-office ; and during the next three 
 days the government employee at Berry's Corner 
 had a very vivid idea of the responsibility of his 
 position, for the Shindle heir TOited the office at 
 least twice in every twenty-four hours, intimating 
 more than once that the important missive might 
 have been sent in the wrong direction, or mislaid 
 at that point. 
 
 Undoubtedly the postmaster felt relieved when 
 it was possible for him to deliver the reply directed 
 to Farmer Shindle in not particularly graceful 
 penmanship ; and Josiah was in a fever of excite- 
 ment until he learned the contents. 
 
The Shindle Farm. 11 
 
 Tom and Bob promised to be at the railroad 
 station on the Jersey-City side of the river, await- 
 ing the arrival of the train which would leave 
 Berry's Corner at eleven o'clock Monday forenoon ; 
 and they assured the farmer and his wife, more 
 forcibly than elegantly, that there was not the 
 slightest danger in allowing Master Shindle to tra- 
 vel alone, because of the watchful care they would 
 have over him at the terminus of the journey. 
 
 Finally the day came, as all days will, whether 
 they be for good or evil, which had been set for 
 Josiah's departure. 
 
 At eight o'clock in the morning he had scrubbed 
 his freckled face twice in such a vigorous manner 
 as threatened to rub off the skin, while his tow- 
 colored hair was Combed into a painful state of 
 exactness. 
 
 Josiah was forced to complete the labor of caring 
 for the herbs, which should have been performed 
 on the Saturday previous ; and after the last bunch 
 had been carried into the attic he was at liberty 
 once more to inspect his baggage with a view of 
 again assuring himself that everything was in its 
 proper place. 
 
12 Josiah in New York. 
 
 "The first thing I do after meeting Tom and 
 Bob will be to sell them woodchuck skins," he 
 said to his mother, as he came from his chamber 
 arrayed in a new suit of clothes, and staggering 
 under the weight of the huge valise. " Towser 
 has bit one pretty bad, an' father says nobody will 
 be crazy enough to buy them ; but Bob told me 
 there were lots of stores in New York where 
 nothin' but fur was kept, an' of course they'll 
 want woodchucks." 
 
 " Don't count too strongly on getting much 
 money from that source, Josiah," his mother 
 said mildly. " You have got three dollars, 
 and that ought to be enough to spend in one 
 week." 
 
 '• So it will if I don't have to pay too big a 
 price for the presents I want to get you an/ 
 father." 
 
 " Don't bother about us, my son, but enjoy your- 
 self, and we will be just as glad to see you empty- 
 handed when Saturday comes, as if you brought 
 half the things in the city. Give me your hand- 
 kerchief so I can tie the money in one corner. 
 Father's going to pay for the railroad-ticket, and 
 
The Shindle Farm. 13 
 
 you won't have any use for it until you get to 
 New York." 
 
 Josiah had no intention of carrying his wealth 
 in the manner proposed, for if Tom and Bob 
 should see it in such a receptacle they would call 
 him "green." 
 
 He had provided himself with the proper outfit 
 at the expense of no small amount of time, and 
 several of his most cherished treasures, by trading 
 with one of the neighbor's boys for an old calf-skin 
 wallet many sizes too large for himself or his 
 money. There were two holes in it ; but by the 
 judicious use of glue and a piece of one of the 
 woodchuck skins, he had repaired the damages 
 until, in his eyes at least, the ancient pocket-book 
 was as good as new. 
 
 There were many pennies in Josiah's hoard ; 
 and after these had been placed in the well-worn 
 calf-skin, and the whole stowed snugly in the 
 inside pocket of his coat, a stranger might have 
 fancied he was slightly deformed ; but this, accord- 
 ing to the young traveler's ideas, was rather a 
 pleasing addition, since, if the true nature of the 
 protuberance was discovered, he would be looked 
 upon as a capitalist. 
 
14 Jonah in New York. 
 
 For at least the tenth time Mrs. Shindle laid 
 down rules governing his conduct during the six 
 days he was to be absent from the farm. 
 
 " Don't run around in the grass and get your 
 feet wet, unless you change your stockings at 
 once ; and be sure to do exactly as Mrs. Bartlett 
 tells you. Don't wade in the brooks; and you 
 must not wear Tom's mother's life out bringing 
 home all sorts of wild animals, as you do here. It 
 is very well to have woodchucks, crows, and foxes 
 in the country ; but in the city, where there is so 
 much less room to move around, it will be terribly 
 unhandy." 
 
 Josiah promised faithfully to heed these injunc- 
 tions ; and after giving his boots one more coating 
 of tallow, locking the unwieldy valise, and draw- 
 ing his coat over the huge pocket-book, he was 
 ready to start for the station. 
 
 As a matter of course, it was necessary to bid 
 adieu to the pet calf, who was so well acquainted 
 with the entire family that he did not hesitate 
 about entering the house whenever the doors were 
 left open ; and, strange as it may seem, the animal 
 exhibited no signs of grief at his master's departure. 
 
The Shindle Farm. 15 
 
 He butted his head against Josiah's stomach, 
 intimating that he was ready for another pail of 
 milk ; but the boy did not think it advisable to 
 run the risk of soiling his clothes ; therefore, kiss- 
 ing the demonstrative calf directly between the 
 eyes, he clambered into the wagon, which was 
 drawn up in front of the kitchen door. 
 
 Then he leaned down from the lofty perch to 
 kiss his mother, as she once more repeated the well- 
 meant advice ; and, by an earnest application of the 
 whip, the fat horses were started down the lane, 
 while Towser ran on ahead, barking and wagging 
 his short tail, ignorant of the fact that his master 
 was about to undertake so long and seemingly 
 dangerous a journey. 
 
 When the farm-house was shut out from view 
 as the wagon turned into the highway, a very 
 large and uncomfortable lump came into Josiah's 
 throat ; and, despite the past three months' antici- 
 pations, he began to feel sorry such a visit had 
 ever been contemplated. 
 
 Of course he wanted to see New York, and meet 
 Tom and Bob, as well as the twins and Jimmy ; 
 but this leaving his mother was by no means pleas- 
 
16 Josiah in New York, 
 
 ant, and it is probable he would have turned back 
 then and there, if he could have done so without 
 absolutely saying he was homesick, even before 
 the farm was lost to view. 
 
 Every yard of distance traversed caused the 
 lump in the traveler's throat to grow larger, and 
 he was forced to shut his teeth tightly to preveif 
 a veritable sob from escaping. 
 
 He realized now more fully than ever before 
 what a good friend a fellow's mother is. 
 
 He was ashamed to let his father know the state 
 of his feelings, and on arriving at the station re- 
 mained suspiciously silent. 
 
 The tears were too near his eyelids to permit of 
 speech without giving them an opportunity to flow, 
 and he paid no attention to his best clothes as he 
 took Towser in his arms and kissed him again and 
 again. 
 
 Every thump of the dog's tail against his side 
 seemed like a reproach because he was willing to 
 go away even for so short a time ; and when, with 
 many a puff and hiss, the steaming engine brought 
 the long train of cars to a standstill, the traveler 
 could not even bid his father adieu. 
 
The SkindU Farm, 17 
 
 44 Be a good boy, Josiah ; don't get into mischief ; 
 and I'll come for you bright and early Saturday." 
 
 Without replying, Josiah went quickly into the 
 cars lest his tears should be seen ; and seating him- 
 self at the window he watched Towser, who ran 
 back and forth on the platform in the greatest 
 anxiety because his young master had disappeared 
 from view. 
 
 This was not calculated to dispel the sorrow in 
 the boy's heart ; and when the train moved away, 
 Towser following to the very borders of the settle- 
 ment, Josiah could control his feelings no longer. 
 
 Leaning his head on the window-frame, he gave 
 full sway to grief ; and when the tears had ceased 
 flowing sufficiently for him to look out once more, 
 there was no familiar object in sight. 
 
 Berry's Corner was far away ; and as he thought 
 of this fact there might have been another shower 
 of tears if the newsboy had not thrown into the 
 seat a package of candy with, perhaps, the well- 
 meant advice : — 
 
 " Better buy that, bub ! Only ten cents, an' a 
 prize in every lot ! It'll kinder keep your mind 
 off the calves you're leavin' behind." 
 
18 Josiah in New York. 
 
 This last remark may have been intended as a 
 joke ; but Josiah's heart was too sore to admit of his 
 taking it as such, and he answered indignantly : — 
 
 " If you ever owned a calf as good as mine, you'd 
 be sorry to leave him." 
 
 " Full-blooded Jersey, I suppose ? Eighty to a 
 hundred quarts of milk when you fill the pail with 
 water ? " the boy said with a chuckle of satisfac- 
 tion, and then added impatiently, " Come, pay me 
 for that candy ! I can't stand here all day ! " 
 
 Josiah was dimly conscious of the fact that he 
 had not agreed to make the purchase ; but the boy's 
 tone was so peremptory that the huge pocket-book 
 was drawn forth with no slight difficulty, much 
 to the amusement of the candy vendor. 
 
 After this financial transaction was completed, 
 and Josiah had opened the package only to find 
 the cheapest of brass pins as a prize, the first attack 
 of homesickness began to pass away. 
 
 He was angry because of having been cheated ; 
 and this fact, together with the panorama which 
 could be seen from the window, so diverted his at- 
 tention that, for the time being, he forgot both the 
 calf and Towser. 
 
The Arrival. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE ARRIVAL. 
 
 A glance at the plethoric pocket-book caused 
 the boy on the train to feel a kindly interest in the 
 traveler from Berry's Corner ; and as a result of 
 this one-sided friendship Josiah, in a comparatively 
 short time, had two more brass pins with their 
 accompaniment of candy, a roll of colored pictures, 
 and three bananas. 
 
 If the distance had been longer, to this collec- 
 tion would have been added the news-agent's 
 broken-bladed knife ; for he had already begun to 
 make overtures toward such a sale when the train 
 rolled into the station, and the journey was at an 
 end. 
 
 " Jersey City ! " the conductor shouted, and the 
 newsboy said imploringly : — 
 
 " Hold on a while. You'll have plenty of time ; 
 
20 Josiah in New York. 
 
 the cars won't be pulled out for twenty minutes 
 yet, and I've got a lot of things to trade." 
 
 Josiah paid no attention to the young man's re- 
 quest. His one desire was to meet Tom and Bob 
 as soon as possible, and there was no question in 
 his mind but that they were at this moment stand- 
 ing on the platform ready to receive him. 
 
 He fancied the general arrangement of the sta- 
 tion would be similar to the one at Berry's Corner, 
 and, therefore, anticipated but little trouble in 
 finding his friends. 
 
 Staggering under the weight of the heavy valise, 
 he hurried to the door, despite the news-agent's 
 attempts to detain him, and, stepping down on the 
 platform, looked about him in bewilderment. 
 
 Crowds of people hurrying to and fro as if their 
 very lives depended upon reaching a certain point 
 at a given time ; trucks of baggage ; odd, crate- 
 like carts with tiny wheels, drawn by well-groomed 
 horses, and the impatient panting of the engines, 
 all served to confuse him greatly and frighten him 
 not a little. 
 
 Had he been sufficiently friendly with the news- 
 boy to have confided in him as to his intended 
 
The Arrival. 21 
 
 course after leaving the cars, he might have been 
 told that Tom and Bob could not get into the 
 train-shed, but would be obliged to wait outside 
 uear the ferry-slip. 
 
 Since he was ignorant regarding the rules gov- 
 erning the waiting friends of passengers, he con- 
 sidered it necessary to remain exactly where he 
 had alighted, arguing with himself that the boys 
 might have been detained at home, and would soon 
 arrive. 
 
 No one paid any attention to him. 
 
 Each person was bent on his or her business or 
 pleasure ; and the boy from the country, with his 
 satchel beside him, stood looking first in one di- 
 rection and then another for those who were to 
 introduce him to city life. 
 
 When the passengers from the incoming train 
 had alighted, many people came from the waiting- 
 rooms to embark in the several cars which had 
 been made ready for departure ; and this change in 
 the living current was to Josiah most perplexing. 
 
 He fancied he was in the station proper, and 
 believed the new-comers had simply chanced to 
 enter from the street in such large groups. 
 
22 Jonah in New York. 
 
 For a time he was interested in the bustle and 
 confusion everywhere around him, and then came 
 the thought that possibly his friends might be on 
 the outside. 
 
 "I reckon that's where they're waitin'; an' I've 
 been standin' here like a bump on a log, showin' 
 folks jest how green I am." 
 
 Although Josiah was not ashamed of living at 
 Berry's Corner, he hoped it might be possible to 
 pass as a city boy, for he had a certain dread of 
 appearing " countrified." 
 
 In order to prevent any possibility of this, 
 he decided not to ask a single question rela- 
 tive to locations; but to follow in the direc- 
 tion taken by his fellow-passengers half an hour 
 previous. 
 
 A sign-board bearing the name " Jersey City " 
 attracted his attention ; and he argued with him- 
 self that since this was the point where he was to 
 meet the boys, he could not go astray by pursuing 
 the path thus marked out. 
 
 The natural result was that he found himself in 
 the street opposite Taylor's Hotel, almost deafened 
 by the clatter of wheels, the cries of street ven- 
 
The Arrival. 28 
 
 dors, and bewildered by the apparently inextrica- 
 ble tangle of vehicles. 
 
 Tom and Bob were nowhere to be seen. 
 
 Standing with his back against an awning-post 
 and his valise at his feet, he spent another long, 
 weary time of waiting ; but all in vain. 
 
 A feeling of utter desolation and homesickness 
 came over him, and he began to question whether 
 his proper course would not be to return to the 
 farm immediately. 
 
 A desire to be free from the bewildering bustle 
 prompted him to do so ; but the wish to see the 
 big city of which he had heard so much, overbal- 
 anced the homesickness. 
 
 Two hours had elapsed since he alighted from 
 the train, and there was no longer any good reason 
 to believe his friends' non-appearance the result of 
 accidental delay. 
 
 They must either have forgotten the time set 
 for his arrival, or made some mistake as to the 
 station at which he would land. 
 
 "I ought to be big enough to find my way 
 around a city, even if I never was in one before,' ' 
 he said to himself. " I reckon 'most anybody can 
 
24 Jonah in New York, 
 
 tell me where Baker's Court is, an' I'll jest give 
 Bob an' Tom a s'prise." 
 
 The longer he revolved the plan in his mind the 
 more feasible did it seem ; and when the hands of 
 the neighboring clock pointed to half-past two, he 
 started valiantly forward toward the entrance 
 of the ferry-slip. 
 
 Greatly to his surprise the ticket-taker called 
 sharply to him at the moment when his valise had 
 become wedged across the narrow passage in such 
 a manner that he was forced to come to a halt, 
 much to the annoyance of a stout lady immedi- 
 ately behind him, who was urged forward by the 
 throng in the rear. 
 
 " Two cents ! " the man cried, tapping impa- 
 tiently on the ledge in front of him, and the stout 
 lady said quite sharply : — 
 
 4k Why don't you have your money ready before 
 coming inside, boy, and not delay people in this 
 manner?" 
 
 " I didn't know I had to pay anything ; father 
 bought me a ticket from Berry's Corner to New 
 York," and Josiah allowed his valise to drop dan- 
 gerously near the stout lady's feet, as he began to 
 
The Arrival. 25 
 
 explain more fully why he was impeding travel in 
 such a manner. 
 
 "Never mind all that," she said irritably. " Pay 
 the money, and let me get past ! " 
 
 Josiah tried to obey both these commands at the 
 same moment. 
 
 With one hand he seized the valise, while with 
 the other he attempted to extricate the huge 
 pocket-book from its resting place, succeeding only 
 in causing the anger of the lady to increase. 
 
 In the meantime other persons were arriving, 
 and, much against their will, were obliged to see 
 the boat on which they had intended to take pas- 
 sage depart, while they were yet outside the gate. 
 
 The many commands for Josiah to "move on,*' 
 ,k get out," and "don't stay there all day," so be- 
 wildered the boy that he remained silent and 
 motionless as if unable to decide whether he should 
 give his attention first to the valise or the pocket- 
 book. 
 
 The ticket agent came to his relief by saying : — 
 
 " Step inside until you can find your money, 
 and let the other passengers through." 
 
 Josiah understood this command, and obeyed 
 
26 Josiah in New York. 
 
 instantly, heeding not the angry glances which 
 were bestowed upon him as the long-delayed 
 throng succeeded in reaching the slip. 
 
 Then, working more leisurely, after considerable 
 difficulty he succeeded in extricating his money 
 from the depth of pocket and pocket-book, and 
 paid the amount demanded. 
 
 This done, he marched on board the first boat 
 which appeared ready to leave. 
 
 Again did the fates decide against Josiah's meet- 
 ing his friends. 
 
 The boat on which he took passage was the one 
 bound for Desbrosses Street, while Tom and Bob, 
 if they had concluded to wait any longer on the 
 chance of his coming, would be devoting their at- 
 tention to the Courtland Street ferry. 
 
 Josiah had never been on a steamboat before ; 
 and he found very much to occupy his attention, 
 not only on board, but in the scene upon the river. 
 
 The largest stream he had ever seen was 
 the trout brook at Berry's Corner, and this broad 
 expanse of water astonished him. 
 
 It was several moments before he could convince 
 himself that he was not upon the Atlantic Ocean. 
 
The Arrival, 27 
 
 The many craft of every description darting here 
 and there, filled him with wonder and amazement ; 
 and so interested was he in all around, that when 
 the boat was made fast at the ferry slip on the New 
 York side, he paid no attention to the fact of its 
 being necessary to go ashore. 
 
 Standing at the after end of the steamer, he re- 
 mained looking out over the river until one of the 
 deck-hands asked : — 
 
 " Did you just come aboard, sonny ? " intending, 
 of course, to inquire if he was a passenger from 
 that side of the river. 
 
 " Yes," Josiah replied, unconscious of the 
 flight of time. " Say, is this the harbor or the 
 
 " It's the North River, sonny. Where are you 
 bound for ? " 
 
 " Well, you see, I jest come from Berry's Corner, 
 an am goin' to Baker's Court to visit Bob an' 
 Tom." 
 
 The man was called away at this moment by the 
 arrival of several heavy teams ; and Josiah was so 
 deeply occupied with the strange sights that the 
 boat had started, and was nearly across once more 
 
28 Josiah in New York, 
 
 before he became aware that there had been any 
 stop made. 
 
 Then he asked one of the passengers standing 
 near by, how long it would be before they arrived 
 at New York. 
 
 " We are leaving that side now. Are you going 
 to Jersey City ? " 
 
 " Why, I've jest come from there ! " 
 
 " Didn't get off, eh ? So you are trying to cheat 
 the ferry company out of two cents ? " 
 
 u No, I ain't either. I paid the money before 
 comin' aboard." 
 
 kk Then you should have landed when the boat 
 stopped." 
 
 " But what shall I do now ? I want to go to 
 New York." 
 
 " Stay here till the boat starts again, and then 
 keep your wits about you, if you can, long enough 
 to understand when she stops." 
 
 Josiah was beginning to realize he had made a 
 mistake, and, in order to be certain of the proper 
 direction, looked around for the station when the 
 boat entered the slip. 
 
 As a matter of course, he failed to see any such 
 
The Arrival 29 
 
 building, and in a troubled frame of mind re- 
 mained leaning against the rail with his precious 
 valise between his feet until the deck-hand ap- 
 proached once more. 
 
 "Say, why don't you get off?" the man de- 
 manded. 
 
 " 'Cause I want to go to Baker's Court.'* 
 
 " Well, what's to hinder you? " 
 
 " Has the boat got there ? " 
 
 " Got where ? " 
 
 " Why, to Baker's Court." 
 
 " Look here, young feller, what are you givin' 
 me? Where is Baker's Court, anyhow? " 
 
 "It's where Tom an' Bob live in New York, of 
 course." 
 
 u We've just come from there. Now, when the 
 boat stops again take a sneak, do you hear? 
 Go over to the forward end where you can see 
 when she is in the dock, if you're so dumb you 
 can't tell whether she's movin' or not." 
 
 Josiah obeyed meekly, and when the steamer 
 entered the slip on the opposite side of the river he 
 took very good care to follow the passengers ; but, 
 a short time later, deeply regretted having done 
 
 80. 
 
30 Jositk in New York. 
 
 The streets were thronged with vehicles to a 
 greater extent than he had ever seen the streets at 
 home, even when a circus was in town ; and no one 
 appeared to have a care whether he was crushed 
 beneath the feet of the horses, or forced to remain 
 on the sidewalk. 
 
 It was this apparent selfishness which struck 
 the boy from the country more forcibly than any- 
 thing he had experienced since his departure from 
 home. 
 
 Even the ladies jostled him as he lingered on the 
 crossings to ascertain whether the teams on the right 
 or the left were the most likely to run him down ; 
 and the gentlemen had no hesitation in pushing 
 him to this side or that, as best suited their con- 
 venience. 
 
 M Seems to me folks are in an awful hurry here. 
 It must be there's somethin' goin' on. I've come to 
 town to see all there is, an' reckon I'll foller the 
 crowd for a while. There'll be plenty of time to 
 find Baker's Court after I've had a look at the 
 show." 
 
 Josiah followed the pedestrians with no slight 
 difficulty, owing to the weight of his valise. 
 
The Arrival. 81 
 
 He failed to see any evidence of a u show," other 
 than such as was obtainable from the shop 
 windows. 
 
 Changing his valise from one hand to the other 
 at short intervals, he continued on until it seemed 
 as if several miles had been traversed, when he 
 stopped in dismay. 
 
 " This won't do ! I'll get lost the first I know, an 
 then there will be a muss ! I reckon I would have 
 to spend as much as twenty-five cents if I wanted 
 to stay all night in a hotel." 
 
 It was time he made some inquiries as to the loca- 
 tion of Baker's Court, and he began by attempting 
 to stop the next gentleman who passed. 
 
 " Get out of the way ! I have nothing for you." 
 
 " But I want " — 
 
 The gentleman had hurried on without waiting 
 to hear the explanation, and Josiah eagerly turned 
 to another. 
 
 In this second case he met with the same rebuff ; 
 and after attempting four times to make the neces- 
 sary inquiries, it dawned upon him that he was 
 mistaken for a beggar. 
 
 a The people here must be fools if they can't 
 
32 Jonah in New York, 
 
 answer a civil question," he said to himself. " I'm 
 sure there ain't anybody up our way who wouldn't 
 tell a feller where he oughter go." 
 
 " What's the matter, bub? " and a big, blue-coated 
 policeman halted directly in front of Josiah. 
 
 " I wanter find Baker's Court, an' nobody'll tell 
 me the way. They act as if I was begginV 
 
 " Baker's Court, eh ? I wonder where that is ? " 
 the officer muttered half to himself. 
 
 " That's what I wonder, too. You see, Tom an' 
 Bob 'greed to meet me at the station, but didn't 
 come, an' I thought it wouldn't be much trouble to 
 find their house." 
 
 " Where do you live ? " 
 
 M At Berry's Corner, an' I'm here to stay a whole 
 week. You see, the Bartlett twins, an' Tom an 1 
 Bob, an' Bob's brother Jimmy, was out to the farm 
 this summer, an' said when they left if I'd come 
 here they'd give me an awful good time, so " — 
 
 The policeman, instead of listening, was refer- 
 ring to a book which he had taken from his pocket ; 
 and, finding that no attention was paid to his story, 
 Josiah ceased speaking. 
 
 u Baker's Court runs off West Broadway, and 
 
The Arrival. 33 
 
 xhat is a long distance from here. I reckon you'll 
 nave hard work to find it ; but after you've walked 
 half an hour or so, ask some policeman, and he'll 
 tell you." 
 
 44 Half an hour or so ! " Josiah repeated in dis- 
 may. 
 
 44 Yes, I allow it will take that long, and if you 
 don't stir yourself right lively you won't get there 
 before dark." 
 
 Once more Josiah lifted the huge valise, and, 
 following the direction pointed out by the officer, 
 pursued his weary way with a heart quite as heavy 
 as the burden in his hand, because of the possibility 
 of being lost in the crowded streets, where, as he 
 believed, so many terrible deeds of violence were 
 perpetrated upon unsuspecting travelers. 
 
S4 Jonah in New York. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A FRIEND IN NEED. 
 
 "I OUGHTER gone home,'' Josiah said to him- 
 self as he trudged slowly along, his burden grow- 
 ing heavier each moment. "Now it begins to 
 look as if I stood a good chance of being lost, and 
 what'll become of me if I don't find Tom and Bob 
 before dark?" 
 
 He made no attempt to answer his own question, 
 but resolved to follow implicitly the directions given 
 by the policeman, taking advantage of every op- 
 portunity to note the time, in order that he might 
 not walk a single minute less than the full num- 
 ber set by the officer. 
 
 The half-hour came to an end, however, and 
 the dark shadows of evening were beginning to 
 lengthen, much to the young traveler's uneasi- 
 ness, when he arrived at an open square, at one 
 
A Friend in Need. 35 
 
 end of which could be seen a number of cabs, and 
 on either side horse-car after horse-car until Josiah 
 fancied all of these vehicles ever made had been 
 brought here for inspection. 
 
 He halted. 
 
 It was easier to wait for a policeman than to 
 search for one ; and he remained at what he after- 
 ward learned was the junction of the Bowery and 
 Chatham Square, a long while without seeing any 
 guardians of the peace. 
 
 A short distance below his halting-place, gaudy 
 transparencies already lighted up the dime muse- 
 ums, and along the edge of the sidewalk was a 
 row of street vendors, who were crying their wares 
 in such a variety of tones as to make a most dis- 
 cordant noise. 
 
 The night was fast approaching. 
 
 It was necessary Josiah should ask some one to 
 direct him to his friend's home. 
 
 He was on the point of speaking with an Italian 
 chestnut vendor, when a tiny girl, hardly more 
 than ten years of age, clad in a ragged dress which 
 had originally been brown, with the remains of a 
 faded shawl over her shoulders, and the veriest 
 
36 Josiah in New York. 
 
 apology of a straw hat on her head, stepped in 
 front of him as she asked : — 
 
 " Don't you want to buy some matches ? " 
 
 Josiah dropped his valise and looked at her in 
 astonishment. That a child so small should be 
 out on the street at such an hour, was quite as 
 surprising to him as that she should be insuffi- 
 ciently clad on a night when thick clothing seemed 
 an absolute necessity. 
 
 He stood gazing at her as if she was some curi- 
 osity which had escaped from the museum below, 
 until she repeated the question, and then he re- 
 plied gravely : — 
 
 "I don't believe so; you see, I haven't learned to 
 smoke, an' what would I do with 'em ? " 
 
 The girl continued her search for customers, 
 Josiah watching her intently, forgetting for the 
 time being his own forlorn condition as he noted 
 the many efforts and equally as many failures to 
 dispose of her wares. 
 
 Ten minutes passed, and she had not sold a sin- 
 gle box. 
 
 Just for an instant there was a lull in the liv- 
 ing tide, and the child had again approached 
 
A Frund in Need. 37 
 
 Josiah, but without paying any attention to 
 him. 
 
 "Do you sell matches all the time ? " he asked. 
 
 " That's what I have to do now. I tried to get 
 into the newspaper business, but didn't dare to 
 jump on an' off the cars same as the boys do, so 
 couldn't make very much at it." 
 
 " It don't strike me you're earnin' a great sight 
 of money at what you're doin' now. Haven't sold 
 a thing since I've been standin' here." 
 
 u No," she said with a half-suppressed sigh, 
 "somehow people don't seem to want to buy 
 matches on the street. I got rid of ten cents' 
 worth to one man, though, this afternoon." 
 
 " How much profit was there in the trade ? " 
 
 The girl looked up at Josiah inquiringly. 
 
 The boy repeated his question in another form. 
 
 "How much money did you make when you 
 sold that lot?" 
 
 " Oh ! I get a couple of boxes for one cent an* 
 sell 'em for two, so half I take in is mine." 
 
 " Do your folks live 'round here ? " 
 
 44 1 haven't got any. If I had I don't reckon I'd 
 be sellin' matches." 
 
38 Jonah in New York. 
 
 " I s'pose you live somewhere, though ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, old Mother Hunter lets me stay to her 
 house for fifty cents a week." 
 
 "S'pose you don't have money enough to pay 
 her?" 
 
 " Then I guess she'd make me leave, same as 
 Miss Spear did." 
 
 "Who's Miss Spear?" 
 
 " She's the woman I went to live with when 
 mother died, and 'twas an awful place. She used 
 to drink terrible, an' two or three times gave me a 
 downright good whippin' 'cause I didn't bring 
 home as much money as she thought I oughter 
 make." 
 
 " What right did she have to whip you ? She 
 ain't any relation, is she? " 
 
 "Of course not ; but you see I was livin' with 
 her, an' had to pay what I promised, though when 
 trade was good she used to want more. So I got 
 a chance to go with Mother Hunter." 
 
 " Do you like this sort of business ? " 
 
 " Indeed I don't." 
 
 " Why not try something else ? " 
 
 " I wish I could. I thought I'd like to get a 
 
A Friend in Need, 39 
 
 place in a store as cash girl, but I was so small no- 
 body wanted me, an' besides, I didn't have any 
 decent clothes. You see, if a girl like me gets that 
 kind of a job, she's got to dress up mighty fine." 
 
 " Well," Josiah said as he stepped back a few 
 paces and surveyed her critically, " there's one 
 thing certain, you ain't dressed very fine now." 
 
 " I know it," the girl said half apologetically, as 
 she looked down at her faded gown ; " but when a 
 feller's got on the best she owns, what you goin' 
 to do 'bout it? " 
 
 Josiah was unable to answer this question. He 
 had never seen any one who looked so thoroughly 
 wretched, as far as outside appearance was con- 
 cerned, not even the tramps who occasionally 
 stopped at the farm-house for food, and instinc- 
 tively his hand went to that portion of his vest 
 underneath which rested the huge pocket-book. 
 
 " I haven't got much money," he said slowly, as 
 if weighing some important question in his mind ; 
 " but I'll tell you what it is, little girl ; I'm willin' 
 to give you some of it to help along, 'cause it don't 
 seem to me as if you was goin' to earn much of 
 anything to-night." 
 
40 Josiah in New York. 
 
 The match-girl looked at him a moment, as if de- 
 termining whether he was serious in making this 
 generous offer, and then said with what might have 
 been a laugh : — 
 
 u If you're goin' to stay in New York very long 
 I guess you'll need all the money you've brought, 
 an* I must take care of myself same's I've been 
 doin\ Say, where do you live ? " 
 
 " At Berry's Corner." 
 
 "Where's that?" 
 
 " Oh, it's a good ways from here. I come in on 
 the cars to visit Tom an' Bob. They wasn't at the 
 station, an' I've been huntin' ever since for 'em. 
 Looks like I was goin' to have a pretty hard job. 
 A policeman told me to keep right on walkin' 
 half an hour, an' then ask the way, so I reckon it 
 wouldn't do any harm to find out if you know 
 where Baker's Court is ? " 
 
 The girl stood for an instant as if in deepest 
 thought, and then replied slowly : — 
 
 " No, I'm sure I don't know anything about it. 
 What street is it near? " 
 
 " The policeman said it led out of West Broad 
 
A Friend in Med. 41 
 
 " Oh, I know where that is. It may be quite a 
 ways though, an' I wouldn't like to leave here till 
 business was over." 
 
 "Will you go then?" 
 
 " Of course ; there's nothin' else to do but to 
 hang 'round Mother Hunter's, an' that ain't very 
 pleasant." 
 
 " What's your name ? " 
 
 " Sadie Mitchell." 
 
 Just at that moment conversation was interrupted 
 by the tide of travel, which had set in once more 
 past that particular spot ; and Sadie bent all her 
 energies to the disposal of her wares, while Josiah 
 looked around for a convenient place in which to 
 remain with his satchel until the business for the 
 day could be brought to a close. 
 
 Now that he had the promise of a guide, and 
 one in whom he felt every confidence, he no longer 
 had any anxiety regarding his ability to find the 
 friends whom he proposed to visit. 
 
 Not until night had come was the girl willing to 
 abandon her efforts toward procuring the amount of 
 money which Mother Hunter might demand; and, 
 despite his occupation of watching the ever chan- 
 ging sea of faces before him, Josiah grew impatient. 
 
42 Josiah in New York. 
 
 "If we don't start pretty soon I'm 'fraid we 
 won't get there before mornin', " he said, with just 
 a shade of petulance in his tones. " Is it veiy 
 much of a walk from here ? " 
 
 " It might be, an' then again it mightn't. You 
 see, I don't know how far out West Broadway it 
 is. I'd have started sooner ; but it's been dreadful 
 hard sellin' matches to-night, an' I expect there'll 
 be an awful row when I get home." 
 
 " When are you goin' ? " 
 
 " Now ; but I must stop into the house just a 
 minute before we try to find Baker's Court." 
 
 " When will you get supper? " 
 
 44 Oh I'll run across somethhV by an' by. I 
 don't s'pose Mother Hunter's got much of any- 
 thing, so it won't take me long to do my eatin'." 
 
 Josiah, who had been accustomed to having his 
 meals regularly, was astonished at the indifference 
 displayed by his new acquaintance regarding this 
 matter ; and as he looked at her critically while 
 trying to learn whether she was attempting to 
 make sport of him, the fact that he was decidedly 
 hungry presented itself. 
 
 Owing to the excitment of the morning his break- 
 
A Friend in Need. 48 
 
 fast had been a light one, and since then he had 
 had nothing but candy with which to satisfy the 
 cravings of his stomach. 
 
 What seemed like a very happy thought oc- 
 curred to him. 
 
 " Is there any place 'round here where we could 
 get some thin' to eat? " he asked abruptly. 
 
 " Of course. You can go to the Jim Fisk res- 
 taurant an' fill yourself up for fifteen cents ; but 
 that's a good deal of money to give for one supper. 
 When trade's been good I sometimes pay a dime 
 down to Mose Pearson's for a great big bowl of 
 soup, an' as much bread an' butter as I want." 
 
 Josiah was silent a moment, and then said with 
 the air of one who has fully decided an important 
 matter: — 
 
 " Look here, Sadie, if you an' I can get a big 
 supper for fifteen cents, we're goin' to have it, 
 though it will make me kinder short on the presents 
 [ was thinkin' of buyin' for father an' mother ; but 
 they won't care when I tell 'em how I spent it." 
 
 The match-girl's eyes opened wide with aston- 
 ishment and delight. 
 
 w Do you really mean that ? " she asked, evidently 
 
44 Jonah in New York. 
 
 fancying he was making sport of her, and then 
 added almost in the same breath, " I don't think 
 you'd better do anything of the kind. It's too 
 much to put out jest for the sake of swellin'." 
 
 " I guess I can stand it," Josiah said loftily. " I 
 never was to the city before, an' it ain't likely's 
 I shall get here again very soon, so we'll make the 
 most of it while I'm on a good time. Besides, I 
 must have somethin' to eat, an' I want you to stay 
 with me so's to show me where Tom an' Bob live." 
 
 Sadie made no further objection, for to have 
 spread before her a fifteen-cent meal at the Jim 
 Fisk restaurant seemed the acme of happiness. 
 
 " What will I do with my matches ? " she asked. 
 
 " You haven't got so many but I can put 'em in 
 my pocket." 
 
 " An' I '11 carry the tray in my hand. You see, 
 if I'm goin' there with you I wouldn't like folks 
 to think I'd been standin' out here since mornin' 
 sellin' matches, an' was bio win' in all I'd made." 
 
 " There's no danger of that ; they '11 believe we 
 just come from the country, an' have got more 
 money than we know what to do with," Josiah 
 said with a consequential air as he lifted the heavy 
 
A Friend in Need. 45 
 
 valise, and stood waiting for Sadie to lead the 
 way. 
 
 With the prospect of such a meal before her the 
 match-girl did not delay ; and as soon as Josiah 
 signified that he was ready, she started toward 
 Chatham Street at a pace which caused the boy, 
 burdened as he was, no slight difficulty to 
 equal. 
 
 Both the young people were a little timid at 
 entering such a magnificent establishment as this 
 restaurant appeared to be ; but, aided by one of the 
 waiters, for business was not very brisk just at this 
 time, they were soon seated at a table which might 
 have looked more inviting had it been less con- 
 spicuous for coffee stains on the cloth. 
 
 " What do you want ? ' ' the waiter asked, with 
 the air of one who is not disposed to spend too 
 much time upon his customers. 
 
 " Bring us all you 've got for fifteen cents 
 apiece," Josiah replied ; and the man repeated the 
 order in what seemed to the boy from the country 
 like a foreign tongue. 
 
 " Ain't this just gorgeous ? " Sadie whispered 
 when they were comparatively alone. "I never 
 
46 Jonah in New York. 
 
 was in here but twice before, an' I'd be perfectly 
 happy if I could always eat in such a fine place." 
 
 " You ought to come out to the farm an' see how 
 mother gets supper," Josiah said proudly. " We 
 always have clean table-cloths, an' the dishes ain't 
 so heavy's these; though I don't know but the 
 more they weigh the more they cost," he added 
 reflectively. 
 
 Then he described to her his home at Berry's 
 Corner ; told her of Towser and the pet calf, until 
 once more the sickness for home assailed him. 
 
 The sight of the food, however, had a beneficial 
 effect upon his mind ; and in a very short time the 
 vision of the Shindle Farm had faded away in the 
 distance, leaving before him the pleasing knowl- 
 edge that he was hungry, and had plenty with 
 which to satisfy that desire. 
 
 To Sadie the half-hour spent in the restaurant 
 was one of unalloyed pleasure. She thought 
 everything around her was magnificent, and fancied 
 that in no other place could food be prepared in 
 such an inviting and appetizing manner. 
 
 " There ! " she said as she ate the last kernel of 
 rice which had helped to make up the pudding, 
 
A Friend in Need. 47 
 
 and the meal was at an end, u Now I don't care 
 what Mother Hunter says. I ain't hungry any 
 more, an' it don't seem as if I ever will be agin. 
 What a lucky thing for me you happened to come 
 along, an' wanted to find your chums. I expect 
 I'll be waitin' 'round here every night hopin' to 
 see somebody from Berry's Corner, so's to have 
 such an awful good time as we've had." 
 
 To Josiah the supper had not been particularly 
 appetizing, owing to the fact that he was contrast- 
 ing the food with that prepared by his mother, and 
 the result was decidedly in favor of the meals at 
 the Shindle Farm. 
 
 It made him very comfortable in mind that he 
 had been able to give the little match-girl so much 
 pleasure, however ; and, after emerging from the 
 restaurant to where the gaudy lights of the dime 
 museum could be seen, another brilliant scheme 
 entered his mind. 
 
 " Say, how much do they charge to go in there ? * 
 he asked. 
 
 " Ten cents." 
 
 " Then we'll go." 
 
 44 That will make half a dollar you've spent since 
 
48 Joxiah in New York. 
 
 you saw me, an' it's too much for one day," Sadie 
 said in a whisper, as if the enormous amount terri- 
 fied her. 
 
 44 1 don't care if it's a dollar, we're goin' into that 
 circus," Josiah said resolutely, as he changed his 
 valise from one hand to the other in order to rest 
 his arm, and walked rapidly toward what was an- 
 nounced by the posters to be the " Oriental Palace 
 of Wonders." 
 
A Systematic Search. 49 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH. 
 
 Josiah did not regret his reckless extravagance 
 in spending twenty cents for admission to the 
 " circus." 
 
 Without seeing the collection of alleged wonders 
 he never could have believed so many strange and 
 odd things ever had an existence, and not until 
 fully two hours had elapsed was he willing to listen 
 to Sadie's oft-repeated assertion that it " was time 
 to go home.' 
 
 Very reluctantly he allowed himself to be led 
 out of the building, and once on the sidewalk 
 again found it necessary to place the valise on the 
 curb in order that he might the better free his 
 mind. 
 
 " Well, I declare ! It beats anything I ever saw 
 or heard tell of ! Do you s'pose that fat woman 
 
50 Josiah in New York, 
 
 could be all alive, or was she blowed up the way 
 we do toads out our way ? " 
 
 "She was a truly woman/' Sadie replied. "1 
 used to know where one of them kind of people 
 lived, an' she was so big she couldn't hardly get 
 into a hoss car. If you want to see a dime show 
 that's better'n this one, you oughter go up on the 
 Bowery. All the boys say it's just gorgeous." 
 
 " When I sell my woodchuck skins I'll go, an' 
 you shall come along too. We'll stay all the after- 
 noon, 'cause Bob an' Tom'll be with us, an* I 
 reckon they'll want to see it as much as I do." 
 
 Sadie made no reply to this generous proposition, 
 possibly because she did not believe it would ever 
 be carried into effect; and Josiah, taking up his 
 valise once more, followed as she led him toward 
 Mother Hunter's. 
 
 Now that the glamour of the "circus" was 
 partially dispelled by the more prosaic appearance 
 of surrounding objects, the boy from Berry's Corner 
 began to question himself as to whether he had 
 not, as his companion suggested, spent too much 
 money. 
 
 "I s'pose mother would think I was gettin' reck- 
 
A SytUmatic Search, 51 
 
 less," he said to himself, " an' I reckon it comes 
 pretty nigh bein' true ; but p'rhaps the woodchuck 
 skins will bring a good price, so it won't make very- 
 much difference after all. I guess I'd better sell 
 '•em before I go to that other show." 
 
 Having thus quieted his conscience, Josiah was 
 enabled to take more heed of his own movements, 
 and asked his companion : — 
 
 " How far do you live from here?" 
 
 44 It's quite a walk ; but you see I want to go 
 there before we begin to find Baker's Court, 'cause 
 I don't know where the place is, an' it may take 
 us a good while. Mother Hunter will be jest ravin' 
 if I ain't back to give her some money pretty 
 soon." 
 
 " How much have you got for her ? " 
 
 44 Eight cents." 
 
 44 That won't buy a great deal." 
 
 44 It'll be better'n nothin', an' kinder keep her 
 quiet. If she knows I ain't got any more she can't 
 say very much, though she does raise awful rows 
 when I don't bring home enough to pay for fillin' 
 her bottle." 
 
 "What bottle?" 
 
52 Josiah in New York. 
 
 " The one she drinks from, of course. She gets 
 terrible drunk sometimes, an' lays right down on 
 the floor." 
 
 " An' do you stay in the house then ? " Josiah 
 asked. 
 
 " Of course. Where else could I go ? You see, 
 that is my home so long as I pay what she asks, 
 an' it's got to be there or on the street, though I 
 did walk 'round one night when she was on a 
 tantrum." 
 
 Josiah was shocked. He knew that at Berry's 
 Corner on certain occasions, Daniel Downs was 
 known to be intoxicated, and it always caused a 
 great deal of excitement in the little settlement : 
 but that women could so far demean themselves 
 had never entered his mind, and more than once 
 he decided Sadie must be mistaken. 
 
 It was destined he should have positive proof of 
 the truth of the statement ; for when they arrived 
 at the building, and after he had followed her 
 through an unlighted hall to as wretched a room 
 as he had ever seen, the girl stood pointing to 
 what at first looked like a bundle of rags on the 
 floor. 
 
A Systematic Search* 58 
 
 44 There she is ! She must have been out beggin', 
 cause I know there wasn't any money in the house 
 when I left." 
 
 One hasty glance at the unconscious woman was 
 sufficient for the boy from the country, and, turn- 
 ing away to avoid looking at her, he asked Sadie : — 
 
 " Now what are you goin' to do ? " 
 
 M Try to find your chums, of course." 
 
 "I mean after that?" 
 
 "Why, I'm comin' back here." 
 
 " An' stay all night in the same room with her? " 
 
 k * Cert ; what else could I do ? " 
 
 M Well, I'm sure I can't tell," Josiah replied 
 as he rubbed his chin reflectively ; " but it don't 
 seem safe." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Nobody knows what she might do to you." 
 
 "She couldn't any more'n thump me, an' I've 
 got used to that since I've been livin' here." 
 
 " Do you mean to say she really whips you ? " 
 
 " Well, I guess you'd think so if you should see 
 her. She throws things, an' knocks 'round terribly 
 when she's gettin' over a spree ; but say, it must be 
 growin' late, an' if we don't hurry them fellers 
 won't be awake." 
 
54 Josiah in New York, 
 
 M I wonder what time it is ? " 
 
 " 'Bout ten o'clock." 
 
 " Ten o'clock ! " Josiah exclaimed. "Why, I never 
 was up so late as this except once, when the sewin' 
 circle was at our house, an' Deacon Jones an' 
 father was talkin' so long that the deacon forgot to 
 go home. You see, mother didn't want to send me 
 to bed 'cause he'd think it was a hint to him. I 
 can't go up there at this time of night." 
 
 " Then you can stay here ; there's plenty of floor," 
 Sadie replied in a matter-of-fact tone. 
 
 " Do you lay down there when you go to bed ? " 
 
 "I can have my choice of doin' that or standin' 
 up, so I stretch right out, an' am mighty glad of 
 the chance most of the time." 
 
 Josiah looked around the wretched apartment, 
 then out of the window, and back at the girl for 
 whom he was beginning to entertain a very friendly 
 feeling. 
 
 " I'll stay here too," he said decidedly. " I don't 
 reckon there'll be much chance to sleep ; but that 
 old wretch sha'n't pound you to-morrow, unless she 
 waits till I've gone out," and Josiah laid his satchel 
 in one corner of the room, that it might serve him 
 as a pillow. 
 
A Systematic Search. 55 
 
 Sadie was perfectly willing to defer the search 
 for Tom and Bob until morning. 
 
 This fellow from the country had treated her 
 more kindly than the majority of her boy acquaint- 
 ances ; and she was well content to have him act 
 as her guardian when the old woman, half crazed 
 with the desire for more liquor, should begin her 
 usual tirade. 
 
 If the worthy Mother Hunter ever owned house- 
 hold goods, they had all found their way to the 
 second-hand stores or the pawnbroker's shop before 
 this ; for now one table, very shaky as to legs and 
 with a portion of the top missing, and two dilapi- 
 dated chairs, comprised the entire list of furniture. 
 
 Sadie's preparations for the night were very 
 simple. 
 
 She curled herself in the corner opposite Josiah, 
 pulled her hat yet farther down on her head to 
 serve as a screen against the wind which came in 
 through the many crevices, and said " good-night." 
 
 " Good-night," Josiah replied absently, wonder- 
 ing how it was that a frail girl like his new acquaint- 
 ance could accustom herself to such hardships; 
 and then, thinking more earnestly than ever before 
 
56 Jonah in New York, 
 
 of his own rest-inviting bed with its lavender 
 scented sheets at home, he followed her example. 
 
 It was the first time in his life he had ever at- 
 tempted to pass a night on the floor ; and, despite 
 the hardness of the boards, he slept soundly until 
 awakened by a shrill voice raised high in threat- 
 ening tones. 
 
 Springing to his feet, it was several seconds 
 before he fully realized where he was; and then 
 the rays of the rising sun falling directly 
 athwart the sleeping girl, served to clear from 
 his mind the bewilderment caused by the sudden 
 outburst. 
 
 Mother Hunter was awake, and, if such a thing 
 could be possible, looked even more hideous than 
 when asleep. 
 
 She was moving excitedly about the room, call- 
 ing upon Sadie in no gentle tones, and evidently 
 searching for something which could not be found. 
 
 " Who are you ? " she asked, seeing Josiah for 
 the first time. 
 
 " I'm a feller from Berry's Corner. I met Sadie 
 last night, an' came back here with her 'cause it 
 was too late to find Tom an' Bob." 
 
A Systematic Search. 57 
 
 By this time the girl had awakened, and she 
 said quickly : — 
 
 11 It don't make any difference to you who he is. 
 He gave me a supper, an' that's more'n I'd had if 
 I'd come here." 
 
 " So he's got money to spend on sich as you, 
 has he ? An' I'm starvin' to death for a drop of 
 somethin' to warm my stomach ! " the old woman 
 snarled. 
 
 44 Well, starve then ; he won't give you anything 
 to buy whiskey with." 
 
 "Pay what you owe me, an' that before you 
 leave this house ! " 
 
 Sadie took the eight cents from her pocket, 
 knowing what a refusal might cost, and gave them 
 to the besotted wretch. 
 
 "Is that all you've got?" the old woman cried 
 in a rage. " Give me the whole of it, you little 
 huzzey ! " 
 
 " That's what she made yesterday," Josiah said 
 firmly, thinking it time he came to the rescue, " an' 
 now she's goin' out with me." 
 
 The woman looked at him as if in surprise that 
 he should dare speak in such a tone to her, and 
 
58 Josiah in New York, 
 
 while she was apparently lost in amazement Josiah 
 took advantage of the opportunity to lead Sadie 
 from the room. 
 
 "There's no use foolin' with such a thing as 
 that," he said, as they went through the long hall- 
 way into the street. " The best way is to skin 
 right out an' leave 'em alone. I reckon she'll get 
 enough to drink with that eight cents to keep her 
 quiet for a while, won't she ? " 
 
 " It don't make any difference to me what she 
 does, 'cause I sha'n't have to go back agin 'till 
 night. Now we'll try to find your chums, an' 
 then I'll go to work." 
 
 " But you haven't had breakfast yet." 
 
 " That don't make any difference ; I've been 
 without so often I've kinder got used to it." 
 
 u Well, you'll have one this mornin' ; but I don't 
 b'lieve I can afford to spend thirty cents more. 
 S'posin' we try to find somethin' cheaper? " 
 
 " We can go 'round the corner an' get two rolls 
 an' two sausages for five cents, if Tony has come." 
 
 "Who's Tony?" 
 
 u He's a Italian. There he is now ! " 
 
 Looking in the direction indicated by Sadie, 
 
A Systematic Search. 59 
 
 Josiah saw a dark-skinned little man standing in 
 front of a huge tin boiler, on the cover of which 
 was displayed, in what was intended to be a tempt- 
 ing array, a collection of rolls and sausages. 
 
 In order that they might have an ample supply, 
 the boy from the country invested ten cents, and, 
 eating as they walked, the two turned their atten- 
 tion to finding Tom and Bob. 
 
 44 1 don't reckon they'd be at home, if they sell 
 newspapers for a livin', 'cause it's time for the 
 early editions already. S'pose we go down by the 
 City Hall, an' we'll be sure to find somebody what 
 knows 'em." 
 
 Josiah was ready to act upon any suggestion she 
 might make, and followed her unquestioningly, 
 after asking whether or no she was neglecting 
 her own business by devoting so much time to 
 him. 
 
 44 Oh, no, folks don't buy matches so early in the 
 mornin'. Plenty of time for me at ten o'clock," 
 Sadie replied ; and then, seeing a small boy on the 
 opposite side of the street, she called loudly, 44 Hi ! 
 you Sim ! Sim ! " 
 
 The boy turned in answer to her summons. 
 
60 Jonah in New York. 
 
 44 Say, do you know the newsboys this feller e 
 huntin' for?" 
 
 " What's their names ? " 
 
 " Tom Bartlett an' Bob Green," Josiah replied. 
 
 " Know 'em ? Course I do. Why, they went 
 down town not more'n half an hour ago, an' I 
 reckon you'll find 'em 'round the Astor House. 
 Who is that feller, anyhow?" he added, pointing 
 to Josiah. 
 
 " He's a boy from the country, an' is goin' to 
 stay at Baker's Court, so we wanter find Tom an' 
 Bob as soon as we can ; " and Sadie hurried away 
 as if time was too precious to admit of her spend- 
 ing many moments in conversation, while Sim 
 muttered as he was left alone on the sidewalk : — 
 
 14 Well, it kinder strikes me Sadie Mitchell's put- 
 tin' on a good many airs this mornin,' jest ' cause 
 she's got that country Jake in tow, "and the young 
 gentleman appeared aggrieved that more informa- 
 tion had not been given him. 
 
 " I didn't want to stop an' have a long talk," 
 Sadie said in a low tone, when they were a short 
 distance from Sim. u He's terrible rough. Seemi 
 as if he didn't want to do anything but jest fight 
 
A Systematic Search. 61 
 
 First time he sees another feller he always puts 
 up his ' props' as he calls it, an' I was 'fraid he 
 might try it on you." 
 
 " I don't want to get into any row, 'cause this 
 valise is as much as I can take care of ; but I tell 
 you what it is, these city chaps mustn't try to pick 
 on me jest on account of my comin' from the 
 country, for I won't stand it ; " and the young gen- 
 tleman from Berry's Corner looked very fierce, as if 
 wishing his companion to believe him a dangerous 
 character. 
 
 Sadie was not at all alarmed by the belligerent 
 attitude assumed by her newly-found friend, and 
 continued on her way in search of Tom and Bob, 
 much as though Josiah was a veritable lamb in 
 disguise. 
 
 On the way down town the match-girl made 
 inquiries of every acquaintance she met, regarding 
 the whereabouts of the boys she desired to find, 
 and received the same answer as given by Sim, 
 except in one instance. 
 
 A young gentleman in the boot-blackening busi- 
 ness, by the name of Jimmy Skip, informed her 
 that he had Been the merchants in question enter- 
 
62 Jonah in New York. 
 
 ing a certain building devoted to offices, on Chat- 
 ham Street, and stated that he had no doubt they 
 were yet there serving their patrons. 
 
 When Sadie reached the place designated, she 
 halted, and said to Josiah : — 
 
 "Wait here, an' I'll look for 'em. There's no 
 need of your travelin' 'round so much while 
 you've got that big valise." 
 
 Josiah was perfectly willing to do as she sug- 
 gested, and stood leaning against the building with 
 his burden at his feet, watching the pedestrians, 
 an occupation of which it seemed as if he would 
 never tire. 
 
A Mean Trick. 68 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A MEAN TRICK. 
 
 Master Shindle took no heed of the flight of 
 time as he gazed around, finding something to 
 entertain or surprise in every animate or inani- 
 mate object within his range of vision. 
 
 That which caused him the greatest astonish- 
 ment, was the newsboys as they crossed the street 
 regardless of the horses which appeared at every 
 second on the point of trampling upon them ; and 
 when there were no longer any of these young 
 merchants to amuse him, he turned his attention 
 to the shop windows, where he was soon deeply 
 interested in a collection of fire-arms. 
 
 He had long wanted to own a revolver, and it 
 seemed to him as if now was the opportunity to 
 purchase one, provided he received as much as he 
 thought he had every reason to expect from tha 
 
64 Jonah in New York, 
 
 woodchuck skins ; therefore it was with the air of 
 an intended purchaser, rather than an idler, that he 
 scanned the cards, on which was written the price 
 affixed to each weapon. 
 
 He was still engrossed in this pleasing occupa- 
 tion, when Sadie's acquaintance, Sim Jones, ap- 
 proached, and halted suddenly on seeing him. 
 
 " There's that duffer Sadie Mitchell had in tow ! 
 J wonder what he's doin' here ? " Master Jones mut- 
 tered to himself, and then looked around carefully, 
 with a view of ascertaining whether Josiah had any 
 friends in the immediate vicinity. 
 
 There was no one near who seemed to take an 
 interest in the country boy, and Sim concluded it 
 was a convenient season in which to settle his debt 
 with Sadie for not having given him more infor- 
 mation regarding her new acquaintance. 
 
 Therefore, stepping quickly to Josiah's side, and 
 assuming such a look as he thought would impress 
 the stranger with an idea of his friendliness, Sim 
 asked : — 
 
 u Say, have you found Tom Bartlett yet?" 
 
 " No ; Sadie's up-stairs now lookin' for him. 
 Some feller told her Tom an' Bob were here." 
 
A Mean Trick. 65 
 
 Sim gave one quick glance in at the hall, and 
 then said hurriedly : — 
 
 k4 When I saw you on West Broadway I forgot 
 to ask Sadie if you'd been over to the Mayor's 
 office, so I hustled right 'round to find you, 'cause 
 you see girls don't pay so much 'tention to sich 
 things as they oughter." 
 
 44 What things ? " Josiah asked in astonishment. 
 
 44 What things ! " Sim repeated as if in surprise. 
 " Do you mean to tell me you didn't know you 
 oughter go to the Mayor's office as soon as you got 
 inter town ? " 
 
 44 Of course I didn't. What does he want with 
 me ? " 
 
 44 A mighty sight, you'll find out ! I kinder 
 thought Sadie Mitchell wouldn't know enough to 
 tell you, so I went 'round to the City Hall an' 
 asked the folks if they'd seen a feller from Berry's 
 Corner. They said 4 no,' an' that the Mayor was 
 pretty nigh wild 'cause you didn't come to him the 
 minute you struck town." 
 
 44 What does he want me for? " 
 
 44 Why 'cordin' to the law he has to give every 
 feller from the country a dollar' n a half jest as 
 
€6 Josiah in New York. 
 
 soon as they get here, an' if you don't skin over 
 there mighty quick it'll be too late.*' 
 
 " Tom an' Bob didn't say anything about it 
 when they was up to my house." 
 
 " I s'pose they thought you knowed, or else was 
 eountin' on takin' you there as soon as you got in ; 
 but of course it couldn't be done when they didn't 
 meet you. How would it do to run over with me ? 
 It won't take more'n a minute, an' you'll get back 
 before Sadie Mitchell comes down." 
 
 Josiah hesitated an instant, and then decided 
 there would be no harm in accompanying this very 
 friendly-disposed boy, more particularly since he 
 seemed certain they would be back in time to meet 
 the match-girl, therefore he replied : — 
 
 M All right ; go ahead, only we mustn't keep 
 Sadie waitin', 'cause it won't do for me to lose her 
 before I find Tom an' Bob." 
 
 " Oh, I'll look out for that part of it. Of course 
 we sha'n't miss her ; an' if we should, I could find 
 the fellers for you quicker'n she can. It kinder 
 makes a boy look green to be taggin' a girl 'round 
 the city, an' I'm certain Tom Bartlett wouldn't 
 tike it if he found out what you're doin'." 
 
A Mean Tnek. 6? 
 
 M It s a good deal better'n not knowin* where to 
 go, 'cause if it hadn't been for her I'd had a pretty 
 hard time last night, 'less I'd found Baker's Court." 
 
 Whils they were talking, and paying no heed to 
 the fact that Master Jones was making sundry 
 mysterious gestures to acquaintances whom they 
 passed, Josiah had followed the guide from Chat- 
 ham Street to Center, and not less than half a 
 dozen disreputable looking boys were watching his 
 every movement with the keenest anticipations of 
 pleasure. 
 
 On arriving at what Master Shindle thought was 
 an enormous building, because it was many sizes 
 larger than his father's barD, Sim halted, and, point- 
 ing to the long flight of stairs leading from the 
 street, said : — 
 
 * 4 Go straight up there 'till you get to the top. 
 Then open the door, an' tell the Mayor you've 
 come for the dollar an' a half." 
 
 Josiah obeved without hesitation, but on reach- 
 ing the first landing his suspicions were aroused. 
 
 Never having visited a City Hall before, his 
 ideas regarding one were rather vague; but he fan- 
 cied the Mayor would be found in a different kind 
 
63 Josiah in New York. 
 
 of a place, and, despite his ignorance, the many 
 business signs in the hall-way soon convinced him 
 he was not in a municipal building. 
 
 He hesitated, turned, and was on the point of 
 asking for further particulars from the obliging 
 Sim, when he heard a roar of laughter from the 
 foot of the stairs. 
 
 " If the Mayor gives money to folks from the 
 country, I reckon Tom an' Bob would have told 
 me last summer," he said to himself. " That feller 
 is makin' a fool of me." 
 
 Then he descended to the sidewalk, and stood 
 looking about him in perplexity. 
 
 He had paid no particular attention to the route 
 taken when he left Chatham Street, and not many 
 seconds elapsed before the very unpleasant fact 
 that he was lost presented itself. 
 
 During several moments Josiah stood silent and 
 motionless, trying to combat the fear which came 
 upon him with the knowledge that he was separated 
 from his friends, and had no definite idea of where 
 they might be found. 
 
 The throng of pedestrians, each intent only on 
 his own business or pleasure, bewildered the boy, 
 
A Mean Trick. 69 
 
 and the rattle and rumble of vehicles served to 
 increase his helplessness. 
 
 Surrounded though he was by human beings, 
 never before had he felt so truly alone. 
 
 Involuntarily his mind went back to the time 
 when he lost his way in the woods at Berry's 
 Corner ; but there even the birds seemed friendly, 
 and sang and twittered about him as if to share his 
 grief, while here no one paid the slightest attention 
 to his sorrow, save the group of boys on the op- 
 posite side of the street, who were making merry 
 at his expense. 
 
 Now, even more than when he caught the last 
 glimpse of Towser's short tail at the railroad 
 station, he wished he had never been tempted to 
 leave the farm. 
 
 For the second time tears came very near his 
 eyelids ; but the sight of his tormentors across the 
 street served to hold them in check, for he did not 
 intend to allow those boys to know of the sorrow 
 in his heart. 
 
 It was the feeling of resentment, that others 
 should have taken advantage of his helplessness, 
 which aided him in controlling his feelings, and he 
 
YO Josiah in New Ytrk. 
 
 said resolutely as he walked toward Printing House 
 Square : — 
 
 u They know I'm green as grass ; but they sha'n't 
 see me cry." 
 
 Then turning toward the shop windows on the 
 left in the hope of seeing one which looked familiar 
 and thus give him some idea of his whereabouts, 
 he pushed resolutely on until accosted by a second 
 stranger. 
 
 M Are you the Shindle feller Tom an' Bob are 
 lookin* for ? " the boy asked. 
 
 Josiah's short experience in the city had taught 
 him to be suspicious, and he replied quite sharply : — 
 
 " Well, what if T am ? Are you another feller 
 what wants to send me to the Mayor's office? " 
 
 While speaking he glanced toward the opposite 
 side of the street, and there saw his enemies run- 
 ning at full speed as if the coming of this last boy 
 had alarmed thera. 
 
 "I ain't cryin' to play any tricks," the stranger 
 replied in a friendly tone. "Tom an' Bob are 
 huntin' for you, an' I offered to help. Sadie Mit- 
 ctiell told 'em what was done last night, an' when 
 they come out of the office they're hired to clean 
 
A Mean Trick. 71 
 
 everj morning', you wasn't anywhere to be found. 
 They're pretty nigh wild to know what's happened 
 to you." 
 
 " Why didn't they meet me at the station?" 
 Josiah asked suspiciously. 
 
 " They both went there, an' staid more'n an hour 
 after your train got in. I happen to know, 'cause 
 I was with 'em." 
 
 " Mighty funny," Josiah said half to himself. 
 " I hung 'round the place two hours, an' didn't 
 see hide nor hair of either one." 
 
 u It must be you didn't get into the right 
 station, 'cause we watched so's you couldn't get 
 past, no matter which door you came through." 
 
 " Why, I went right out into the street after I 
 got tired standin' on the platform." 
 
 The stranger was silent an instant as he tried to 
 reconcile this story with his own knowledge of the 
 facts, and then the truth suddenly dawned upon 
 him. 
 
 44 It must have been that you didn't strike the 
 station at all, but stood in the train-sheds till you 
 went to Jersey City, instead of comin' 'cross the 
 ferry." 
 
72 Jonah in New York. 
 
 " That's jest what I did." 
 
 " Then the thing is plain enough. You see, folks 
 ain't allowed on platforms where the cars stop, an' 
 so we had to wait near the ferry-slip. If you 'd 
 followed the other passengers it would have been 
 all right." 
 
 " Then Tom an' Bob really was there? " 
 
 " Of course, an' we couldn't figger out why you 
 didn't come, 'less somethin' happened so's you 
 had to stay at home a day longer than was 'greed 
 on. Now, if you'll go with me, it won't take 
 more'n half a minute to find the other fellers." 
 
 This boy spoke in a very friendly tone, and 
 appeared to be thoroughly conversant with the 
 matter ; but at the same time it was possible he 
 might be one of the party who had been having 
 so much sport at the country visitor's expense. 
 
 Josiah feared the joke would be continued ; but 
 the thought came into his mind that his condition 
 could hardly be made worse, and he replied 
 promptly : — 
 
 " See here, I've jest come from Berry's Corner, 
 an' never was in the city before, so don't play 
 tricks on me 'cause I'm green." 
 
A Mean Trick. 73 
 
 " You needn't be afraid. I've heard what your 
 folks did for Tom's crowd ; an' if that gang over 
 there try any funny business, I'll thump the head 
 offer every one before night." 
 
 " I ain't sure as it's best to do that," Josiah re- 
 plied hastily, " though I should like to get even 
 with the feller what told me 'bout the Mayor." 
 
 " I'll give you a chance before long," the stranger 
 said generously. * c Come with me : my name's 
 Bill Foss, an' when we've found Tom an' Bob we'll 
 clean out that gang. They're puttin' on too many 
 airs 'round here." 
 
 The boy turned as he spoke, and Josiah followed 
 him, but feeling a trifle uncertain whether it would 
 be advisable for his friends to punish the enemy 
 very severely, because his visit was not yet ended, 
 and he might some day find himself in a more un- 
 pleasant predicament. 
 
 "I'm a friend of Tom's," the guide said, as he 
 slackened his pace to admit of Josiah's walking by 
 his side. " I guess Sim Jones an' the crowd what 
 played the trick on you know too much to fool 
 'round where I am." 
 
 Master Foss spoke so confidently that all Josiah's 
 
74 Jonah in New York. 
 
 fears fled ; and when they arrived at the building 
 where Sadie left him, he had perfect faith in Bill's 
 integrity. 
 
 " Tom's gone over to Chatham Square lookin' 
 for this feller, an' Bob's down to the elevated sta- 
 tion, so you'd better stand right here till they 
 get back," a friend of Billy's, who had been 
 left on guard, said, as he hurried away to 
 attend to his own business now his mission was 
 accomplished. 
 
 In order that the time might pass pleasantly to 
 the stranger in the city, Bill explained how he 
 once punished a portion of that same crowd who 
 had just played the practical joke, and while he 
 was in the midst of the story Messrs. Bartlett and 
 Green arrived. 
 
 Josiah had no reason to complain of the warmth 
 of their greeting. 
 
 Each seemed to think it necessary to shake him 
 vigorously by the hand, scrutinizing his face closely 
 meanwhile, as if to make sure this was the same 
 boy who had been met at Berry's Corner. 
 
 Then Josiah related his experience of the past 
 twenty-four hours ; and when he had concluded. 
 
A Mean Trick. 75 
 
 Tom gave an explanation similar to the one made 
 by Bill, regarding their failure to meet him as 
 agreed upon. 
 
 Josiah could not fail to be satisfied that his 
 friends had kept their promise to the letter, and 
 that it was his ignorance rather than their neglect 
 which prevented a meeting at the proper time and 
 the proper place. 
 
 " Where's Sadie ? " he asked, suddenly remem- 
 bering that she should have been with the party. 
 
 " Up on the Bowery somewhere," Tom explained. 
 " It's time for her to 'tend to business, an' she 
 'lowed she'd better leave, 'cause we wouldn't want 
 a girl hangin' 'round." 
 
 " But we would ; " and Master Shindle spoke 
 very decidedly. " She's been mighty good to me, 
 an* I want to tell her I won't forget it." 
 
 " You'll have plenty of chance to do that. Just 
 now we've got to go right up to the house an' 
 straighten things out. When you didn't come 
 yesterday, mother thought you wouldn't be here at 
 all, an' we must tell her how it happened." 
 
 " Besides, you don't want to lug that valise 
 'round town," Bob added, " 'cause we're goin' to 
 
76 Josiah in New York, 
 
 put you through this city iu great shape, an' can't 
 be bothered with a lot of baggage." 
 
 Although the boys appeared so eager to go home, 
 it was fully ten minutes before Josiah could answer 
 all the questions asked by them. 
 
 They wanted to know how the calf had thriven 
 since their visit to the farm, inquired particularly 
 concerning Towser, and were eager to learn what 
 would be the prospect for a good crop of turtles 
 next spring. 
 
 When Master Shindle had satisfied their curiosity 
 regarding every animal on the farm, Tom asked 
 with mild solicitude after Mr. and Mrs. Shindle. 
 
 The visitor was also called upon to tell how 
 many days he had spent weeding carrots, if the 
 harvest had been plentiful, and whether wood- 
 chucks allowed themselves to be killed as readily 
 as Josiah had intimated during the previous sum- 
 mer. 
 
 Then he in turn learned all that could be told 
 in a brief way regarding the twins and Jimmy, and 
 the benefit resulting from their visit to Berry's 
 Corner. 
 
 " It seems like as if they'd kept right on growin' 
 
A Mean Trick. 77 
 
 fat jest thinkin' of the farm," Tom said. "Bob 
 an' me promised they should go out agin before 
 the cold weather came, but business was dull, an' 
 we couldn't scrape up cash enough to pay the 
 fares. We're comin' next summer, though. How 
 many woodchucks did you kill?" 
 
 "Four; an' thousands of 'em showed up after 
 you fellers went away, but me an' Towser didn't 
 have time to get many. It was awful hard work 
 to tan the skins. Say, where do you s'pose I 
 could sell 'em ? I kinder 'lowed to buy mother an' 
 father a present with what I got for the fur, an' 
 speut so much last night I don't know but it'll 
 take all I've got to see me through. It's dreadful 
 expensive goin' 'round the city, ain't it?" 
 
 " 1 reckon you can sell 'em at the fur stores on 
 Broadway," Tom replied. " The folks there buy 
 ail kind of sich things, an' we'll see 'em to-morrow. 
 I s'pose you count on gettin' a pretty good price?" 
 
 " I'd be willin' to take a dollar apiece, if they 
 couldn't pay any more ; but these are awful big 
 skins. It seems as if the lot oughter fetch five 
 dollars anyhow." 
 
 Neither of the young gentlemen from Baker's 
 
 
78 Josiah in New York, 
 
 Court was very well informed as to the value of 
 fur ; and since they had never seen a woodchuck, 
 no idea of the market-price could be formed. 
 
 However, both were positive such pelts would 
 sell readily, and with this assurance Josiah was 
 content. 
 
A Theatre Party. 79 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 A THEATRE PARTY. 
 
 Again Tom remembered that it was necessary 
 his mother should be informed of the long-expected 
 visitor's arrival, and he said impatiently : — 
 
 " Come on, let's go to the house now, or the 
 folks will think you ain't comin'." 
 
 Bill Foss was obliged to attend to his regular 
 business, and left the party as they started up 
 town. 
 
 While the boys walked hurriedly on in the di- 
 rection of Baker's Court, Josiah was suddenly 
 reminded of a very important duty, and exclaimed 
 as he halted in a convenient door-way : — 
 
 " Well, there ! I most forgot I had some things 
 in this valise for you fellers ! " 
 
 The curiosity of the boys was aroused, and Tom 
 asked excitedly : — 
 
80 Josiah in New York, 
 
 " What did you bring ? Let's look at 'em 
 now, 'cause it'll be a good while before we get 
 home." 
 
 Master Shindle saw no impropriety in unpack- 
 ing his baggage thus publicly, and, without further 
 urging, opened the huge valise. 
 
 " Here's what I brought you," he said, handing 
 Tom a package wrapped in newspaper, and tied 
 securely with several strings. 
 
 Tom unrolled the bulky parcel, removing layer 
 after layer of paper until he brought to view a 
 small but very lively mud turtle, which protruded 
 its head and legs in the most engaging manner. 
 
 " Now, that's the kind of a feller what'll foller 
 you 'round the streets," Josiah said as he held up 
 the shell that his companions might observe more 
 closely the reptile's beautiful proportions. " Tame 
 him right, an' I guess he'll be most as good as a 
 dog, though he can't go very fast." 
 
 As Tom took the pet, Josiah again plunged his 
 hand into the valise, this time bringing forth a 
 small wooden box, which he gave to Bob as he 
 said: — 
 
 u I was goin' to fetch two ; but didn't dare to 
 
A Theatre Party. 81 
 
 put em together, an' there wasn't room enough 
 in the valise for another box." 
 
 Opening the lid Bob saw a small green snake, 
 which lifted its head and gazed around inquiringly, 
 as if asking why it had been thus suddenly trans- 
 ported from its home to a place where there was 
 no opportunity of hiding. 
 
 Bob thanked his friend for the gift, but looked 
 so longingly toward the turtle that Maste r Shindle 
 hastened to say : — 
 
 " If you'd rather have one of them 1 ^an catch 
 more'n a thousand when I get home agin ; but 
 seein's how they're apt to bite babies, an' you've 
 got the twins an' Jimmy 'round, I didn't know as 
 it would do to fetch two." 
 
 M If you'll send 'em down, I'll pay the freight," 
 Bob replied ; and Josiah promised that on the day 
 following his return home he would capture as 
 many turtles as his friends might desire. 
 
 Then he displayed the gifts intended for the 
 twins and Jimmy, — two last-year's bird's neh-% a 
 large supply of horse-hair as materials for rings 
 and chains, and a collection of hed^e-hog quilk 
 which his mother had dyed in various colors. 
 
82 Jonah in New York. 
 
 After these had been inspected and duly ad- 
 mired, the boys continued on their way to the 
 court, walking very slowly because of Josiah's de- 
 sire to stop and look at everything around him. 
 
 More than once his exclamations of surprise 
 attracted a crowd of newsboys and boot-blacks ; 
 but Tom and Bob were careful to prevent him from 
 being annoyed by these young gentlemen, who 
 considered a stranger from the country a fair tar- 
 get for their supposed wit, and Josiah continued 
 slowly on, ignorant of the fact that he was afford- 
 ing others quite as much amusement as he received 
 from the novel scenes. 
 
 Under ordinary circumstances, Tom and Bob 
 could have walked from Chatham Square to their 
 home in ten minutes ; but on this day it was fully 
 an hour before they arrived at the court, although 
 both hurried Josiah as much as possible by promis- 
 ing to show him all these things and many more, 
 later in the day. 
 
 On entering the court Master Shindle looked 
 about him in dismay ; and Bob, quick to note the 
 change in the expression of his friend's face, said 
 with a laugh : — 
 
A Theatre Party. 83 
 
 " Doesn't seem much like the farm, eh ? I told 
 you one week in a place like this would be enough. 
 If you had always lived here, it wouldn't look so 
 dirty ; but you'd be as wild as we were to see the 
 country." 
 
 M Oh, this is nice,'' Josiah said quickly, fearing 
 lest his friends might think he was making invidious 
 comparisons ; and just then the twins and Jimmy 
 came running up to greet their host of the previous 
 summer, thus bringing to a speedy conclusion what 
 might have been a very awkward conversation. 
 
 The dilapidated houses, and the clothes hanging 
 on lines from one side of the court to the other, as 
 if to shut out the light of the sun, gave to Josiah 
 a feeling of homesickness similar to that which he 
 had felt when catching a last glimpse of Towser. 
 
 To remain on the principal streets where he 
 could look in the shop windows, or on the water- 
 front and gaze at the vessels, would have been 
 pleasant ; but there was such a wide difference 
 between the buildings of Baker's Court and the 
 Shindle farm-house, that he would have been quite 
 contented had he known his father was coming 
 after him that same day. 
 
84 Josiah in New York. 
 
 Mrs. Bartlett and Mrs. Green received him cor- 
 dially, and yet he was far from being comfortable 
 in mind. 
 
 The small, stuffy kitchen was not like his 
 mother's, and he could hardly believe food coming 
 from it would taste as sweet. 
 
 The room which he was to share with Bob and 
 Tom was far from being as inviting as his own ; 
 and the air, although it was late in the season, 
 seemed oppressively warm. 
 
 Very likely Tom and Bob would have made 
 almost the same comparisons in favor of the farm ; 
 but Josiah tried earnestly to prevent any show of 
 discontent, and, after doing full justice to the lunch 
 hastily prepared by Mrs. Bartlett, the boys went 
 into the street once more, leaving behind the 
 twins and Jimmy to play with the hedgehog quills 
 at imminent risk of injuring their eyes, or making 
 painful punctures in their skin. 
 
 Once in the business portion of the city again, 
 there was so much to attract Josiah's attention 
 that he entirely forgot the disagreeable impressions 
 of the court ; and the three flitted about from win- 
 dow to window to the delight of Master Shindle 
 
A Theatre Party. 85 
 
 and the perplexity of his hosts, who found it ex- 
 tremely difficult to keep at a respectful distance 
 the numerous acquaintances who followed in the 
 hope of having some sport at the expense of the 
 boy from the country. 
 
 " That is great ! " he said when Tom and Bob 
 gave in detail the programme they had arranged 
 for his entertainment. 
 
 The party was to visit Coney Island, the park, 
 and, as a rare treat, it had been decided to spend 
 that very evening at the theatre, to which end three 
 gallery tickets had already been purchased. 
 
 This last announcement excited Josiah for the 
 moment so that he lost all interest in the novel 
 sights around him. 
 
 He had heard of the theatre ; for Sam Perry 
 knew a boy living about seven miles from Berry's 
 Corner who had really been inside such a place, 
 and Josiah was willing to confess that no other 
 form of entertainment could afford him so many 
 pleasurable anticipations. 
 
 The sight-seeing, and the promise of the delight' 
 ful excitement which was yet to come, did not 
 prevent Josiah from remembering the first friend 
 he had made in the city, and he asked anxiously : — 
 
86 Josiah in New York* 
 
 " Is Sadie goin' with us ? " 
 
 " Of course not. We don't want a girl taggin 
 'round, an' I reckon she wouldn't care to go very 
 much." 
 
 " Oh, yes she would, 'cause she thought it was 
 awful nice at the circus." 
 
 " Circus ! " Bob repeated in surprise. " Where 
 have you seen one ? " 
 
 " She an' I went the evenin' I was tryin' to find 
 you. It's down a little ways from where she sells 
 matches." 
 
 " Oh, that's the dime museum, an' don't 'mount 
 to much longside of one up on the Bowery. We 
 can go to them kind of places any day ; " and Mas- 
 ter Green spoke as if half the marvels of the earth 
 were gathered at this particular place, but yet were 
 hardly worth the attention of himself and his 
 friends. 
 
 " But I'd like to see her again. She was mighty 
 good to me." 
 
 " There'll be plenty of chances for that when we 
 have nothin' else to do. We'll skin up 'round 
 Broadway, an' then go home, for it'll be pretty near 
 supper time when we get there." 
 
A Theatre Party, 87 
 
 "Well, I don't want to make any mistake about 
 seem* her agin, 'cause I ain't really squared up for 
 the way she treated me ; an', besides, I'd like to be 
 certain she's havin' as good a time as I am, for, 
 'cordin' to the looks of things, she gets it pretty 
 tough." 
 
 M That's a fact," Bob replied. " It must come 
 kinder hard on anybody what has to live with 
 Mother Hunter ; but I reckon she's got used to it. 
 Anyhow, you shall see her to-morrow if that'll do 
 any good." 
 
 " An' will you take her with us to some of the 
 places if I pay the bills?" 
 
 " Yes," Bob replied slowly, but in a tone of in- 
 decision, " I s'pose we can fix it somehow ; " and 
 with this rather unwilling promise the subject was 
 dropped for the time being. 
 
 It was so difficult to tear Master Shindle away 
 from the shop windows that the evening meal had 
 been ready nearly an hour when they finally ar- 
 rived at Baker's Court. 
 
 In the stuffy little kitchen, which also served as 
 a dining-room, Josiah had once more an opportu- 
 nity of comparing his home with this, and for at 
 
88 Josiah in New York, 
 
 least the tenth time decided that life in the city 
 was entirely different from what it had been 
 pictured by some of his acquaintances at Berry's 
 Corner. 
 
 Instead of an accompaniment to the meal by a 
 bird orchestra, they had the rumble and clatter of 
 carts in the street ; in lieu of the perfume of flow- 
 ers which swept through his mother's quaint 
 kitchen, was an unpleasant odor from the court, 
 and he ceased to wonder that the beneficiaries of 
 the Fresh Air Fund found the farm such a pleas- 
 ant abiding place. 
 
 There was but little opportunity for reflection 
 on this subject, however. The meal was eaten 
 hurriedly that they might arrive at the place of 
 entertainment before the doors were opened, in 
 order to make certain of obtaining front seats, 
 therefore not a moment was wasted. 
 
 Josiah's remembrance of this visit is not alto- 
 gether pleasant. 
 
 During fully three-quarters of an hour he stood 
 with a large number of boys in the narrow hall-way, 
 pushed here and there until it seemed as if he must 
 be literally flattened like a wafer. 
 
A Theatre Party. 89 
 
 When the doors were finally opened he was 
 borne by very press of numbers up three flights of 
 dimly-lighted stairs into a not over-cleanly place, 
 which was considerably warmer than the carrot 
 patch in July ; then down a steep incline until it 
 seemed as if he would surely be pitched from the 
 railing to the vast pit, the bottom of which appeared 
 to be paved with human heads. 
 
 The theatre party from Baker's Court was in the 
 front row, with nothing to obstruct the view of a 
 gaudily-painted piece of canvas, which covered — 
 Josiah knew not what. 
 
 He did not speculate as to the possible wonders 
 which might be behind it; for the noisy throng, the 
 heated air, the odor of gas, and the loud buzz of 
 conversation bewildered him to such an extent 
 that he began to fear he should not be able to get 
 away alive. 
 
 On one side Tom was telling of the wonderful 
 things which would be revealed when the curtain 
 was raised ; and on the other Bob praised the scen- 
 ery, or the daring of the hero whose brave deeds 
 were to be portrayed, while Josiah listened with- 
 out understanding a single word. 
 
90 Jonah in New York. 
 
 Then, after much stamping of feet, whistling and 
 cat-calls, came a burst of music, and the visitor 
 from the country began to feel more at his 
 ease. 
 
 With elbows resting on the wooden railing, and 
 both hands held behind his ears that not a single 
 note from the noisy orchestra should escape, he 
 gave himself up wholly to what he supposed was 
 the performance, wondering not a little why Tom 
 and Bob had said so much about hair-breadth es- 
 capes, when he could see nothing more dangerous 
 than the brass instrument which a musician length- 
 ened and shortened until there seemed every fear 
 he would decapitate his neighbor. 
 
 k4 Is he goin' to kill the man next to him with 
 that brass thing ? " Josiah asked in a hoarse whis- 
 per. 
 
 " Of course not," Bob replied scornfully ; " that 
 is only one of the orchestry, an' don't 'mount to 
 anything. Wait 'till the curtain goes up, an' then 
 your eyes'll stick out ! " 
 
 Josiah waited simply because he was forced to 
 do so ; and when the performance began, exclama- 
 tions of surprise and astonishment burst from his 
 
A Theatre Party. 91 
 
 lips, as what appeared to be a veritable forest was 
 suddenly unfolded to view. 
 
 During the three hours which followed he re- 
 mained in a daze of wonder, fear, and bewilderment. 
 
 He could not understand why at one time there 
 was a forest behind the curtain, and at another the 
 interior of a house, therefore this sudden change 
 confused him. 
 
 It was impossible to hear every word spoken on 
 the stage, and, consequently, he failed to compre- 
 hend why people ran around discharging fire-arms 
 so frequently. 
 
 Owing to these drawbacks the performance was 
 not as pleasing as it might have been, while the 
 heat, lack of ventilation, and the general excite- 
 ment, gave him a most severe headache. 
 
 Therefore, instead of regretting that the even- 
 ing's entertainment had come to an end, as did Tom 
 and Bob, he was only too well satisfied to be in the 
 comparatively fresh air once more. 
 
 " To-morrow mornin' we'll go up to the park," 
 Tom said as they walked rapidly toward Baker's 
 Court; for he fancied, because of his friend's 
 silence, that the boy from the country was having 
 another attack of homesickness. 
 
92 Jonah in New York. 
 
 This supposition was correct ; and when Josiah 
 was in the tiny chamber he would have been per- 
 fectly willing to bring his visit to an immediate 
 close, if by such a means he could be transported 
 instantly to his own room, where his mother would 
 be within call. 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 98 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A MIDNIGHT ALARM. 
 
 The labor of sight-seeing had so wearied Josiah 
 that his eyes closed very quickly after getting into 
 bed, despite the unpleasantness of his surround- 
 ings ; and he did not return from dreamland until 
 at an early hour next morning, when the sudden 
 clash of heavy wheels, the clang of gongs, and the 
 hoarse rush of escaping steam, brought him from 
 the bed to his feet trembling with undefined fear. 
 
 44 Hurry up and get into your clothes ! " Tom 
 cried. " There's a fire, an' it sounds as if it was 
 right here in the court." 
 
 Josiah's only experience in such matters had been 
 when Deacon Fuller's barn burned, and he and his 
 father watched it, unable to do anything toward 
 fighting the flames because of lack of water. 
 
 Therefore he was thoroughly alarmed, believing 
 
94 Jonah in New York, 
 
 Tom's home would be destroyed, and these fears 
 caused him to be awkward in making his toilet. 
 
 At first he could not find his clothes ; and when 
 this had been finally accomplished, it seemed impos- 
 sible to get them on. After what appeared to be 
 a very long while he succeeded in dressing himself, 
 and, seizing the heavy valise, followed Bob and 
 Tom, who had already begun to descend the stairs. 
 
 The heavy panting of the engines, the firemen's 
 hoarse commands, and the running to and fro of 
 people who were pouring from the tenements of 
 the court, made a most terrific din. 
 
 Here and there great fiery eyes stared out of the 
 darkness, causing those who passed in front of 
 them to look like shadowy giants, while the net- 
 work of hose extending in every direction, and 
 from which tiny streams of water were spurting, 
 formed for the country boy a picture which was not 
 less alarming than bewildering. 
 
 " The fire's on the other side of the street," Tom 
 said a moment later, " an' I guess there ain't any 
 chance the court will be burned, but it makes a 
 good show if you never saw such a thing in the 
 city before." 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 95 
 
 Josiah looked in vain for the flames. 
 
 The glowing furnaces of the engines seemed to 
 him more dangerous than any hidden conflagration 
 could possibly be ; and in fear and trembling he 
 stood behind his companions, pressing close against 
 the wall of a building, until Tom chanced to see 
 the heavy burden he was carrying. 
 
 " What did you bring that valise for ? " he asked, 
 laughing heartily. 
 
 " I'd rather have it in my hands if the house is 
 goin' to be burned," Josiah replied timidly ; and 
 then, after no little urging, Tom succeeded in in- 
 ducing him to give up the valuable baggage that 
 he might carry it back, while Bob, with a bravery 
 which the boy from the country thought foolhard- 
 iness, made his way among the panting engines in 
 order to show his guest the method of fighting fire 
 in the city. 
 
 It was not such an investigation as pleased 
 Josiah, this going to and fro among the monsters 
 which swayed back and forth under the pressure of 
 steam as if about to explode, and being treated to 
 frequent shower-baths from the leaking hose, or 
 almost overturned as the busy firemen rushed past. 
 
96 Josiah in New York. 
 
 Even before Tom returned he persuaded Bob 
 to go back to the court where they might at least 
 be in a place of comparative safety. 
 
 During half an hour he remained gazing at the 
 building which was supposed to be food for the 
 flames, and then the din lessened. 
 
 One by one the heavy, noisy machines were 
 drawn away, the serpent-like lengths of hose were 
 rolled on the carriages, and when Tom announced 
 that the fire was extinguished, Josiah was even more 
 mystified than before. 
 
 " That's the funniest kind of a fire I ever saw," 
 he said as they returned to their room, debating 
 whether it would be best to retire once more, or 
 dress themselves for the day's pleasuring, for the 
 shadows of night had already given way before the 
 coming dawn. " At Berry's Corner people have to 
 carry water in buckets." 
 
 " It ain't very often you have a chance to see a 
 fire in the city, 'cause the engines get to work so 
 quick," Bob explained ; and then he told of a con- 
 flagration near the docks which he and Bob had 
 seen, until by the time the story was finished Mrs. 
 Bar tie tt called them to breakfast. 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 97 
 
 After the meal was brought to a close, Josiah 
 wished to visit Chatham Square in the hope of see- 
 ing Sadie ; but Tom and Bob decided against any- 
 thing of the kind. 
 
 They had planned to spend this day in Central 
 Park ; and, despite Josiah's desire to meet the girl 
 who had been so kind to him, he was obliged to 
 accompany his friends, or be guilty of rudeness 
 by questioning their judgment in preparing a 
 programme which was intended for his especial 
 benefit. 
 
 " You see, it don't look very nice to be runnin' 
 'round with a girl, an' the fellers will make all 
 kind of fun of you," Bob said in a fatherly tone. 
 " Of course, if we're anywhere near Chatham 
 Square it's no harm to go an' talk with her ; but 
 this pullin' Sadie along with us everywhere ain't 
 the right way at all. Things are different in 
 the city, you know, from what they are in the 
 country." 
 
 " Yes, I know," Josiah replied mildly ; "but you 
 see she was so awful good to me when I lost my 
 way an' was feelin' bad, that it don't seem as if I 
 could do too much to square things up with her. 
 
98 Jonah in New York. 
 
 It ain't likely she gets a chance to go off on such 
 times very often." 
 
 " I don't reckon she does," Tom replied ; " but 
 she can't count on stayin' with us, 'cause it would 
 spoil all the fun to begin with, an' then agin, no 
 feller could help laughin' if he saw her with us. 
 We wanter go by ourselves, an' do the thing up in 
 style, that's what we're after." 
 
 " I won't talk any more about it now," Josiah 
 said ; " but I've got to see her again before I go 
 home." 
 
 " There'll be plenty of chance for that. She's 
 allers up there sellin' matches. When we haven't 
 got anything better to do, Bob an' I'll go with you. 
 Now come on, 'cause we wanter scoop in all we 
 can." 
 
 Josiah followed his friends out of the dirty court 
 into the noisy street, and down to the Sixth Ave- 
 nue elevated railway station, where he clambered 
 up the stairs with no slight degree of trepidation, 
 for this " goin' on the roof to find a train of cars " 
 was something so novel in his experience as to be 
 almost alarming. 
 
 First he feared the stair-way was not sufficiently 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 99 
 
 strong to bear in safety all the people crowded 
 upon it, and then he began to feel quite positive 
 the small pillars which upheld the tracks would 
 be crushed beneath the weight of the train. 
 
 Tom and Bob enjoyed his nervousness. 
 
 Previous to this time they had failed to show 
 their guest anything which impressed him quite 
 as much as they desired ; but now their efforts 
 were crowned with success, and it was in the high- 
 est degree satisfactory to them. 
 
 44 1 would have been willin' to pay ten cents 
 rather than not seen him fidget 'round as he's doin' 
 now," Tom whispered to Bob as Josiah, standing 
 near the news-counter, shrank back from the edge 
 of the platform lest he should be thrown into the 
 street by the throng of passengers around him. 
 
 Josiah managed to hide his fears after a few 
 moments, greatly to the disappointment of his 
 friends ; and when he entered the cars there was 
 no thought of the match-girl, for this being able 
 to look in at the second or third story windows 
 of the buildings which they passed was something 
 so strange that there was no room in his mind for 
 anything else. 
 
100 Josiah in New York. 
 
 " I'll bet Tim Berry's eyes will stick out when I 
 tell him of this ride," he said in a confidential whis- 
 per to his friends. " He never saw anything like 
 steam-cars runnin' in the air, an' jest as likely 
 as not won't be willin' to believe what I tell 
 him." 
 
 " This ain't nothin' at all to what you'd see if 
 you went up Harlem way," Bob replied. " Why, 
 there the tracks are higher from the ground than 
 the top of that steeple, an' it looks like as if the 
 cars would tumble right off when she swings 
 'round a curve." 
 
 " Ain't we goin' there ? " Josiah asked. 
 
 " I don't reckon it would pay. You know we 
 wanter put in all the time we can in the park ; 
 but we'll see how things turn out after we're ready 
 to go home." 
 
 Josiah was really sorry when Tom whispered 
 that they were to leave the cars at the next sta- 
 tion ; for it seemed to him that he would be satis- 
 fied to do nothing else all day but " ride in the air," 
 as it appeared they were now doing. 
 
 On descending to the street once more, Bob began 
 the pleasuring by purchasing a pint of peanuts; 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 101 
 
 and, contentedly munching them, the three entered 
 the park. 
 
 Here, to the disappointment of his hosts, Master 
 Shindle evinced neither surprise nor delight at 
 what he saw. 
 
 u Don't you think it's great, up here ? " Bob 
 asked, after they had walked a long distance in 
 almost perfect silence, save for the crunching of 
 nut-shells as they extracted the meat. 
 
 " Yes, oh yes," Josiah replied. " It's good 
 enough for a field, I s'pose ; but it seems to me 
 they'd make more money to put it in crops, than 
 lay all this land down to grass, an' I notice they 
 don't pick the rocks out. Now, if there was as 
 big a ledge in our mowin' field as that, father'd 
 have had it blasted in less'n no time." 
 
 " But they don't run a farm here, you know. 
 This is only for the folks to look at," Bob explained. 
 
 " And do people travel out here jest to see a 
 mowin' field?" 
 
 " Yes, with all the other things." 
 
 " Well, they oughter go to Berry's Corner, an' 
 see Deacon Jones' meadow ; a hundred acres, an 1 
 not a rock on it ; jest as smooth as a floor. He 
 
102 Josiah in New York. 
 
 wouldn't have these bushes on his place no more'n 
 he'd fly." 
 
 It was not until they had arrived at the lake, 
 and he saw the marble bridge and the playgrounds, 
 that Josiah condescended to be more than mildly 
 interested in the surroundings. 
 
 Then he was willing to admit that this might be 
 more beautiful than " Deacon Jones' meadow," 
 and Bob began to have great hopes of surprising 
 him before the visit had come to an end. 
 
 " Jest wait till we get down where the animals 
 are ! That's what'll knock your eye out ! " 
 
 As a matter of course the party indulged in a 
 boat-ride, and after making a complete circuit of 
 the lake three times, were ready to " take in " the 
 zoological collection. 
 
 Josiah was not willing to move quite as rapidly 
 as his friends desired. 
 
 He was deeply interested in the throngs of peo- 
 ple around him in holiday attire, and found quite 
 as much to amuse in the ever-changing scene near 
 the boat-landing as he had in front of the shop 
 windows, while Bob and Tom thought only of 
 reaching the monkey -house that they might enjoy 
 the antics of those animals. 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 103 
 
 " Come on ! It's foolish wastin' so much time 
 here when there's lots more to be seen," Bob said 
 impatiently. "I thought we'd better strike this 
 place first, an' then we could stay as long as we 
 wanted with the animals." 
 
 " I'm comin'," Josiah replied, and during two or 
 three moments he remained close behind his 
 friends ; but then, as the oddest kind of a vehicle, 
 which he fancied was a stage-coach, drove past 
 with four horses, a remarkably well-dressed driver, 
 and a man on top who played on a long horn, he for- 
 got the necessity of keeping very near his guides. 
 
 Now, while neither Bob nor Tom had seen so 
 many tally-ho coaches as to treat them with indif- 
 ference, this one was not so very remarkable as 
 to cause any surprise or comment on their part ; 
 and they continued on rapidly, heeding not 
 the fact that Josiah was still standing in open- 
 mouthed astonishment, gazing after the swell 
 equipage. 
 
 It was quite as easy for him to lose his guides in 
 the park as on the city streets ; and Josiah was 
 very soon made aware of this, for when the coach 
 was lost to view in the distance he started on in 
 
104 Josiah in New York. 
 
 the direction he believed had been taken by his 
 companions, but it was not possible to see them 
 even after five minutes of rapid traveling. 
 
 "Well, I'm lost again," the boy from Berry's 
 Corner exclaimed, as he came to a full halt. " It 
 seems to me that's about all I'm doin' in this town ; 
 but I won't make a chump of myself by walkin' 
 alone. I'll wait right here till they come," and he 
 seated himself on a convenient bench, resolving to 
 remain there as long as might be necessary. 
 
 Time did not hang heavily on his hands, owing 
 to the vehicles which were constantly passing, thus 
 affording him ample amusement ; and it would have 
 been impossible for him to say whether one minute or 
 twenty had elapsed since he lost sight of his friends, 
 when a boy, apparently several years older than 
 himself, came toward him in an officious manner, 
 rattling half a dozen pennies in his hands as he 
 said sharply : — 
 
 " Well, come down with the stuff. I can't wait 
 'round here all day, 'cause there are too many other 
 fellers to watch for." 
 
 " You needn't stay a single minute on my ac- 
 count," Josiah replied, determined not to allow 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 105 
 
 himself to be deceived again, as in the case of the 
 supposedly necessary visit to the mayor. 
 
 " Oh, don't be funny ! Come down with the 
 stuff ! " 
 
 "Look here, what's the matter with you? " Jo- 
 siah asked impatiently. " What do you want, any- 
 way?" 
 
 " You don't b'long in this city, do you ? " the 
 boy asked sharply. 
 
 " Of course I don't." 
 
 " Well, then, what are you doin' up here ? " 
 
 " Jest come to look 'round with Tom an' Bob." 
 
 44 Do they live in town ? " 
 
 44 Of course. Down in Baker's Court." 
 
 44 Have you got your ticket? " 
 
 44 What ticket?" 
 
 44 To see the park, of course. Did you pay any- 
 thing when you came in here ? " 
 
 44 Bob paid for the peanuts, an' I whacked up for 
 the boat-rides." 
 
 44 There, now you're gettin' funny agin ! You 
 know what I want ! Come, down with it ; ten 
 cents, an' do it quick too ! " 
 
 44 Ten cents for what ? " and now Josiah besran 
 
106 Jonah in New York. 
 
 to think this boy really had some right to address 
 him in such a tone. 
 
 " For lookin' at the Park." 
 
 "But Tom an' Bob invited me up here with 
 them." 
 
 " I can't help that. It costs ten cents to come 
 in, an' that's all there is to it. You wanter pay 
 quick, or you'll get inter trouble." 
 
 44 But they didn't tell me anything 'bout it." 
 
 "They live in town. It don't cost them any- 
 thing ; but all fellers from the country have to pay." 
 
 Josiah looked around eagerly in the hope that 
 his friends might be in the immediate vicinity ; 
 but in this he was disappointed. 
 
 He could see no one whom he thought he might 
 venture to ask for information, and the boy who 
 claimed the right to collect money for sight-seeing 
 was growing more and more impatient each instant. 
 
 " I'd rather wait till they come back." 
 
 " Well, you can't. I've got to go all the way 
 'round the lake in an hour, an' if I have such 
 trouble with every feller as I do with you, it'll 
 take me a week to fix things." 
 
 The boy was standing directly in front of Josiah 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 107 
 
 by this time, and looked so threatening that the 
 visitor from Berry's Corner did not dare to pro- 
 long the interview. 
 
 It was with the greatest reluctance that he drew 
 from his small hoard a dime, and, holding it be- 
 tween his thumb and finger as if unwilling to part 
 with it, asked : — 
 
 " What do I get when I give you this? " 
 
 "Get? Why you have the chance of seein' all 
 there is here. What more do you want?" and 
 without further ceremony the alleged collector 
 took the money from Josiah's fingers, walking 
 rapidly away. 
 
 " Look here ! " the latter shouted. " S'pose'n 
 somebody else comes 'round collectin' ten-cent 
 pieces, how'll they know I've paid ? " 
 
 44 That'll be all right. I'm the only one at this 
 end of the park," and the boy hurried away as if 
 fearing some of the pedestrians might inquire the 
 meaning of this rather odd question. 
 
 44 Well, it strikes me I'm goin' it pretty stiff. It 
 cost me fifteen cents in them boats, an' now ten 
 more's twenty-five. If we're goin' to stay all day 
 I sha'n't have any money left when I get home," 
 
108 Josiah in New York. 
 
 Josiah said ruefully, and just at that instant a cry 
 from the opposite side of the driveway caused him 
 to spring to his feet. 
 
 "Why didn't you keep close to us? " Bob asked 
 with just a shade of petulance in his tones. M If 
 you go to gettin' lost this way we sha'n't have any 
 kind of a time, 'cause the whole day'll be spent 
 huntin' for you.*' 
 
 " I didn't mean to," Josiah replied penitently ; 
 M but while I was lookin' at the stage you fellers 
 got away. Say, why didn't you tell me it cost ten 
 cents to see this park ? " 
 
 " Ten cents to see this park?" Bob repeated in 
 bewilderment. 
 
 M Yes ; that's what I jest had to pay." 
 
 M Who asked you for it?" and now both the 
 young gentlemen from Baker's Court ran quickly 
 to the side of their friend. 
 
 Josiah related the interview which he had had 
 with the alleged collector, and when he concluded 
 Bob and Tom burst into a fit of laughter. 
 
 " Well, you are too green to live," Bob said as 
 soon as it was possible for him to speak. " The 
 idea of givin' up good money to any feller what 
 comes along askin' for it ! " 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 109 
 
 44 But I had to. He was goin' to make me." 
 
 44 Make nothin' ! He'd been mighty careful to 
 get away if you'd raised a row. But say, it won't 
 do for him to go off with that ten cents. Let's 
 hunt after him ! " 
 
 Tom was quite as anxious to search for the boy 
 who had robbed their friend ; and, under the guid- 
 ance of Josiah, the three started. 
 
 44 Are you sure you'll know him?" Bob asked. 
 
 44 Indeed I will •, but say, fellers, I don't want to 
 get into any row here jest 'cause of that money. 
 I'd rather give twice as much than have a fuss." 
 
 44 There won't be any trouble. He'll come down 
 with the stuff as soon as we get hold of him," Tom 
 replied confidently ; and an instant later Josiah 
 cried, as he pointed toward a group of boys stand- 
 ing near a statue : — 
 
 44 There he is ! That feller with the stick in his 
 hand ! He's the one ! " 
 
 It hardly seemed advisable for the three to at- 
 tempt any reprisals just at this instant. 
 
 The alleged collector had with him six other 
 boys, who were evidently friends, and there was 
 little question but that the effort to force him to 
 
110 Josiah in New York. 
 
 give up his ill-gotten gains would end disastrously 
 for the smaller party. 
 
 " It won't do to tackle him yet a while," Bob 
 said, after mentally taking the measurements of the 
 boy and his friends. w We'll have to wait a spell, 
 'cause there's too many of 'em." 
 
 " By holdin' back we may never get a chance. 
 Jest as likely 's not they'll stick together till they 
 go home," Tom replied. 
 
 " But you'd be makin' fools of yourselves to 
 start in now," Josiah suggested. k 'Wait till one 
 of them men in the soldier clothes comes along. 
 Then go right up an' ask for the dime. He won't 
 dare to keep it." 
 
 This seemed to be a very good idea ; and Bob 
 was willing to act upon it provided it would not 
 be necessary to wait too many moments, for time 
 was of more value just then, in his opinion, than 
 the money which had been extorted from Josiah. 
 
 Fortunately they were not delayed a great while, 
 for Bob had hardly hidden himself behind a clump 
 of shrubbery, before two of the park guards were 
 seen approaching from either end of the street ; 
 and he called Tom's attention to the fact by 
 saying : — 
 
A Midnight Alarm. Ill 
 
 " Come on ! Now's our time, an' we don't want 
 the policemen to hear if we can help it, 'cause 
 they'll make us stay as witnesses." 
 
 "Go ahead, an' I'll stand right at your back. 
 Give it to him good and strong." 
 
 This advice was not necessary, for Bob was so 
 thoroughly in earnest that he had no idea of " giv- 
 ing it " to him in any other way than " strong." 
 
 The boy who had wrongfully collected Josiah's 
 dime saw the three as they crossed the street 
 toward him, and, as a matter of course, recognized 
 his victim. He turned as if to beat a hasty re- 
 treat, but, seeing the officer, wheeled once more, 
 only to face a second guard, and then stood at bay. 
 
 " Look here, young feller, you pulled ten cents 
 outer my friend, an' I want you to give it back to 
 him mighty quick," Bob said sternly. 
 
 " Oh, you do, eh? S'pose you try to make me." 
 
 " I 'low it wouldn't be sich a terrible big job, 
 anyhow ; but I've got other business on hand jest 
 now, an' I'm reckonin' you'll give it up rather'n 
 have me tell a policeman." 
 
 For an instant it seemed as if the boy meditated 
 resistance ; and then he must have realized how 
 
112 Josiah in New York, 
 
 useless such a course would be, for he delivered 
 the money to Bob, as he started at full speed across 
 the lawn, regardless of the warning signs to u keep 
 off the grass," striking Josiah a heavy blow on the 
 side of the head as he departed. 
 
 " Here, take your dime ! I'll thump the nose 
 offer that feller! " Bob cried angrily, as he handed 
 the money to Josiah, and was on the point of pur- 
 suing the enemy, when Tom caught him by the 
 arm. 
 
 "Now, don't go to makin' a fool of yourself, 
 'cause they'll have you in the station-house quick- 
 er' n lightnin' if you try anything like that ! 
 Better let him go, an' say no more 'bout it." 
 
 u But what did he hit Josiah for? I ain't goin' 
 to stand still an' let him thump my visitors." 
 
 44 You can't help yourself, now it's done. It's 
 only a case of gettin' inter trouble if you keep on 
 this way," Tom said sharply, and Josiah added : — 
 
 44 Don't pay any attention to him, Bob. It 
 didn't hurt me so very much, an' I oughter got it 
 worse'n that for bein' so mighty green." 
 
 It was with difficulty that Master Green re- 
 strained his anger, and perhaps he might not have 
 
A Midnight Alarm. 113 
 
 been able to do so but for the fact that Tom 
 reminded him they were wasting time which should 
 be spent viewing the animals ; therefore he con- 
 tented himself by saying threateningly : — 
 
 u I'll lay for that feller. Jest as likely's not 
 we'll catch him down town sometime, an' then 
 he'll find out whether he can come 'round stealin' 
 money, an' knocking the heads offer fellers without 
 gettin' as good as he sends, or not." 
 
 " That's the style ! Wait till we get him on our 
 own ground, an' then pay him up. Now come on ; 
 we've fooled more'n an hour away, an' before you 
 know what's what it'll be time to go home." 
 
 Then, without waiting to parley further, Tom 
 started off in the direction of the zoological col- 
 lection, and his companions could do no less than 
 follow. 
 
114 Jonah in New York. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 
 
 Even if the bogus collector of admissions to 
 Central Park had dealt him a much heavier blow 
 than really was the case, Josiah would have for- 
 gotten about the injury entirely, in the amazement 
 and delight with which he viewed the inmates of 
 the monkey -cage. 
 
 Never but once before had he seen any of these 
 long-tailed animals ; and that single occasion was 
 when an organ-grinder, with such a companion, 
 visited Berry's Corner, to the intense delight of 
 the younger portion of the population, and the 
 annoyance of their elders. 
 
 But that monkey, held by a chain, and buckled 
 into a coat so small that he could hardly breathe, 
 was an entirely different sort of an animal from 
 those who were revelling in the semi-freedom oi 
 
The Zoological Collection. 115 
 
 the cage ; and it seemed to Josiah as if he would 
 never weary of looking at them. 
 
 With a reckless disregard of the amount of 
 money on hand, and an utter forgetfulness of the 
 presents which he wished to carry home to his 
 parents, Josiah purchased peanuts and cookies for 
 the purpose of feeding the occupants of the 
 monkey-house, until there was every danger his 
 supply of ready cash would be entirely exhausted 
 
 What seemed to him quite remarkable was the 
 tact that so many of the animals resembled certain 
 inhabitants of Berry's Corner. 
 
 More than once he called the attention of his 
 friends to a striking likeness between these crea- 
 tures and some of his acquaintances, and repeated 
 over and over again that he would be willing to 
 cut his visit very much shorter than had originally 
 been intended, if ! y so doing his father and mother 
 could see the woncui ful antl 3 of the agn^ animals. 
 
 Bob and Tom were turced to literally drag him 
 away from the entrancing scene, in order to prevent 
 complete bankruptcy ; and even though not less 
 than two hours had been spent in this particular 
 building, it seemed to* him as if he had hardly 
 entered before he was outside once more. 
 
116 Josiah in New York. 
 
 His friends had led him in turn to where the 
 elephants, buffaloes, and bears could be seen, and 
 at each enclosure he made the same remark : — 
 
 " I'd rather stay in the monkey-house, than go 
 all over this park a dozen times ; " and since their 
 sole purpose was to afford him amusement, it be- 
 came necessary to allow him to return to the spot 
 where, in his mind, was centred the chief attrac- 
 tion of Central Park. 
 
 Not until nearly night-fall was he willing to 
 drag himself away from this delightful occupation ; 
 and even then it is barely possible he might have 
 made some protest against departure, but for the 
 fact that the buildings were being closed for the 
 evening. 
 
 With a long-drawn sigh he walked slowly on 
 with his companions, and as the distance between 
 himseL and the prototypes of Berry's Corner's 
 most distinguished citizens was increased, he began 
 to think of his rapidly decreasing capital. 
 
 " I tell you it costs somethin' to live in the 
 city," he said, instinctively placing his hand over 
 the shrunken pocket-book. " Why, at home I can't 
 get a chance to spend a dollar in a month ; but here 
 
The Zoological Collection. 117 
 
 it seems as if it was pourin' out all the time. 
 I don't know what'll become of me if I stay a great 
 while.' , 
 
 " When a feller's on a spree money goes pretty 
 fast," Master Bartlett replied philosophically. 
 ki But you've still got the woodchuck skins to sell, 
 an' they oughter bring a good price. We'll tend 
 to 'em in the mornin'." 
 
 " It'll come kinder hard on me if I don't get 
 somewhere near what I've been figgerin' on," 
 Josiah said thoughtfully, " 'cause I've been goin' 
 it mighty strong since I struck this town." 
 
 " You mustn't bother your head 'bout that. You 
 don't come down here so very often, an' can 'ford 
 to blow yourself pretty well when you do strike 
 the city. A hundred years from now it won't 
 make any difference." 
 
 " I ain't lookin' ahead so far as that," Josiah 
 replied grimly. " The hundred-year part of it'll 
 be all right ; but I'm thinkin' 'bout the balance of 
 this week." 
 
 u We'll see you through ; " and then Tom dis- 
 missed the matter, as if advancing his friend several 
 dollars would be nothing more than an ordinary 
 
118 Josiah in New York. 
 
 business transaction to which he was thoroughly 
 well accustomed. 
 
 The ride down town in the elevated cars was not 
 as pleasant as the one in the morning had been, 
 owing to the fact that it was now dark, and there 
 was less to be seen, while the visitor was decidedly 
 tired. 
 
 The walk from the station to Baker's Court 
 seemed unusually long, and the supper, even though 
 it was served in the stuffy kitchen, was appreciated 
 to its fullest extent. 
 
 Had Josiah consulted his own inclination, he 
 would have retired immediately after the evening 
 meal was brought to a close ; but Bob and Torn 
 were eager their friend should view Brooklyn 
 Bridge in the night, when the lights of the city 
 formed a brilliant background, and almost reluc- 
 tantly Josiah allowed himself to be conducted from 
 the court once more. 
 
 " By gracious ! If I get used up walkin' 'round 
 havin' a good time, what must it be for that little 
 match-girl, who's on her feet all day, an' with not 
 half enough to eat? " 
 
 44 Well, it's tough, of course," Tom said thought- 
 
The Zodlogical Collection. 119 
 
 fully ; " but there's a good many of us got the same 
 kind of a snap, an' I don't reckon she's any worse 
 off than lots I could pick up." 
 
 " S'pose she's had any supper to-night ? " 
 
 " Now see here, Josiah," and Tom spoke very 
 decidedly. " It's no kind of use for you to spoil 
 your good time thinkin' 'bout her. She'll get 
 along jest the same's before you come, an' won't 
 have it any harder." 
 
 " I s'pose that's so," Josiah said half to himself ; 
 " you see, I never thought there could be so much 
 trouble in the city, where it seems as if everybody 
 has money." 
 
 " There's a good many of 'em ain't got any, an' 
 that's a fact. If you're so stuck on seein' Sadie 
 agin, we'll make it our business to flash her up 
 when there's nothin' on hand ; but as I said this 
 mornin', she'd better stay where she is while we're 
 busy." 
 
 Josiah realized that his friends were not at all 
 pleased by his frequent reference to the little 
 match-girl, and he remained silent ; but there was 
 beginning to spring up in his mind a plan which he 
 hoped might be carried into execution. 
 
120 Jonah in New York. 
 
 It is just possible that the friends of the young 
 gentleman from Berry's Corner made a mistake in 
 introducing him to the Brooklyn Bridge during 
 the evening, or perhaps he was too tired to appre- 
 ciate that wonderful structure ; but certain it is, 
 he did not evince the surprise or admiration which 
 Tom and Bob had expected, and even complained 
 of the distance, saying, after they had walked with 
 him across and back, that he would have " liked it a 
 good deal better if it wasn't more'n half as long." 
 
 Upon their return to Baker's Court it was not 
 necessary for Mrs. Bartlett to urge the party to 
 retire. 
 
 There was nothing the visitor could think of that 
 would be so refreshing as a bed just then ; and he 
 believed no pleasure could be greater than that of 
 being able to lie down in his own room, with the 
 knowledge that his mother was within call, even 
 though by such change in his surroundings his 
 visit to the city would be materially shortened. 
 
 When Josiah awakened next morning the first 
 thought in his mind was that of the money spent 
 during the previous day, his second as to whether 
 Sadie had had any breakfast, and the third, re- 
 garding the amount he would receive for the fur. 
 
The Zodlogical Collection, 121 
 
 "We're goin' down to Coney Island to-day," 
 Bob cried as his guest awakened him. " Tom an' 
 me'll see to the tickets, an' we're countin' on the 
 biggest kind of a time." 
 
 "But I must go up to the fur store, else I'll 
 spend all my money, an' won't have any left to 
 buy presents for father an' mother." 
 
 "Well, we'll do that right after breakfast," 
 Tom replied. 
 
 An hour later the three boys left Baker's Court, 
 Josiah carrying the fruits of his labor as a trapper 
 closely wrapped in an old newspaper, and feeling 
 just a trifle uneasy about entering the city shops. 
 
 It was hardly probable the establishment would 
 be open at such an early hour ; and, knowing they 
 had plenty of time at their disposal, Tom proposed 
 to go around Broadway to Printing House Square, 
 where he had agreed to meet Billy Foss, who was 
 to accompany them to Coney Island. 
 
 Master Foss was a small merchant, both in point 
 of stature and his transactions in the newspaper 
 line ; an industrious one also, as could be told from 
 the fact that, although intending to take a day's 
 vacation, he was devoting the earlier hours of the 
 morning to business. 
 
122 Josiah in New York. 
 
 "It's all right,'* he said when Tom explained 
 that they were going up Broadway before starting 
 on the excursion. " I wanted to sell a few papers 
 so's all the day wouldn't be wasted, an' I'll jest 
 about be through when you get back. Meet me 
 down to the Herald office." 
 
 Then Tom led the way up Chatham Street, and 
 Josiah saw the girl of whom he was at that moment 
 thinking. 
 
 " Hello, Sadie, how's trade ? " Bob shouted. 
 
 " I haven't sold a box this mornin'. It seems as 
 if nobody needed matches ; an' I reckon I'll have to 
 go into the newspaper business, even if the boys 
 are rough." 
 
 " Does she ever make very much ? " Josiah asked 
 in a whisper, as they were approaching the child. 
 
 " No, an' I don't know what she's goin' to do 
 when cold weather comes. Tom an' me help her 
 out as much as we can, an' some of the other fellers 
 chip in a little; but it's tough for her just the 
 same. I don't reckon she's had anything to eat 
 this mornin', 'cause most likely Mother Hunter 
 took all her money before she left the house." 
 
 At that moment Sadie found a customer for her 
 
The Zoological Collection, 123 
 
 wares, and the boys walked away, Tom shouting 
 when they were a few paces distant, that he would 
 see her as they came back. 
 
 Josiah immediately became very thoughtful. 
 
 While sight-seeing with his two friends, he had 
 forgotten Sadie and her troubles to a certain extent ; 
 but now, as he saw her at her work, all she had 
 told him came into his mind, and he grew down- 
 hearted, regardless of the fact that he was soon to 
 see the wonders of Coney Island. 
 
 He was beginning to learn that hunger and want 
 are frequent visitors in cities ; and as he thought of 
 Berry's Corner, where all who were willing to work 
 could find some way to earn sufficient money for 
 their necessities, the metropolis lost very much of 
 its beauty in his eyes. 
 
 On arriving at the shop a short distance above 
 Canal Street, the boys found it open, consequently 
 there need be no time wasted in waiting, as had 
 been feared. 
 
 The woodchuck skins were not as valuable, in 
 this particular dealer's estimation, as Josiah had 
 fancied. 
 
 The merchant examined them, expressed con- 
 
124 Jbriah in New York. 
 
 siderable dissatisfaction at the method of curing, 
 and ended by offering fifteen cents for each. 
 
 This was so much less than the boys expected, 
 that they would not accept the offer, and during the 
 next hour went from shop to shop, but without 
 meeting any better success. 
 
 It really seemed as if every furrier in town had 
 conspired against the trapper from Berry's Corner, 
 and had set the price of supposedly valuable pelts 
 at a ridiculously low figure. 
 
 " Are you goin' to sell them for that ? " Bob 
 asked when they emerged from one of the largest 
 establishments on Broadway, where the clerks 
 would not even examine the skins, after being told 
 they were woodchucks. 
 
 " What else can I do ? " and Josiah spoke in a 
 mournful tone. 4t Father says they mustn't lay 
 'round the house in the winter, an' mother won't 
 have 'em there in the summer on account of the 
 moths, so I'd better give the whole lot away than 
 carry 'em home again." 
 
 11 Then let's go back to the first store, 'cause that 
 man acted squarer than the rest, and didn't put on 
 so many airs." 
 
The Zoological Collection. 126 
 
 Josiah was greatly troubled in mind. 
 
 He had been almost recklessly extravagant since 
 he arrived, believing the amount received from the 
 fur would give him all the spending money needed, 
 and with that idea had invited Sadie to accompany 
 him to the museum on the Bowery. 
 
 Now, however, the utmost economy would be 
 necessary, probably at the expense of the presents 
 to his parents, and he must count carefully the 
 pennies in order that all his hoard might not be 
 exhausted before his father arrived. 
 
 " I have been a big fool/* he said to himself; 
 " but who would have thought things were so high 
 in the city ? Now I've got to go on with the 
 racket even though the last cent is spent, an' I 
 don't have anything to carry home." 
 
 By the time these mournful reflections were 
 brought to a close they were at the shop first visited, 
 and the trapper from Berry's Corner received the 
 amount offered for his furs. 
 
 The sixty cents were deposited in the huge 
 wallet, and the boys turned toward the City Hall 
 once more, Tom urging them on at full speed in 
 order that they might leave for Coney Island at the 
 earliest possible moment. 
 
126 Jonah in New York. 
 
 But it was as if Josiah could not walk rapidly. 
 
 He paid no attention to the alluring shop win- 
 dows, neither did he appear to hear what his com- 
 panions said to him, until they were crossing 
 Chambers Street, when Bob cried impatiently : — 
 
 " If you don't hurry up we won't get there till 
 noon. So long as we've got to spend our money 
 for it, we may as well scoop in the whole show." 
 
 Then it was Josiah suddenly awakened to the 
 fact that his companions were urging him to greater 
 speed ; and he said abruptly, as he halted and seized 
 both boys by the arms to insure attention : — 
 
 " See here, fellers, it'll cost considerable money 
 to go there, won't it ? " 
 
 " Bob an' I've 'greed to pay for everything. 
 u We've been savin' up to give you a good time, 
 an' it'll be done in style." 
 
 " Hold on a minute," and Josiah spoke hurriedly, 
 as if almost ashamed of what he was about to say. 
 " I'd like to see the place, 'cause I want to know 
 how the ocean looks ; but when I think of that 
 little match-girl without anybody to help her, it 
 don't seem's if it was right to spend so much money 
 jest for fun." 
 
The Zoological Collection. 127 
 
 44 Do you mean to say we oughter give it to her ? " 
 Tom asked in surprise. 
 
 " It would do more good than for us to spend it 
 havin' a swell time." 
 
 " You wouldn't have much money if you staid 
 'round here givin' it to every feller that was hard 
 up," Tom replied quite sharply. " There's more'n 
 a hundred jest as bad off as she is, an' we can't help 
 'em all. Both of us give her a few pennies when 
 we've had a good day's work ; but sometimes it's 
 tough scrapin' to get enough for ourselves." 
 
 u Now don't spoil all our fun," Bob added. 
 " You've come down where you never was before, 
 an' we wanter kind of square up for the good time 
 out to the farm ; but how are we goin' to do it if 
 you get soft on everybody what's in trouble ? Let's 
 go to Coney Island now, an' to-morrow, if you say 
 so, we'll give her a nickle apiece." 
 
 Josiah realized that he ought not interfere with 
 the plans of his friends, neither was it for him 
 to say whether they should devote their money to 
 almsgiving, and he replied : — 
 
 " I'll tell you what I wish you'd let me do : I 
 haven't got a great deal of spare cash ; but I'd like 
 
128 Jonah in New York. 
 
 to take her with us, an' am willin' to pay all she 
 costs. It'll be a big thing for her, an' won't spoil 
 our fun." 
 
 Tom and Bob hesitated, because they were just 
 a trifle uncertain as to how Master Foss might 
 fancy this unexpected addition to the party ; and 
 Josiah continued, in order to make his meaning 
 more plain : — 
 
 " If she goes, I want to be sure an' pay her bills, 
 an' I'll see that she ain't in you fellers' way." 
 
 " Well, s'pose we try it? " Bob said to Tom after 
 a short pause. " It won't do any harm ; an' if it's 
 goin' to give him a better time, why we oughter let 
 her come." 
 
 " All right ; you go after her with him, an' I'll 
 snoop down to the Herald office so's to kind of 
 break it gently to Bill. It might not do to flash 
 the thing too sudden on him, 'cause he never did 
 think much of girls." 
 
 Tom hurried away as he ceased speaking, while 
 Josiah and Bob continued on to Chatham Square, 
 where they plunged Sadie into a state of bewilder- 
 ment and amazement, by inviting her to spend the 
 entire day at Coney Island. 
 
The Zoological Collection, 129 
 
 "Do you think I look fit? " she asked anxiously. 
 
 "Course you do," Josiah replied promptly; 
 " besides, nobody's goin' to see you." 
 
 This was sufficient for the child ; and, stopping 
 only long enough to deposit her tray of matches 
 with the friendly shopkeeper, she joined the boys, 
 Josiah feeling fully repaid for the money he was 
 about to spend, by the look of gratitude which 
 lighted up the pale face. 
 
ISO Jonah in New York. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE EXCURSION. 
 
 Tom was overtaken before he had walked very 
 far; and although he and Bob had consented to 
 Josiah's inviting Sadie to accompany them on the 
 excursion, neither felt that it was exactly the 
 proper thing for them to have " a girl taggin' on 
 behind," as some of their acquaintances afterwards 
 described it. 
 
 They would have been glad for Sadie to enjoy 
 herself in some other direction than with them ; and 
 during the journey to the Herald office, where 
 Master Foss was to be met, the newsdealers kept 
 considerably in advance of their guest and the 
 match-girl, as if not willing to admit that the two 
 were a portion of their party. 
 
 " I expect the fellows will jest 'bout guy the life 
 out of us for takin' her along," Bob whispered to 
 
The Excursion. 181 
 
 Tom ; " but I didn't see any other way after Josiah 
 was so set upon her goin'. " 
 
 " Never mind what they say, so long 's we've got 
 her," Tom replied ; " but I think we oughter put 
 our foot down against her comin' in the first place, 
 'cause she's goin' to break the fun all up before 
 night, an' I don't feel like puttin' out good money 
 without gettin' somethin' back." 
 
 There was no further opportunity to discuss the 
 unexpected state of affairs; for at this moment 
 Master Foss hailed them from the opposite side of 
 the street, and, before he could cross, Sadie and 
 Josiah had joined the party. 
 
 Bill looked first at the match-girl, and then at 
 his friends, in an inquiring manner, and appeared 
 so thoroughly disturbed in mind that Bob motioned 
 him to step into an unoccupied door-way, where he 
 whispered hoarsely : — 
 
 " We couldn't help it, Bill, for a fact. You see, 
 Josiah's stuck on takin' her 'round 'cause he thinks 
 she don't have many good times, an' we was bound 
 to do as he wanted, for when we was out to his 
 place everything we said went." 
 
 "An' is she goin' all the way with us?" Bill 
 asked anxiously. 
 
132 Josiah in New York. 
 
 " That's jest the size of it. " 
 
 " Well, I wish I had known it beforehand ; you 
 wouldn't have caught me givin' up a day's work 
 for the sake of haulin' her 'round." 
 
 "Now see here." Tom said, as he approached 
 quickly, understanding from the delay that the 
 6mall newsdealer was entering his protest against 
 this unexpected addition to the partj', " there's no 
 use kickin', an' we've got to make the best of 
 it. Don't get on your ear 'bout a little thing like 
 that, an* we'll have jest as good a time as we know 
 how." 
 
 Sadie was so thoroughly delighted with the pros- 
 pect of seeing Coney Island, a place of which she 
 had heard but never visited, that she paid no at- 
 tention to the delay which was caused by Master 
 Foss ; but Josiah fancied he knew why his friends 
 remained so long in the door-way, and it disturbed 
 him not a little that he should have been the means 
 of marring the day's pleasure in even the slightest 
 degree. 
 
 At the same time he would have felt uncomfort- 
 able in mind had he gone on this pleasuring alone, 
 knowing it would afford the match-girl so much 
 
The Excursion. 133 
 
 enjoyment ; and he began to talk very loudly to 
 her regarding the vehicles in the street, the pedes- 
 trians on the sidewalk, or anything which met his 
 gaze at the instant, in order to prevent her from 
 becoming suspicious as to the true state of affairs. 
 
 Fortunately Sadie was so excited that she would 
 hardly have paid attention had the excursion been 
 delayed an hour ; and when the three boys finally 
 emerged from the door-way, Bill Foss looking de- 
 cidedly ill-tempered, she had no idea her coming 
 had caused either embarrassment or ill-feeling. 
 
 44 1 suppose she'll have to go, now the thing's 
 fixed/' Bill had said when the interview was 
 brought to an end ; " but I won't walk along the 
 streets with her, that's all there is about it." 
 
 "You don't have to," Bob said soothingly. 
 44 Josiah an' she can take care of themselves, an' 
 we'll keep a little ways ahead so's nobody'll know 
 Sadie's with us at all." 
 
 In pursuance of this plan Bill walked rapidly, 
 and more than once before the pier was reached 
 did it become necessary for Bob and Tom to urge 
 their country friend to quicken his pace. 
 
 44 We want to take the next boat," the latter said 
 
134 Josiah in New York. 
 
 impatiently, " an' you'll have time enough to look 
 into the store windows when we get back. If you 
 don't make him come fast, Sadie, we'll never get 
 there." 
 
 This threat was sufficient to cause the match-girl 
 to urge Josiah on when he was tempted to stop at 
 any unusual display, and they had ample time in 
 which to make arrangements for the trip on the 
 steamer. 
 
 Bob and Tom had proposed to assume all ex- 
 penses of the day's outing, and to that end the 
 former stepped toward the ticket-office ; but Josiah 
 objected, saying in a whisper as he forced some 
 coins into his friend's hand : — 
 
 u I agreed to stand what Sadie cost, so you must 
 take this." 
 
 " I sha'n't do anything of the kind. Tom an' I 
 are treatin' this time, an' we're goin' to do it in the 
 best shape we know how." 
 
 " But I dragged her along, an' it ain't any more'n 
 fair I should pay for it." 
 
 " I might have let you, if you'd got anything out 
 of the woodchuck skins ; but they went so awful 
 cheap, I reckon you'll need all the money you've 
 got before your father comes." 
 
The Excursion. 136 
 
 Josiah urged the acceptance of the coins ; but 
 all to no purpose, and the young gentleman from 
 Berry's Corner felt more disturbed in mind than 
 ever as they walked across the gang-plank, for he 
 was aware that by his invitation the amount which 
 Tom and Bob had laid aside for the excursion 
 would be sensibly reduced. 
 
 The music of the Italian band, the steamer (for, 
 with the exception of the ferry-boat, he had never 
 been on board one before), as well as the crowds of 
 people, soon served to drive from Josiah's mind 
 everything save that which was passing immedi- 
 ately before him, and during the trip to the Island 
 lie was in a state of surprise and delight amount- 
 ing almost to bewilderment. 
 
 His first sensations were of fear lest the boat, 
 crowded to what he fancied was a dangerous ex- 
 tent, would sink beneath her heavy cargo ; but 
 since nothing of the kind happened immediately 
 after leaving the dock, he recovered from his alarm, 
 and began to think it possible she might be sea- 
 worthy, although he was confident a dozen more 
 people would swamp her. 
 
 The different craft on the river, or lying at the 
 
136 Jonah in New York. 
 
 docks, the tooting of whistles, and the confusion 
 on the decks, caused it to seem as if he was in a 
 different world from that in which he had lived 
 while on the farm, and more than once he whispered 
 to Sadie : — 
 
 " I'd be willin' to go home this very minute, if 
 mother an' father could be here long enough to see 
 these things. I've heard 'bout vessels ; but I 
 didn't b'lieve there could be so many in the world, 
 an* as for water, why the brook at the farm ain't 
 anywhere ! " 
 
 Bill Foss, afraid of being suspected as one of 
 the party, remained quite a distance from the others, 
 which forced either Tom or Bob to stay with him 
 in order to play the part of host, therefore both of 
 them were not near Josiah during the entire trip, 
 as they would have preferred ; but this enforced 
 absence did not prevent him from seeing all the 
 sights brought into view during the passage, and 
 when they finally arrived at their destination he 
 had a better idea of the size of New York harbor 
 than ever before. 
 
 Once on the dock the question arose as to how 
 to begin what Tom and Bob intended should be a 
 "dizzy round of pleasure." 
 
The Excursion. 137 
 
 Bill was quite as much averse to being seen with 
 "a girl in the crowd," as while in New York; and 
 for a short time the hosts were sadly at a loss to 
 know how the entertainment could be conducted, 
 in order to give the proper amount of attention to 
 each of their guests. 
 
 Fortunately, at this moment Sadie and Josiah 
 were delighted by a view of the flying-horses in 
 full operation, and at the same instant Master Foss 
 was attracted by a game of ball in which the tar- 
 get was a negro's head ; and Bob whispered : — 
 
 " Here's our chance ! You get them two on the 
 horses, an' I'll see that Bill has a show to hit the 
 nigger if he can." 
 
 Neither of the hosts participated in the pleasure, 
 except as a spectator ; but it appeared to be enjoy- 
 ment enough for them, and when fifteen minutes 
 had passed, this portion of the programme was 
 brought to a close. 
 
 Bill did not succeed in striking the target ; but 
 the exercise, together with the fact that it was 
 what he called " a free blow" so far as he was con- 
 cerned, had put him in the best of humor, there- 
 fore, with a magnanimity which caused his friends 
 
138 Josiah in New York. 
 
 no slight amount of pleasure, he was willing to so 
 far unbend his dignity as to walk not more than a 
 few yards in advance of Sadie. 
 
 Five cents were invested in "nigger eye-balls," 
 five more in " bolivars," and then the sight-seers 
 promenaded the entire length of the beach, past all 
 the booths, stopping here and there to see some 
 free entertainment given as an attraction to a res- 
 taurant or saloon, remaining at each one until the 
 proprietor or an employee suggested that it was 
 time for them to be " moving for they didn't bring 
 any trade to the place." 
 
 This portion of the sight-seeing had occupied 
 the remainder of the forenoon, and then came what 
 the hosts intended should be, and Tom announced 
 was, the "boss part of the day." 
 
 " We're goin' right in here, an' every one is to 
 have a plate of clam chowder," he said with the 
 air of a millionaire, if indeed millionaires indulge 
 in clam chowder at Coney Island. 
 
 Sadie's eyes opened wide with astonishment as 
 the daring Tom led the way into a restaurant even 
 more magnificent than the " Jim Fisk " establish- 
 ment on Chatham Street ; and, halting his party in 
 
The Excursion. 139 
 
 the centre of the room, he announced to one of 
 the waiters with not so much as a tremor of his 
 eyelids, that they had " come for a chowder." 
 
 The man looked at these intended customers a 
 moment, as if to decide whether they had sufficient 
 money to pay for the desired refreshments, and 
 then motioned them to a table at the farther cor- 
 ner of the room, although one near the window 
 was without an occupant. 
 
 Tom was about to obey the mute command, when 
 Bob stopped him by saying in a hoarse whisper : — 
 
 " Look here, if we've got to pay for these chow- 
 ders jest the same as anybody else, I'm goin' to set 
 where I want to ; " and he boldly took a chair from 
 the desired table, seating himself with the air of 
 one who knows his rights and is determined to 
 have them, while the others, with more or less 
 trepidation, followed his example. 
 
 Bill Foss did his best to appear perfectly at 
 ease, and so far succeeded that he actually took a 
 fragment of cracker from the plate, and began 
 eating it as if he had a perfect right to indulge 
 his appetite in whatever manner should please him 
 most. 
 
140 Joaiah in New York, 
 
 Sadie and Josiah looked uncomfortable, anil 
 probably were, during the time of waiting for their 
 refreshments. 
 
 Both sat on the edge of their chairs as if unde- 
 cided whether it would be wise to occupy them in 
 a proper manner ; and each gazed at the other in 
 fear and trembling when Bill, emboldened by his 
 first attempt, broke off a second and larger piece 
 of the biscuit, putting it in his mouth at imminent 
 risk of strangling himself. 
 
 Tom, thinking of the very important portion of 
 the feast, whispered to Bob : — 
 
 " Why didn't you ask him how much they'd 
 charge to fill us up with chowder ? " 
 
 " What would I do that for? I reckon they'll 
 tell us when we get through eatin', an' this firm 
 has got money enough to stand the shot, don't you 
 be afraid of that." 
 
 It certainly seemed as if the waiter was troubled 
 with the same misgivings as Tom ; for before bring- 
 ing them what had been ordered, he returned to 
 the table and asked : — 
 
 " Do you want one check, or five, for theae 
 chowders ? " 
 
The Excursion. 141 
 
 He looked directly at Josiah as he spoke ; and 
 the boy from Berry's Corner was beginning to feel 
 much more uncomfortable than before, when Bob 
 said decidedly : — 
 
 " I don't know how many we want ; but I'm 
 goin' to pay for the whole crowd.'' 
 
 The waiter took a check from among a number 
 of others in his apron pocket, and placed it before 
 the generous host, as if to intimate that it would 
 be better to settle in advance, while a look of con- 
 sternation, which he tried in vain to hide, came 
 upon Master Green's face as his eyes rested on the 
 printed figures. 
 
 Bill leaned over in order to see more clearly, and 
 then gave vent to a whistle of astonishment ; but 
 Bob was determined the waiter should not think 
 him unaccustomed to such bills, and with no little 
 difficulty counted out the required amount. 
 
 " How much was it?" Tom asked anxiously, 
 when the waiter had disappeared. 
 
 " A dollar and a quarter ! " 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " That's what I said. I tell you they oughter 
 bring along a slat of stuff if they're goin' to charge 
 
142 Jo%iah in New York, 
 
 that much for it. I was countin' on havin' a pretty 
 swell dinner ; but I guess the chowder is 'bout as 
 far as we'll go if things keep on at this rate." 
 
 " Well, I reckon they give a good deal, an' that's 
 why the price is so high," Bill said in a soothing 
 tone, and once more made an attack upon the 
 crackers. " Of course if a feller gets all he can 
 eat, I don't know as it's very much, considerin' 
 we're down to Coney Island." 
 
 Now Josiah was more distressed than ever, be- 
 cause he had added to the liabilities of his friends, 
 and he whispered to Bob : — 
 
 "If you're runnin' short I can let you have 
 some." 
 
 " Oh, it's all right. I'll get through. We didn't 
 'low to spend less'n that for dinner, so we're solid." 
 
 Then the party waited anxiously to see how 
 much chowder they were to receive for the 
 large amount of money expended; and when it 
 was finally brought Bill Foss exclaimed, even be- 
 fore the waiter had left the table : — 
 
 " I'll tell you, fellers, this is growin' too rich for 
 my blood ! Twenty-five cents apiece for them lit- 
 tle bowls of chowder, when I can get all I can 
 
The Excursion. 143 
 
 carry away for five cents, up to the Jim Fisk 
 saloon, kinder looks hard." 
 
 " Well, don't say anything about it now, Billy. 
 We've got inter the scrape, an' might jest as well 
 enjoy ourselves. There ain't much of it, I know; 
 but perhaps it's awful nice," and Bob set a good 
 example to his friends by attacking his portion 
 without delay. 
 
 During the next ten minutes the pleasure-seek- 
 ers did not indulge in any extended conversation. 
 
 The time was fully occupied in trying to ex- 
 tract the value of their money from the food before 
 them, and they had no opportunity for anything 
 else. 
 
 It was not until the last crumb had disappeared 
 that Bill Foss asked, as he pushed his chair back 
 a few inches to show that he was perfectly at 
 ease: — 
 
 " Well, fellers, now we've filled up, whater we 
 goin' to do?" 
 
 " Come outside," Bob replied ; and as the party 
 gained the board-walk he added, " The rest of you 
 stay here while I talk to Tom a minute." 
 
 " They're goin' to count up the cash," Bill Foss 
 
144 Jonah in Neiv York. 
 
 whispered as the two stepped behind a candy booth, 
 and Sadie said to Josiah : — 
 
 " I'm sorry we went in there to dinner, for the 
 boys spent a good deal more'n they ought to." 
 
 " Now, don't you go to worryin' 'bout that. Us 
 fellers will 'tend to the money, an' if Tom an' Bob 
 haven't got enough I'm willin' to put out all there 
 is in my pocket." 
 
 Then the three waited in something very nearly 
 approaching anxious suspense to learn whether the 
 day's pleasuring was to end with the eating of the 
 chowder, or if there were sufficient funds at their 
 disposal to admit of a, more protracted stay. 
 
A Disappearance. 145 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A DISAPPEARANCE. 
 
 Bob and Tom looked decidedly relieved when 
 they returned from the private interview, and there 
 was really no need of questioning them as to the 
 state of their finances. 
 
 " It's all right," the former said in a tone of 
 relief. " We've got our tickets home, an' sixty 
 cents besides, so I reckon that will be enough to do 
 up all there is here. Now go in an' have the best 
 time you know how. What do you want to do, 
 Josiah?" 
 
 " I'm satisfied jest to walk 'round. There's no 
 place to go without spendin' a lot of money." 
 
 "But we're doin' the whole figger this time. 
 Tom an' Bill an' me can come down any day, while 
 you can't ; so we've made up our minds you shall 
 get all that's goin', an' we'll hold back." 
 
146 Josiah in New York. 
 
 " But I don't want to do anything of the kind," 
 and Josiah looked distressed. "There's no need 
 of spendin' more money, an', besides, I wouldn't go 
 into what you fellers couldn't share." 
 
 " Don't mind 'bout us. We'll look out for our- 
 selves. What do you want to do ? " 
 
 " Walk 'round a little while." 
 
 " I'll tell you what it is, we're goin' in swim- 
 min'," Bill Foss said decidedly. " I made up my 
 mind this mornin' that if I got to Coney Island 
 the first thing I did would be to go right inter the 
 water." 
 
 " But it costs as much as twenty-five cents 
 apiece to get a bathin' suit," Tom suggested. 
 
 " Well, s'posen it does ? We don't want to buy 
 any. I'm goin' jest as I am." 
 
 "You never could do that! How would you 
 look runnhV 'round here all wet ? " 
 
 " I wouldn't run much till I got dry. What's 
 the matter with layin' out on the sand in the sun ? 
 I don't wanter to put on any frills." 
 
 " What do you think of it, Josiah ? " Bob asked. 
 
 " I don't b'lieve I'd dare to go in where the 
 waves come up so high, an' besides, I'd a good deal 
 rather see the things 'round here." 
 
A Disappearance. 147 
 
 "I'll tell you how to fix it," Tom suggested. 
 " Of course Sadie can't go in, so what's to keep 
 her an' Josiah from doin' whatever they wanter for 
 half an hour ? Then we'll be dried out, an' ready 
 to chip in for what they say." 
 
 4 'That's the very thing!" and Josiah spoke 
 quickly lest his companions should object to the 
 scheme ; for he understood that by inviting Sadie 
 he had not only added to the expense, but cur- 
 tailed their pleasure to a very decided degree. 
 Since all three of the boys appeared eager for the 
 bath, he preferred seeing the sights in company 
 with the match-girl. 
 
 " Where'll we meet you when we get through? " 
 Tom asked. 
 
 " We'll come right here in half an hour," and 
 Josiah looked around to make certain of the land- 
 marks in the vicinity. 
 
 " Don't go too far away, else you might not get 
 back, an' we wanter take the boat mighty soon 
 after dark," Bob said, as Bill, impatient for his bath, 
 hurried away. 
 
 " I'll look out for that," Josiah replied confi- 
 dently. " You'll see us when you're ready to 
 leave." 
 
148 Josiah in New Yorh 
 
 The three boys walked rapidly toward the beach ; 
 and Josiah, feeling it incumbent upon himself to 
 play the part of entertainer, led Sadie to a canvas 
 tent, the outside of which was covered with gaudily- 
 painted representations of improbable animals in 
 the most glaring colors. 
 
 " Are you goin' in ? " she asked, halting in front 
 of the " band," which was represented by a hand- 
 organ. 
 
 " Yes, we want to see everything, an' might as 
 well begin right here." 
 
 " But it costs ten cents." 
 
 " I know it, an' s'pose we oughter wait till the 
 other fellers are with us; but we've got to do 
 something an' if they wanter see these things I'll 
 buy 'em tickets when they come back," Josiah 
 replied. " Then if it ain't good we shaVt be losin' 
 so much money." 
 
 Five minutes later the boy from Berry's Corner 
 was decidedly glad he had not waited to invite his 
 friends ; for the number of curiosities on exhibition 
 was so small as compared with those seen in the 
 " circus" on Chatham Square, as to make a dime 
 appear a greater extravagance than was the quarter 
 in the purchase of a clam chowder. 
 
A Disappearance, 149 
 
 " Well, they don't swindle me that way again," 
 he said a trifle impatiently as they came out from 
 the tent. " Why, the fellers in Berry's Corner 
 could rig up a better show than that for ten pins, 
 an' then not think they was doin' very much." 
 
 Sadie had nothing to say. 
 
 She was vexed because the exhibition was so 
 much less than what it had been represented, but 
 remained silent through fear of adding to Josiah's 
 disappointment, and the two walked up the beach 
 where there were very many entertaining things 
 to be seen free of charge. 
 
 During the next half-hour the sight-seers were 
 oblivious to the passage of time. 
 
 A kindly-disposed waiter at one of the saloons 
 on the board-walk allowed them to remain during 
 the performance of an alleged band of negro min- 
 strels, without intimating that they were bringing 
 in no custom to the establishment, and the exhibi- 
 tion was so thoroughly satisfactory that for a while 
 they forgot the engagement which should have 
 been kept some time previous. 
 
 " The fellers' 11 be waitin' for us, an' I expect 
 Bill Foss is pretty nigh fussin' hisself to death 
 
150 Josiah in New York. 
 
 'cause we don't come," Josiah said as he led his 
 companion away from the entrancing spot where 
 the music had held them spellbound. " It must be 
 'most an hour since we left 'em." 
 
 Sadie, who depended upon her generous friend 
 to show her the way, had given no heed to the 
 direction in which they traveled ; and now, when 
 they wished to return, she followed Josiah readily, 
 ignorant of the fact that he was walking directly 
 away from the appointed place of meeting. 
 
 The young gentleman from the country believed 
 he had a very good idea of the course which had 
 been pursued, and, as he thought, retraced it cor- 
 rectly, until fifteen or twenty minutes were spent 
 without bringing them to any familiar spot. 
 
 Then he halted in dismay, and looked around 
 helplessly. 
 
 " We've been goin' wrong," he said in the tone 
 of one who has made an important discovery ; and 
 Sadie replied, as if the matter was of little concern : 
 
 " Then we must go right back." 
 
 This was what Josiah most desired ; but whether 
 he would be able to do so or not, was another 
 matter. 
 
A Disappearance, 151 
 
 He could distinguish nothing to guide him on 
 his way, and stood in painful indecision until, 
 noticing a look of anxiety on Sadie's face, he 
 believed it necessary to prevent her from be- 
 coming alarmed, and therefore resolved to act 
 as if confident he knew exactly in which direction 
 to proceed. 
 
 It would have seemed a simple matter if he had 
 been able to inquire the way ; but, not know- 
 ing where he should go until he could see the 
 landmarks before noticed, it was impossible to 
 tell a third party where the boys had agreed to 
 meet him. 
 
 In addition to these troubles he was growing 
 weary ; but it was necessary to join his friends as 
 soon as possible, and he pushed on at the best pace 
 which he believed Sadie would be able to maintain. 
 
 Fifteen minutes more passed, and then the match- 
 girl understood the true position of affairs. 
 
 "You don't know where to go," she said, halt- 
 ing and looking up into Josiah's face. 
 
 " Well I don't, an' that's a fact." 
 
 " Neither do I." 
 
 " How are we goin' to find the fellers ? " and 
 
152 Josiah in New York. 
 
 now Josiah began to grow alarmed. " We can't 
 go home 'cause Bob has got the tickets, 'cept I 
 pay another fare, an' I don't wanter leave while 
 they're huntin' for us. I expect Bill Foss is tearin' 
 mad by this time. It must be as much as two hours 
 since we left 'em." 
 
 " How would it do if I went one way, an' you 
 the other?" Sadie asked. 
 
 " I reckon that would make us worse off than 
 ever, 'cause how could we meet again ? S'posen 
 you found 'em, you wouldn't know where I was." 
 
 "Yes, that's true ; but we mustn't stand here ;" 
 and this time she took the lead, Josiah following 
 meekly behind. 
 
 If they could have arrived at the rendezvous at 
 that very moment, they would not have found their 
 friends. 
 
 Their hosts and Master Foss were at the ap- 
 pointed place very nearly in due season ; and after 
 waiting fifteen or twenty minutes, their impatience 
 became so great that inaction was no longer pos- 
 sible. 
 
 " I knew jest how it would be when you brought 
 a girl along," Bill said angrily; " they're allers 
 
A Disappearance. 153 
 
 breakin' up a feller's snap, an' why she wasn't left 
 behind is more'n I know. If that boy from the 
 country is so anxious to have 'era taggin' 'round 
 after him, let him wait till he goes home. It costs 
 too much for us to come down here, an' lose the 
 best part of the day jest because of her." 
 
 Inasmuch as Bill had not paid or offered to pay 
 any portion of the expenses, it was unkind, to say 
 the least, for him to make this remark ; but neither 
 Bob nor Tom appeared to take any notice of it. 
 
 Both were as eager as Bill to enjoy every mo- 
 ment of the visit, but did not feel that they had 
 any right to blame their guest for the delay. 
 
 " I s'pose there are so many things to see that 
 he don't know how long he's been gone," Bob sug- 
 gested. " If you an' Tom wanter go off, I'll stay 
 here an' wait for 'em ; we'll kinder split the thing 
 up so's you won't lose a great deal of the sport." 
 
 u There's no fun if the whole crowd ain't to- 
 gether," Master Foss replied with the air of one 
 who is determined to feel thoroughly miserable, 
 and he seated himself in a martyr-like fashion on 
 the edge of the board walk. 
 
 During the next five minutes he allowed his 
 
154 Josiah in New York. 
 
 friends to see how unhappy they had made him, 
 and then began grumbling once more. 
 
 " We might jest as well go home, an' a good deal 
 better'n to set 'round here. What fun is there in 
 this ? I'd rather be up to City Hall Park where 
 the fellers are, an' besides, see how much money 
 I'm losin' ! All this afternoon's business gone for 
 the sake of hangin' on to an old sidewalk down to 
 Coney Island." 
 
 Bill continued his complaints in a similar fashion 
 for a long while, without receiving any reply, and 
 then Bob's patience was exhausted. 
 
 " See here," he said sharply. " Tom an' me 
 couldn't help this, an' I don't reckon Josiah means 
 to do anything out of the way ; but if you feel bad 
 at havin' to stay here a little while, s'pose you 
 start off by yourself ? " 
 
 " I don't wanter go without the crowd ; but I'd 
 rather be at home." 
 
 " Here's your ticket. We're bound to wait for 
 Josiah if he don't get back till mornin', 'cause all 
 we came here for was to give him a good time, an' 
 I only hope he's havin' it." 
 
 " I reckon he is, an' don't care anything 'bout 
 
A Disappearance. 155 
 
 what we have to do," Bill grumbled, but he did 
 not take the proffered ticket. 
 
 " You don't s'pose he's got lost, do you ? " Tom 
 asked, an expression of alarm coming over his face, 
 and Bob cried as he leaped to his feet : — 
 
 " That's jest what's the matter ! They've 
 gone off somewhere, an' don't know how to get 
 back." 
 
 4 'Then we'll have a fine time huntin' for 'em all 
 night ! I guess I'd better go home," Bill said, and 
 without hesitation Bob handed him the ticket once 
 more. 
 
 " There you are ! Now do as you're a mind to. 
 We've got to hunt for Josiah. Tom, you go 'round 
 by the water, an' I'll skin up this way." 
 
 " Where shall I meet you? " Tom asked, as he 
 turned to obey. 
 
 " Down by the dock. I'll go there if I find 'em, 
 an' you must do the same." 
 
 Bill made no proposition to aid his friends ; but, 
 with his ticket in his hand, went slowly toward the 
 steamboat landing, his eyes fixed upon the ground, 
 as if afraid he might see the lost ones, and thus 
 terminate the search too soon to please him, for he 
 
156 Josiah in New York, 
 
 was anxious his friends should, as he expressed it, 
 " get enough of taggin' 'round with a girl." 
 
 Half an hour later Bob and Tom met at the pier, 
 but neither had seen Josiah, and both felt seriously 
 alarmed. 
 
 "Do you s'pose there's any chance he'll go 
 home ? " Tom asked. 
 
 " No, I don't reckon he'd be likely to do that, 
 'cause I've got the tickets, an' he wouldn't wanter 
 put out so much money for nothin'." 
 
 " Then I'm afraid it'll be a good deal as Bill says. 
 We shall spend the rest of the day, an' part of the 
 night, huntin' for 'em." 
 
 " That won't be such an awful long while, for 
 it's pretty nigh dark now." 
 
 " What are we goin' to do? " 
 
 " There's nothin' for it except to keep right on 
 huntin'. But say," Bob added, as a happy thought 
 occurred to him, "let's tell every policeman we 
 meet. They'd be sure to know Josiah, he looks so 
 green, an' could send him down to the pier. Folks 
 will be goin' home mighty soon, an' when there 
 ain't so much of a crowd here, it'll be easier to see 
 him." 
 
A Disappearance. 157 
 
 This plan was acted upon without delay ; and in 
 a short time every officer in the immediate vicinity 
 of the rendezvous knew that "a feller from the 
 country, with a girl what didn't look very scrump- 
 tious," was lost. 
 
 Not until sunset did the two searchers meet 
 again ; and, as before, there was nothing for either 
 to report. 
 
 Josiah and Sadie had disappeared as completely 
 as if the earth had swallowed them, so far as these 
 two friends of theirs were concerned; and Bob 
 said in a tone of conviction, as he wiped the per- 
 spiration from his face : — 
 
 " It's no use talkin', Tom, they must have gone 
 home ; an' the best thing we can do is to take the 
 next boat, for Josiah is at Baker's Court by this 
 time." 
 
 " But s'pose he isn't?" 
 
 "There ain't any s'pose 'bout it. If he'd staid 
 we'd found him before now, an' the sooner we go, 
 the better." 
 
 Tom made no protest, and the two went on 
 board the steamer, leaving behind Josiah and 
 Sadie, who were still vainly endeavoring to find 
 the appointed place of meeting. 
 
158 Jonah in New York. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 It was while Tom and Bob were yet searching 
 for the missing ones, that Josiah decided it would 
 be impossible for him to walk any farther until 
 after taking a rest. 
 
 He and Sadie had, as it appeared to them, trav- 
 eled from one end of the Island to the other with- 
 out seeing any buildings which looked familiar ; 
 and when the boy from the country was so weary 
 that it seemed impossible to take another step, he 
 seated himself on the edge of the board walk, say- 
 ing mournfully : — 
 
 " It's no use, Sadie ! We'll have to give it up 
 for a while. I never was so tired in my life, an' 
 don't understand where Bob and Tom can be." 
 
 " They must have gone home, 'cause it wouldn't 
 seem reasonable we'd be walkin' 'round all this 
 
Bob's Friend. 159 
 
 time without meetin' 'em. Perhaps they think 
 that's where we are now." 
 
 " I don't believe they'd leave us ; 'cause you see 
 Bob knows we'd have to buy other tickets, an' his 
 would be wasted." 
 
 " But he couldn't stay here all night." 
 
 " He'd hold out a pretty long while before he left 
 us," Josiah said decidedly, and Sadie ceased all at- 
 tempts at persuading him her opinion was correct. 
 
 " It seems to me as if it had been two days since 
 we had that clam chowder," the boy said after a 
 few moments of silence. " This runnin' 'round 
 has made me hungry. S'pose we get somethin' to 
 eat before huntin' any more ? " 
 
 " But remember how much Bob had to pay for 
 dinner ! I think after all that money has been 
 spent, we oughter get along a good while without 
 anything else." 
 
 "There wasn't so very much of it, except the 
 price ; " and the thought of what he had eaten 
 caused Josiah to grow more hungry. 
 
 There had been so many times in her life when 
 the little match-girl was obliged to get along with- 
 out either dinner or supper, that she would have 
 
160 Josiah in New York. 
 
 been perfectly contented to wait until the boys 
 should be found, or, in fact, dispense with a second 
 meal entirely ; but Josiah was not accustomed to 
 anything of the kind, and it seemed a duty which 
 must be performed, regardless of expense. 
 
 Therefore, without further argument, he led his 
 companion to the booth where a not very cleanly 
 looking man was dispensing sausage sandwiches. 
 
 " There ! " he said in a tone of satisfaction, 
 "they are five cents apiece, an' this ain't any 
 chowder business where they tuck on the price 
 after you've ordered the stuff. Now fill right up, 
 an' when you can't eat any more we'll start out 
 agin." 
 
 Sadie obeyed meekly, and when each had eaten 
 three of the sandwiches, their hunger was appeased. 
 
 " I've had all I want," Sadie said as she wiped 
 her mouth with the sleeve of her dress, " an' they 
 were good ; but this payin' fifteen cents for three 
 of 'em when you can get a tony dinner up to the 
 Jim Fisk restaurant for the same money, seems 
 like a pretty big price." 
 
 " Yes, that's so," Josiah added reflectively. 
 "Out our way you can buy a whole pound of 
 
Bob's Friend. 161 
 
 sausages for ten cents. This man must be makin' 
 hisself rich. " 
 
 During the five minutes spent in watching the 
 vendor on his supposed road to wealth, Josiah 
 forgot that he and Sadie were lost ; and then the 
 girl reminded him of the unpleasant fact by 
 saying : — 
 
 "It won't do to wait 'round here. I'm most 
 certain we're nowheres near the place we agreed to 
 meet the fellers, an' we've got to hunt pretty lively, 
 'cause it'll be dark in a 1 ittle while." 
 
 Josiah followed without a word of remonstrance, 
 although he would have been willing to remain 
 almost anywhere rather than continue the exer- 
 cise ; but Sadie walked on rapidly, regardless alike 
 of his or her weariness of body. 
 
 When night came they were still apparently as 
 far from accomplishing the object of their search as 
 at any time previous, and now Sadie believed the 
 proper course was to return to New York. 
 
 Josiah would not listen to anything of the 
 kind. 
 
 He insisted his friends were yet on the Island, 
 and announced his determination of remaining all 
 
162 Josiah in New York. 
 
 night rather than take the chances of leaving them 
 behind. 
 
 " What will we do when the last boat goes ? " 
 Sadie asked anxiously. 
 
 " Perhaps we'll find the boys before then." 
 
 "But s'posen we don't? " 
 
 "Look here, Sadie, we won't s'posen anything 
 about it. We've got to find 'em, an' that's all 
 there is of it ; but if the last boat should go before 
 either of 'em turned up, why we'd have to 
 walk." 
 
 " I'm 'fraid you couldn't do much of that because 
 you're so tired now ; " and Sadie ceased her efforts 
 at persuasion, shutting her teeth hard as she 
 thought they might possibly be forced to remain 
 on their feet all night ; but determined to say 
 nothing more lest the boy who had been so kind 
 •hould think her importunate. 
 
 From this hour until ten o'clock Josiah and his 
 companion alternately walked and rested, and just 
 at the moment when he was begirding to think it 
 would be necessary to abandon the search, a 
 stranger of about his own age halted suddenly in 
 front of him, as he asked : — 
 
BoFs Friend. 163 
 
 " Say, ain't you the feller what come down from 
 the country to see Bob Green an' Tom Bartlett ? " 
 
 " Well, s'posen I am?" Josiah replied, rendered 
 cautious by his previous unpleasant experience. 
 
 " Nothin' ; I reckoned you was, but couldn't fig- 
 ger out where they were. Hello, Sadie ! " the 
 stranger added as the match-girl stepped forward 
 a few paces where she could be seen. " You down 
 here too ? " 
 
 u Yes, an' we've got lost. We come with Tom 
 an' Bob, an' Bill Foss, but now can't find any of 
 'em." 
 
 " How did that happen ? " 
 
 " They went in bathin', you see, an' Josiah an' 
 me was goin' to look 'round a little while. We 
 went into a show, an' when we come out couldn't 
 find the place where they was goin' to meet us." 
 
 " How long ago was that ? " 
 
 " Jest after dinner." 
 
 " They've gone home by this time," the boy said 
 confidently. " It ain't likely they'd wait here so 
 late if they didn't find you, an' you'd better 
 toddle right up to Baker's Court." 
 
 "That's jest what I told Josiah," Sadie said 
 
164 Jonah in New York, 
 
 earnestly; "but he seemed to think they'd stay 
 here." 
 
 " Of course not. What you want to do is go 
 right on board the boat." 
 
 "But Bob's got the tickets," Josiah said hesita- 
 tingly, 
 
 " Well, that can't be helped now. Haven't you 
 enough cash for the fares ? " 
 
 " Yes ; but I don't believe they'd like it if so 
 much money was wasted." 
 
 " They can't help theirselves, if you don't turn 
 up. It ain't likely they'd think of stayin' here all 
 night, an' you've got to hustle 'round pretty lively 
 if you want to get away. Come on, I'm goin' up, 
 an' after we get into town I reckon Sadie can take 
 you to Baker's Court." 
 
 " Of course I can," the match-girl replied confi- 
 dently ; and Josiah, much against his will, allowed 
 himself to be led on board the steamer, even though 
 he believed his friends were yet searching for him 
 on the Island. 
 
 This second sea voyage was by no means as 
 enjoyable as the first had been. 
 
 Both Josiah and his companion were thoroughly 
 
Bob's Friend, 165 
 
 tired, and the latter took advantage of the oppor- 
 tunity to go to sleep almost immediately after 
 boarding the steamer. 
 
 Their new acquaintance professed to have im- 
 portant business with some one on the lower deck, 
 and Josiah was left to his own reflections, which 
 were not pleasant. 
 
 This last outlay had made serious inroads upon 
 his already sadly depleted capital, and the dis- 
 agreeable thought came into his mind that it would 
 be necessary for him to return home minus the 
 much-desired gifts. 
 
 "Father an' mother will have to do without 
 anything, I'm afraid. It makes me feel awful 
 mean to go back as if I'd forgotten all about 
 'em while I was here," he said to himself. "I 
 oughter sold them woodchuck skins the first thing, 
 an' then I'd known jest how much they was 
 worth." 
 
 These thoughts naturally led to a desire on 
 Josiah's part to learn exactly how much cash he 
 had ; and partially turning in his seat to prevent 
 those in the immediate vicinity from seeing his 
 movements, he took an account of the stock on 
 hand. 
 
166 Josiah in New Fork, 
 
 "Here's only ninety-two cents," he said, as he 
 returned the coins to his pocket, " an' seein's how 
 I've got to take the fellers up to that museum, it 
 don't look as if I'd have very much left to buy 
 things with." 
 
 This fact, together with the weariness of body 
 caused by long searching for his friends, detracted 
 from his pleasant memories of the forenoon ; and 
 when the boat finally arrived at the pier, Josiah 
 actually regretted that the following day was not 
 Saturday instead of Friday. 
 
 Sadie was not a particularly cheerful companion 
 after having been awakened from her nap, but she 
 was a good guide, and this was the most important 
 of all. 
 
 Josiah followed her through the almost deserted 
 streets, neither speaking save at rare intervals, 
 when the country boy, despairing of ever reaching 
 Baker's Court, would ask how much farther it was 
 necessary to walk. 
 
 They had arrived within a block of their desti- 
 nation, when an outcry from the opposite side of 
 the street caused both to halt suddenly. 
 
 " It's Bob ! " Sadie said in mingled delight and 
 
Bob's Friend. 167 
 
 surprise, and an instant later Master Green was 
 listening to his friend's story of the fruitless search 
 at Coney Island. 
 
 " Tom's 'round by the pier waitin' for you. I 
 tell you when we got back an' found you hadn't 
 come, things looked blue. I was 'fraid you would- 
 n't have money enough to pay for a lodgin' down 
 there, 'cause it would cost pretty high if they 
 charge for beds the same as they do for chowder, 
 an' I couldn't make out how you was goin' to get 
 along." 
 
 " I guess we'd had to stay on the board walk all 
 night," Sadie said laughingly ; " but now we've 
 found you there's no use fussin' any more. I'll 
 go right home, 'cause I reckon Mother Hunter '11 
 be pretty ugly if I don't show up soon." 
 
 " You're goin' to our house' an' stay till morn- 
 in', " Bob said decidedly. " You haven't earned 
 any money, an' that old woman'll jest about break 
 you all to pieces if you don't give her a cent. I 
 fixed it with mother, an' you can get along without 
 a reg'lar bed." 
 
 u I guess I can," Sadie replied promptly. " It's 
 been so long since I knew how it felt to sleep in 
 
168 Josiah in Neic York. 
 
 one, that I shouldn't get on very well if I had a 
 bed all to myself." 
 
 While the three were talking, Tom returned 
 breathless from long running, and was on the point 
 of announcing that their friends did not arrive on 
 the last boat, when he caught a glimpse of those 
 who had been lost. 
 
 " Well, I'm mighty glad to see you, an' it's too 
 bad we was shut off so on our swell time. We 
 counted on showin' you everything, an' hadn't 
 more'n begun when we got separated. It was all 
 Bill Foss's fault ; he would go in swimmin'." 
 
 "It don't make any difference," Josiah said 
 soothingly. " I reckon Sadie an' I saw a good 
 deal more of Coney Island than you did. It seems 
 to me we went over every inch of the place two or 
 three times. Is Bill ugly 'cause we got lost ? " 
 
 " He's ravin' like an Injun. Anybody 'd think 
 this blow-out had cost him all the money he'd 
 made for a week, an' he didn't spend a single cent. 
 He was goin' on terribly the last time I saw him." 
 
 " I'm sorry," Josiah began apologetically, and 
 Bob interrupted him impatiently : — 
 
 " Now don't feel bad 'bout a little thing like 
 
Bob'* Friend. 169 
 
 that. If Bill don't fancy the way things was run, 
 he needn't go agin ; an' I'll bet he won't, either. 
 He made a regl'ar pig of hisself, fussin' 'bout 
 where he wanted to go, an' what he wanted to see. 
 But come on ! let's get up to the house as quick 
 as we can." 
 
 " Wait a minute ; I've got some news to tell 
 you," Tom said. " What do you s'pose the fellers 
 are goin' to do to-morrow afternoon ? " 
 
 " What fellers ? " 
 
 " Pretty nigh all we know. They're gettin' up 
 a reg'lar dinner, so's to be friends with Josiah ; an' 
 I reckon they're thinkin' of visitin' out to his farm 
 next summer." 
 
 " Where are they goin' to have it ? " Bob asked 
 excitedly. 
 
 M There's an old canal-boat over in the Erie 
 Basin what Tim Black knows about, an' all the 
 fellers are to buy somethin' to eat. We strike 
 there as soon as the mornin's business is done." 
 
 " Is Sadie in the scrape ? " Bob asked, thinking 
 of the trouble caused by her participation in the 
 excursion. 
 
 " No, of course not. You see we've got to go in 
 
170 Jonah in New York, 
 
 Saunder's boat, an' she couldn't do that, you know. 
 I expect it'll be a big time, 'cordin' to the way the 
 fellers are gettin' ready for it." 
 
 Josiah was mildly pleased with the proposition ; 
 but he was a thoughtful boy, and could not pre- 
 vent himself from mentally asking what might be 
 the result if all these young gentlemen who pro- 
 posed giving a feast in his honor should visit the 
 Shindle farm during the following summer. 
 
 Bob and Tom were not troubled by any such 
 possibility, simply because it did not chance to 
 come into their minds ; and both were in a high 
 state of excitement as they led the way to Baker's 
 Court. 
 
The Muteum. 171 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE MUSEUM. 
 
 When Josiah awakened next morning, his first 
 thought was that his stay had nearly come to an 
 end. 
 
 It was Friday; and on the following day his 
 father would arrive to take him home, — a fact 
 which gave him no slight amount of satisfaction. 
 
 His visit to the city had been very pleasant, but 
 at the same time he was beginning to think the 
 Shindle farm a more desirable place of residence 
 than any he had seen since leaving Berry's 
 Corner. 
 
 Then, again, the state of his finances was such 
 as to render it necessary for him to return very 
 soon, unless he was willing to remain without suf- 
 ficient money to pay his share of the expenses. 
 
 The cash expended for tickets from Coney Island 
 
172 Josiah in New York, 
 
 had depleted his funds to an alarming and unex- 
 pected extent. 
 
 He regretted having promised Sadie she should 
 visit the dime museum on the Bowery ; but it did 
 not seem as if he could well withdraw the invita- 
 tion, once it had been given. 
 
 " It'll take all the money I've got," he said to 
 himself, " for of course Tom an' Bob will have to 
 go; but it's no use cryin' over spilled milk, an' 
 I'm goin' to finish up in the right kind of style, 
 even if I don't carry anything home to father an' 
 mother." 
 
 Just then Bob awakened, and, as if able to read 
 what was troubling Josiah, asked : — 
 
 " How much did you have to pay out last night 
 to get home ? " 
 
 " I don't exactly know. What's the matter? " 
 
 " We want to give it back to you, of course." 
 
 " You won't do anything of the kind. I guess 
 I can afford to stand that much ; an' I oughter paid 
 a good deal more, after takin' Sadie, an' makin* 
 such a crowd when she wasn't one of your friends." 
 
 " But we're goin' to give it back all the same. 
 That was our time, an' we allow to pay the bills." 
 
TJie Museum. 173 
 
 Josiah protested he would not permit them to 
 refund a single penny of the money ; but Bob in- 
 sisted, and Tom, who awakened very soon after the 
 conversation began, joined his brother merchant so 
 emphatically in the argument, that Master Shindle 
 could not refuse. 
 
 " Here's what it costs for two to come up from 
 Coney Island," Bob finally said, as he dropped the 
 amount into Josiah's hand, " and you've got to 
 take it." 
 
 " I'll tell you how we'll fix it," Josiah replied 
 after a short pause. " I was countin' on takin' you 
 fellers an' Sadie up to that dime museum, an' we'll 
 use this money for the fares/' 
 
 "When are you goin'?" Tom asked. 
 
 " Any time you say." 
 
 " Then we'd better wait till near noon, 'cause 
 they have a regular show there, an' we don't want 
 to go in before it begins. S'posen Tom an' me go 
 down town a while after breakfast, an' you stay 
 with Sadie? We oughter look out for our busi- 
 ness a little, an', besides, I'd like to hear what Bill 
 Foss has got to say for himself this mornin'." 
 
 Josiah was perfectly willing to be left behind, 
 
174 Jovian in New York. 
 
 for he had traveled around the city so much that he 
 was thoroughly tired ; and as soon as breakfast had 
 been eaten, the young merchants set out, while 
 Josiah walked leisurely toward Mother Hunter's 
 with the match-girl, who thought it safest to ex- 
 plain, as soon as possible, the cause of her absence 
 during the previous night, lest the old woman 
 should be angry. 
 
 On this occasion Josiah did not go into the 
 house. Sadie believed it might be better for him 
 to wait on the outside until she concluded the 
 business ; and on her return, after an absence of 
 not more than five minutes, he asked : — 
 
 " What did she say ? " 
 
 " Not very much ; 'cause I told her I wouldn't 
 stay with her another day when I saw she was 
 startin' to get into a tantrum, an' that kind of 
 stopped her. Oh, dear," she added with a long- 
 drawn sigh, " it must be nice to have a home like 
 real folks, same's as Tom an' Bob have got. They 
 tell me yours beats theirs all out an' out." 
 
 "Well, I think myself it's pleasanter," Josiah 
 replied, not wishing to say anything disparaging of 
 his friends' home, and yet eager that the Shindl© 
 
The Museum. 175 
 
 Farm should be given all the praise it deserved. 
 " You see, there's more room in the country, an' folks 
 ain't packed so close together, besides, a feller can 
 do what he wants to without bein' afraid of gettin' 
 lost." 
 
 44 I'd like to see the country once, the grass, an' 
 the cows, an' the butter, an' milk." 
 
 44 Perhaps you will, sooner'n you think for," 
 Josiah began, and then checked himself as if 
 suddenly remembering he was saying too much re- 
 garding that which had occupied a prominent place 
 in his thoughts during the past two or three days. 
 
 Sadie made no attempt to do any business on 
 this morning, explaining that she could work all 
 the better after they had been to the museum ; and 
 the two went to Baker's Court to wait the coming 
 of Tom and Bob. 
 
 To Sadie's delight the young gentlemen did not 
 arrive until dinner was ready, consequently she 
 had another 44 square meal," as she confidentially 
 told Josiah. 
 
 " I didn't really mean to hang 'round for some- 
 thin' to eat," she explained ; 44 but so long's we'd 
 got to wait here for 'em, I was glad they staid 
 
176 Josiah in New York, 
 
 away till noon. After you've gone home I expect 
 there'll be a good many times when I'll remember 
 what we ate in the restaurant down to Coney 
 Island, which I wouldn't have got if you hadn't 
 come to the city, an' let that stand for a meal." 
 
 <c Are you goin' to sell matches all winter ? " 
 
 " I'll have to ; for there's nothin' else I can do." 
 
 " But you'll freeze to death on the streets when 
 it comes cold." 
 
 " It won't be quite so bad as that, 'cause a feller 
 can move 'round an' go into the stores once in a 
 while, to stand over the registers till they drive 
 you out. It's worse at night when you can't get 
 in anywhere." 
 
 This conversation was interrupted by the young 
 newsdealers, who insisted the party should start 
 at once for the museum, in order to be back suffi- 
 ciently early to join their business acquaintances 
 who were to give the feast in honor of Josiah. 
 
 " Is Bill Foss goin' to be there ? " Josiah asked, 
 probably thinking that in such a case there was 
 every chance the pleasure would be sadly curtailed. 
 
 " Yes ; but you needn't fuss 'bout it," Bob re- 
 plied promptly. " I reckon he's feelin' kinder 
 
The Museum. Ill 
 
 'shamed of hisself 'cause of the way he acted 
 yesterday, an' there won't be any trouble. Bill's a 
 decent sort of a feller ; but you see it mixed him 
 all up to have a girl along. He allers counts on 
 goin' ahead in everything, an' was 'fraid some- 
 body 'd see him there with Sadie. He knows pretty 
 nigh every one of the folks in this town." 
 
 "Bill wasn't scared 'bout bein' seen with me 
 last week, when he wanted to borrow ten cents," 
 the match-girl retorted quite sharply. 
 
 " Did you lend it to him ? " Tom asked quickly. 
 
 "I didn't have it, else I should; but since I've 
 been livin' with Mother Hunter there ain't any 
 chance to get that much money ahead, 'cause she's 
 allers 'round by the time I've earned a nickle. I 
 spoke 'bout it to show he wasn't frightened of me 
 then." 
 
 " Now don't get riled," Bob said soothingly. 
 " You know jest as well as we do, Sadie, that a 
 feller like Bill wouldn't want to have it told 
 'round the city that he'd been swellin' down to 
 Coney Island with a girl, and I can't blame him." 
 
 " It doesn't seem to hurt Josiah very much." 
 
 " It's different with him ; he don't live here." 
 
178 Jonah in New York. 
 
 "Then I think it would be a good idea for 
 Bill to stop out in the country awhile," Sadie 
 replied ; and the boy from Berry's Corner, fearing 
 lest she might lose her temper, proposed, as the 
 best means of putting an end to the conversation, 
 that they go to the museum at once. 
 
 Now, as a matter of fact, neither Bob nor Tom 
 cared to be seen with Sadie, lest some of their 
 friends should accuse them of a desire to " stick 
 'round where the girls were ; " but they were very 
 careful not to let her fancy that such might be the 
 case. 
 
 Inasmuch as she and Josiah started on ahead, 
 they could walk a short distance in the rear without 
 seeming to belong to the party, and neither was 
 disposed to approach too near until they had 
 arrived at the door of the museum. 
 
 It is only proper to say, in defence of the posi- 
 tion which the boys assumed in the matter, that 
 they had no idea of its being unmanly to talk with 
 the little match-girl, or to be seen in her company ; 
 but it was the fear that their brother merchants 
 might make sport of them, which prevented the 
 same amount of familiarity being displayed as when 
 they were at Coney Island. 
 
The Museum. 179 
 
 It seemed as if Sadie would never tire of hear- 
 ing Josiah tell about his home in the country ; and 
 while they were walking up the Bowery, when he 
 would much have preferred looking in at the shop 
 windows, she was so persistent in her questions, 
 that all his time was occupied in giving the desired 
 information. 
 
 She knew, quite as well as did Tom and Bob, 
 where this particular museum which they proposed 
 to visit was located ; therefore it was not necessary 
 for the young gentlemen from Baker's Court to 
 give any instructions as to the course which should 
 be pursued. 
 
 " Here's the place," she said as they halted in 
 front of a broad door- way half -filled with gaudy 
 posters and photographs ; " an' after you see this 
 one, you won't think the other show 'mounts to 
 very much. Bill Foss has been here more'n ten 
 times, an' says it's perfectly gorgeous." 
 
 Josiah made haste to purchase the tickets of ad- 
 mission, lest he should miss some of the wonderful 
 sights because of lack of time, and then ushered 
 his friends into what seemed like a place of 
 enchantment. 
 
180 Jonah in New York. 
 
 On entering the main hall the first object which 
 attracted his attention was the fat lady ; and he 
 went directly up to her, regardless of what his 
 friends were doing. 
 
 Bob and Tom had stopped to look at some of the 
 other attractions ; but Sadie kept very close to the 
 boy from Berry's Corner, for, since through him 
 she had enjoyed herself as never before, it was but 
 natural she should consider him a particular friend. 
 
 " She's awful big, ain't she ? " Josiah said in 
 what he intended should be a whisper; but the 
 lady referred to had no difficulty in hearing the 
 words, and smiled in a fat way upon the young 
 visitor, in token of appreciation. 
 
 " Yes she is, an' I do wonder how she can get 
 'round the streets. Ain't her dress perfectly 
 splendid ? Do you s'pose that lace is real gold ? " 
 
 " I reckon so ; folks as big as she is must make 
 a power of money showin' theirselves." 
 
 Again the fat lady smiled, and adjusted her red- 
 silk robe, the skirt of which came nearly to the 
 top of a pair of silvered boots, in order that the 
 visitors might see the fabric more clearly. 
 
 " She's bigger'n that woman down on Chatham 
 
The Museum. 181 
 
 Square," Sadie suggested; but in this Josiah could 
 not agree with her. 
 
 " I don't think so," he said as he viewed the 
 mountain of flesh critically ; and, from some unex- 
 plained cause, the great woman began to frown. 
 " I oughter know some thin' 'bout such things, 
 'cause last fall I guessed within four pounds on the 
 weight of Deacon Parson's hog, an' that was two 
 pounds nearer than anybody else could come. 
 She's a good bit smaller than that other woman." 
 
 " Little boy, are you talking about Madame 
 Fragile, who is exhibiting on Chatham Square?" 
 the fat lady asked, inclining her gigantic head 
 as near Josiah as the pillow-like shoulders would 
 permit. 
 
 The boy from Berry's Corner was so surprised 
 at hearing her speak, that it was impossible to 
 make any answer ; and not until the question had 
 been repeated, did even Sadie venture to reply, 
 when she said : — 
 
 " Yes'm, I guess that's the one we mean ; she's 
 in the Palace of Wonders down there." 
 
 " Then don't make any mistake about the size, 
 for I am nearly ten pounds heavier than she is, 
 
182 Josiah in New York, 
 
 and three-quarters of an inch larger around the 
 waist. She isn't such a wonderful fat woman, and 
 it has been conceded by the best judges in the 
 country that I am one of the greatest marvels of 
 the age." 
 
 Then the lady balanced her head squarely on 
 her shoulders once more, gave an extra flirt to the 
 short skirt in order to display the embroidery to 
 better advantage, and Josiah was awed. 
 
 That he had incurred the anger of such an 
 enormous woman was very sad, or, at least, he 
 thought so ; and his sorrow at having ventured an 
 opinion was increased when he saw her talking, as 
 if on terms of the greatest intimacy, with the giant. 
 
 Sadie understood that her friend was ill at ease ; 
 and she led him to the platform occupied by the 
 Circassian beauty, where he soon forgot the injury 
 to his feelings as he gazed in wonder and surprise 
 at the pink eyes and white hair of the alleged 
 lovely " Zerlina." 
 
 This time he was careful to make his comments 
 in a tone so low that the object of them could not 
 by any possibility hear the words ; but he would 
 have been treated with greater consideration had 
 
The Muteum. 183 
 
 he spoken plainly, since for her he had nothing but 
 praise. 
 
 " Say, we mustn't hang 'round here too long," 
 Bob said decidedly, as he and Tom approached 
 after having taken a hasty survey of all the marvels 
 in the room, " 'cause the show will begin pretty 
 soon, an' we won't get any kind of seats if we 
 don't hurry." 
 
 44 But I haven't looked at half the things here," 
 Josiah replied. " How'd you finish so soon ? " 
 
 " Oh, we've seen sich stuff so many times that 
 there ain't much fun in it." 
 
 44 I'd rather have a good look at what's here 
 than to see a show like you took me to the other 
 evenin'." 
 
 44 But this'll be different, 'cause there's singin' 
 an' dancin', an' all that sort of thing." 
 
 44 It'll be more'n an hour before I'd want to 
 leave here." 
 
 44 The show'll be done by that time," Bob said 
 in a tone of disappointment. 
 
 44 Why don't you two go in, an' leave Josiah an' 
 me here ? " Sadie asked. <4 I'll take care he ain't 
 lost; an' if we can't get through in time to see 
 what's on the stage, we'll meet you outside." 
 
184 Josiah in New York. 
 
 "That's a good idea," Tom said approvingly; 
 " but you mustn't stay too long, 'cause the fellers'll 
 be waitin' for us to go over to the dinner." 
 
 44 We'll be through as soon as you are," the 
 match-girl said decidedly ; and, satisfied that there 
 would be no delay, Tom and Bob hurried away. 
 
 " Now take just as much time as you want to 
 see everything," Sadie said when the boys had left 
 them. " They rush right through without lookin' 
 at half the things." 
 
 " Why can't they come here after the show is 
 over I 
 
 " 'Cause when you go down them stairs, there's 
 no chance to get back. You see, if it wasn't so, 
 folks could stay in here the whole day without 
 payin' but once." 
 
 Satisfied that he would not be interrupted, Josiah 
 enjoyed himself thoroughly, looking at the many 
 odd things ; but he took good care not to go very 
 near the platform on which was seated the fat lady, 
 lest she might have some more remarks to make 
 about a boy who could not guess nearer a lady's 
 weight than to suppose she was less of a curiosity 
 than Madame Fragile. 
 
The Museum. 185 
 
 He gave no heed to the flight of time ; and when 
 Sadie suggested that their friends might be wait- 
 ing, he felt quite certain no more than half an hour 
 had elapsed since Tom and Bob left them. 
 
 " I know it's been longer," the match-girl replied, 
 " 'cause the doors are open for another show, an' 
 that wouldn't be done if the first one hadn't been 
 finished." 
 
 " I guess it's the same crowd that was goin' in a 
 while ago," Josiah replied carelessly; and just then 
 it was possible to hear, above the noise of the street, 
 a series of yells which apparently came from the 
 foot of the staircase by which they had entered 
 this portion of the building. 
 
 "That's them, an' they'll be awful mad if we 
 don't go right down," Sadie whispered as she 
 pulled her companion toward the door. 
 
 " Josiah ! J^siah-ah-ah-ah ! " 
 
 There was no mistaking the name, nor the voice 
 which uttered it; and the boy from Berry's Corner 
 made all haste to reach the street, for the call was 
 so imperative that he felt positive some accident 
 had befallen one of his friends. 
 
186 Jonah in New York, 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE FEAST. 
 
 When Josiah and Sadie emerged from the build* 
 ing, one of the attaches of the museum had just 
 succeeded in driving Tom and Bob from the en- 
 trance, to the street, and was standing on the side- 
 walk, shaking his fist at them in a menacing 
 manner. 
 
 " I'll break every bone in your body if you come 
 near this place agin ! " the man cried angrily ; and 
 Bob, dancing to and fro in front of him like a 
 marionette, the wires of which have been unskil- 
 fully pulled, replied derisively : — 
 
 "Why don't you come here an' see what you 
 can do? We've been inter your old show, an' 
 paid our money for it like little men. Now there's 
 a chum of ours inside, an' we're goin' to get him 
 out if it breaks the whole thing up." 
 
The Feast. 187 
 
 " 111 have a policeman here before you can wink." 
 
 " Go ahead an' try it ! How do we know but 
 you've got the feller shut up in a cage, an' are 
 goin' to pass him off for a wild man ? " 
 
 " I wish I had you there for about a minute and 
 a half ! " and the man made another unsuccessful 
 effort to catch his tormentor. 
 
 "I'm all right ! " Josiah cried, as he ran out on 
 the sidewalk, fearing lest his hosts might get into 
 serious trouble on his account. 
 
 Just at that moment Bob failed to hear or see 
 him, because he was busily engaged trying to keep 
 away from the angry man ; and the result was that 
 in another instant Sadie and Josiah took part in 
 what might have been a case for the police, but for 
 the fact that Tom chanced to recognize them. 
 
 "It's all right now, Bob!" he cried. "Come 
 along, Josiah;" and he started down the Bowery, 
 while the employee of the museum, satisfied that 
 there would be no further disturbance, re-entered 
 the building. 
 
 "What made you stay so long?" Bob asked 
 when the four had put a safe distance between 
 themselves and the collection of wonders. 
 
188 Jonah in New York, 
 
 "It didn't seem to me as if I'd been there half 
 an hour when we heard you shoutin'." 
 
 " Well, it's all right now, I reckon ; but we 
 must get on lively, or the fellers will be tired of 
 waitinV 
 
 " How long had you been nolle rin' ? M 
 
 " Not a great while. Jest as soon as we begun, 
 that big chump come out to drive us off ; but if 
 you hadn't showed up we'd yelled a spell longer, 
 whether he liked it or not." 
 
 " Don't stop to chin now," Tom said impatiently. 
 kk We can't 'ford to fool 'round a great while, an' 
 a swell dinner waitin' for us to eat it. Where's 
 Sadie goin'?" 
 
 " I'll stop off at the old corner," the match-girl 
 replied quickly. " I s'pose you'll pass it?" 
 
 " Yes, it's jest 'bout as near. Now keep close to 
 us, for we don't want any more funny business of 
 gettin' lost." 
 
 Josiah and his companion were careful to remain 
 immediately in the rear of Bob and Tom, although 
 at times it was necessary almost to run, so rapidly 
 did the two merchants walk. 
 
 " I wish you was goin' with us, Sadie," the young 
 
The Feast. 189 
 
 gentleman said, when a throng on the sidewalk 
 forced the leaders to come to a partial halt. 
 
 " So do I ; but of course there's no chance for 
 anything of that kind. Yesterday oughter be 
 enough to last me a year. I never had such a 
 splendid time in all my life, even if we did get 
 lost." 
 
 " P'rhaps you'll see a good many like that be- 
 fore long," Josiah replied, and then checked him- 
 self suddenly, as if he had been on the point of 
 saying something which should be kept a secret. 
 
 " That's a big p'rhaps," Sadie said with a laugh 
 which was very like a sob. " There ain't many in 
 this city what think of givin' a girl like me a good 
 time, an' you're goin' off so soon that I won't even 
 so much as hear of dime museums or restaurants 
 with fifteen-cent dinners." 
 
 "You mustn't go to feelin* bad, 'cause things'll 
 come 'round right somehow." 
 
 " Of course they will, an' even if they don't, I've 
 been to Coney Island, an' all them places, so when 
 it ain't very jolly, I'll think of what I have had, 
 'an there'll be a heap of satisfaction in that." 
 
 Now the party had arrived at the corner where 
 
190 Josiah in New York. 
 
 Sadie spent her time trying to sell matches, and 
 Josiah cried: — 
 
 " If we get back before dark, 111 see you to- 
 night." 
 
 " There ain't much chance of that; but 111 be 
 here in the mornin'." 
 
 "Come on!" Bob shouted, "I reckon them 
 fellers are jest 'bout wild 'cause we didn't get 
 there before." 
 
 Josiah was forced to run now in good earnest, 
 and Sadie was left on the corner looking after 
 them very seriously until they were lost to view 
 in the distance. 
 
 Tom and Bob continued on at a rapid pace, slack- 
 ening the speed only when it was absolutely neces- 
 sary, and on arriving at the rendezvous found 
 eight of Tom's and Bob's friends, who had been 
 waiting with every evidence of impatience. 
 
 Bill Foas was among the number, as was very 
 proper since he had been selected to fill the re- 
 sponsible position of Master of Ceremonies, and 
 Josiah fancied his unusual show of good-humor 
 and friendship arose from the fact that he was 
 ashamed of his behavior on the previous day. 
 
The Feast. 191 
 
 He greeted the country boy with a warmth which 
 was hardly warranted in view of the fact that they 
 had been acquainted such a short time, and intro- 
 duced him in the most friendly manner to each of 
 the young gentlemen who had done their share 
 toward buying materials for the feast. 
 
 " Where's Saunder's boat layin ' ? " Bob asked, as 
 he saw that e'very boy had a package under his arm, 
 thus showing he was ready to proceed to the meet- 
 ing place. 
 
 " Down here by the dock," Bill replied. " We 
 would have had her ready before this ; but Sim 
 Jones an' his gang are 'round there, an' we didn't 
 want 'em to see where we was goin'." 
 
 "You ain't 'fraid of them, are you?" Tom asked 
 quickly. 
 
 " Indeed we ain't ; but you see there's no need 
 of gettin' up a row now, 'cause we haven't any 
 more time than we want to spend in the canal- 
 boat. I've jest come over from there, an' I'll tell 
 you she's fixed great! We've bought a lot of 
 candles, so needn't come back till we get ready." 
 
 At this point Jimmy Skip went out to reconnoi- 
 tre, and on his return reported that Sim Jones and 
 
192 Josiah in New York, 
 
 his friends were no longer to be seen, consequently 
 there was nothing to cause the would-be feasters 
 any further delay. 
 
 The boat which had been borrowed did not ap- 
 pear to be very staunch, and certainly was not 
 cleanly. 
 
 She was about one-third full of water, and it was 
 necessary this should be removed before the party 
 went on board, otherwise the craft would have 
 been swamped by the additional cargo, therefore, 
 with two tomato cans as bailing dishes, Jimmy and 
 Bill went to work. 
 
 Ten minutes later everything was ready for the 
 departure. 
 
 Bill brought a pair of oars from its hiding-place 
 on the dock, and the boys clambered on board 
 with the greatest care in seating themselves that 
 every inch of space might be economized. 
 
 The merry-makers had worked silently to pre- 
 vent the possibility of being overheard by any of 
 Sim's party, and in perfect silence they pushed out 
 past the pier, Bob and Tom plying the oars when 
 they were once in the stream. 
 
 It was not an eventful, but rather a long voyage 
 
The Feast. 193 
 
 to the Erie Basin, where the craft which was to 
 serve as banquet-hall was lying. 
 
 Built after the fashion of other canal-boats, there 
 was nothing particularly prepossessing in appear- 
 ance as viewed from the outside, and Josiah thought 
 they had taken a great amount of trouble in order to 
 reach an undesirable place for the festivities. 
 
 " Wait till you see the cabin," Bill said, much 
 as if he read by the expression on their guest's 
 face the misgivings in his mind. "I have fixed 
 her in great shape, an' after we get inside, with 
 the boat pulled under the pier, Sim Foss can sneak 
 'round all he wants to without findin' where we 
 are." 
 
 Josiah soon learned that at least a portion of 
 Bill's statement was correct, although he failed to 
 see any evidences of the " fixin'." 
 
 The cabin was apparently as the owners of the 
 boat had left it, save for four empty bottles in one 
 corner; and these, Master Foss explained, had been 
 brought to serve as candlesticks. 
 
 That they would be free from the scrutiny of any 
 one who chanced to pass that way seemed posi- 
 tive, when the hatch was drawn, and the interior 
 of the stuffy cabin shrouded in darkness. 
 
194 Josiah in New York. 
 
 Jimmy took from his pocket a fragment of 
 candle, and lighting it, placed it in one of the 
 bottles, after which he awaited the coming of Bill, 
 who had remained behind in order to hide the boat 
 from view. 
 
 Josiah seated himself on the locker which ran 
 across one end of the tiny apartment, and looked 
 around wondering how the arrangements for any 
 very elaborate feast could be made in that place. 
 
 It did not seem to him that the cabin was as 
 appropriate an apartment for a gathering such as 
 it was intended this should be* as many others 
 which might have been selected. 
 
 The odor of bilge-water from the hold ; the dust 
 which covered every portion of the wood-work to 
 the depth of at least half an inch ; and the general 
 air of decay everywhere apparent, caused him to 
 feel gloomy rather than happy. 
 
 The remainder of the party, however, were not 
 troubled with any such sentiments. 
 
 According to their ideas this was the jolliest kind 
 of a place in which to spend a few hours, and Jimmy 
 Skip regretted that the scheme had not been devised 
 sufficiently early to admit of their making arrange- 
 
The Feast 1% 
 
 ments to re— W a* least one night in such a snug 
 hiding-place. 
 
 " We conld kave done it jest as easy as not," he 
 said, " if we'd started in yesterday mornin'. Then 
 when you fellers got hack from Coney Island you 
 mighter come right here, an' we'd had supper 
 ready. I wonder if your father wouldn't stay over 
 a day, Josiah, so's to give us a chance of tryin' the 
 snap?" 
 
 " I don't believe he would," was the prompt re- 
 ply, for Master Shindle had no desire to remain 
 where he was any longer than should be absolutely 
 necessary. 
 
 At the expiration of ten minutes Bill Foss re- 
 turned, and announced with the air of one who 
 brings important news : — 
 
 " I've got the boat now where she can't be seen, 
 no matter how many people are foolin' 'round* 
 an' do you know I believe Sim an' his gang are jest 
 comin' across ! There's a crowd leavin' Pier Eight, 
 an' I'll bet it's them." 
 
 " Well, let 'em come," Bob said carelessly. 
 kk If you've hid o»r boat, they won't make much by 
 snoopin' round bere ; an' we've only got to keep 
 
196 Jonah in New York. 
 
 still so's folks can't hear us. Now, what are you 
 goin' to do with the things ? " 
 
 " The stuff to eat, do you mean ? " 
 
 " Yes ; where you goin' to put it ? " 
 
 "Right over where Josiah's settin'. We can 
 spread all the papers down, an' they'll be jest as 
 good as a table-cloth. Now come on, fellers, let's 
 see what you've brought ; " and Billy proceeded 
 to further illuminate the cabin by placing a lighted 
 candle in the neck of each of the remaining bottles. 
 
 In a very few moments the delicacies were 
 spread on the locker, ready for the f easters to begin 
 operations. 
 
 There was no reason to complain of lack of 
 quantity or variety. 
 
 Jimmy Skip had brought two pounds of bologna, 
 cut in substantial slices ; Bill Foss, in addition to 
 the candles, contributed a large number of crullers 
 and a quart of peanuts ; Tim Murray added to the 
 collection three dozen pickled sheep's tongues; 
 and, by consulting with his friends, each fellow 
 had been able to secure some dainty different from 
 the others, therefore the assortment was as great 
 as there were members of the party. 
 
The Feast. 197 
 
 " It looks as if you fellers was feelin' pretty 
 hungry," Josiah said, as he surveyed the ample 
 supply of food. 
 
 " We didn't have any dinner to-day, you see, 
 'cause we was kinder waitin' for this thing; an' I 
 reckon that stuff'll look sick by the time we get 
 through with it," Bill said, as he began to arrange 
 the eatables in what he intended should be a most 
 appetizing manner. 
 
 He had hardly commenced his work when a 
 noise was heard from the deck, as if several per- 
 sons had leaped suddenly down from the pier ; and 
 the would-be feasters looked at each other in sur- 
 prise, not unmixed with alarm. 
 
 "We've got to keep mighty still," Bill whis- 
 pered, " 'cause somebody's down here, an' we must 
 find out who it is." 
 
 "Buts'posen they're gettin' ready to haul the 
 boat away?" Tom suggested in the same cautious 
 tone. "We should be in a fine fix if we got 
 towed up the river ten or fifteen miles, wouldn't 
 we?" 
 
 This was a contingency for which Master Foss 
 had made no provision ; and as the possibility of 
 
198 Josiah in New Ytrk. 
 
 such a change of location presented itself, he in 
 turn began to grow alarmed. 
 
 " We'll have to find out who's there," he said, 
 after a brief pause. " You fellers keep quiet, an' 
 I'll see if I can peek through the cracks in the 
 hatch." 
 
 Bill soon learned that this was an impossibility ; 
 and, since the noise was not repeated, he believed 
 it safe to venture out. 
 
 " There isn't anybody up here." he said, after 
 gazing around an instant. 
 
 " They must be out on the dock : you wanter 
 look careful, 'cause if Sim Jones's crowd should be 
 anywhere 'round they might make trouble." 
 
 As Bob spoke he ascended the companion-way, 
 followed by the others; and during ten minutes 
 the feasters remained on deck, while Bill and 
 Jimmy scoured the immediate vicinity in a fruit- 
 less search for possible mischief-makers. 
 
 While the investigation was being made on 
 shore, every one was so intent on satisfying him- 
 self the work was done in a thorough manner, that 
 no attention was paid to a slight noise from the 
 cabin* as if the stern windows ka4 been raised. 
 
TU Feast. 199 
 
 Therefore it was without question of any mis- 
 chief having been done, that Bill led the way 
 below once more, convinced they were in no danger 
 of an interruption. 
 
 Hardly had he gained the cabin when a cry of 
 dismay burst from his lips ; and, as if unable to 
 speak, he stood pointing toward the locker, on 
 which, but a few moments previous, had been 
 placed the materials for the proposed dinner. 
 
 " Where's the stuff gone ? " Bob cried in aston- 
 ishment, pressing forward as if thinking the 
 wrappings, which was all that had been left behind, 
 might give some clew to the whereabouts of the 
 provisions. 
 
 44 What's the matter ? " Josiah asked from the 
 top of the companion-way, it not having yet been 
 possible for him to descend because of the crowd 
 at the foot of the stairs. 
 
 44 Matter ! M Bob wailed ; M why, somebody's gone 
 an' stole everything while we was on deck ; an' 
 how they coulder got away is what puzzles me! 
 There ain't so much as a single peanut leftl " 
 
 Josiah was so unnerved by the sad tidings that 
 in attempting to descend he fell the entire length 
 
200 Josiah in New York. 
 
 of the stairs ; and when the confusion attendant 
 upon the accident had subsided, the boys began a 
 thorough search for the missing dainties. 
 
 "While we were on deck somebody crawled 
 through that window," Tom said, as he pointed to 
 the footprints which could be seen in the dust 
 from the ledge to the locker. 
 
 " It's Sim Jones, that's who it is ! ' ' Bill cried, 
 as he ran on deck ; and an instant later his suspi- 
 cions were verified by seeing the young gentleman 
 in question, together with four of his friends, row- 
 ing hurriedly out of the basin. 
 
The Pursuit. 201 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 The first impulse of the angry givers of the 
 feast was to start in pursuit of the thieves ; and 
 Bill Foss had begun to clamber out on the dock in 
 order to get the boat, when Bob stopped him by 
 saying : — 
 
 " Hold on ! It's no use to do that ! We could- 
 n't catch 'em now with only one pair of oars, for 
 they've got too much of a start. The best way 
 will be to lay for 'em to-night over on the other 
 side." 
 
 " But they've stole all our grub ! " Bill replied 
 angrily as he halted, ''an' if we wait two or three 
 hours there'll never be a chance of gettin' it back." 
 
 " There's no show of catchin' them anyhow, so 
 what's the use of pullin' all 'round the river for 
 no thin'? 
 
202 Jbsiah in New York. 
 
 By this time Bill began to realize that pursuit 
 would be useless, and he came back to where his 
 companions were standing as if dazed by the bold 
 outrage. 
 
 " I knew it was Sim Jones gettin' into that boat 
 on the other side jest before I came below ; but 
 what beats me is, how he found out where we 
 was? He must have follered me this afternoon." 
 
 " I don't reckon there was any need of that," 
 Tom added. " They could see us all the time 
 while we were comin' over, an' after you got inside 
 I reckon they rowed mighty hard. It wouldn't be 
 a great job to sneak up under the stern of this 
 boat, an' then, while one of the fellers made a noise 
 on deck, the others crawled in through the windows. 
 That's the way of it." 
 
 There was but little satisfaction in thus settling 
 the method of the robbery ; and Bill asked impa- 
 tiently as he looked at each of his friends in turn : — 
 
 " What'er we goin' to do 'bout it ? Seems pretty 
 tough to let them fellers break our good time up 
 when we've counted on stayin' here all the after- 
 noon an' evenin'. There won't be any fun loafin' 
 'round with nothin' to eat." 
 
The Pursuit 203 
 
 " S'posen all hands of us go ashore an' buy some- 
 thin' more?" Jimmy suggested. "We ain't got 
 the cash to get so much as we had before ; but what 
 we can scare up'll be better'n nothin'." 
 
 Bob and Tom looked at each other in dismay. 
 
 They had spent all their surplus money on the 
 trip to Coney Island, and had no more than enough 
 to buy their supply of papers when Josiah's visit 
 should have come to an end and they resumed 
 work once more. 
 
 Therefore it was impossible for them to act upon 
 Jimmy's suggestion, and at the same time they 
 felt decidedly awkward in refusing. 
 
 It seemed as if Master Skip could read their 
 thoughts, for he added almost immediately : — 
 
 " We don't expect you two fellers to buy any- 
 thing. We started to get up a reg'lar dinner here, 
 an' are goin' to do it ourselves, or go without any." 
 
 " Bob an' I would like to chip in our share if we 
 had the cash ; but we was fly in' kinder high yester- 
 day, an' are mighty nigh broke now." 
 
 This remark served as a reminder to Bill Foss 
 that he accepted the hospitality of these two on 
 the previous day, and at the same time had acted 
 
204 Josiah in Neiv York. 
 
 decidedly disagreeable. Therefore, in order to 
 make amends, he very quickly adopted Jimmy's 
 plan. 
 
 "Come along," he said as he clambered on the 
 dock once more. " If we're goin' to do the thing 
 there's no use foolin' 'round, an' after we've had 
 our time out, all hands of us'll go for Sim Jones an' 
 his crowd." 
 
 The other subscribers to the feast followed him 
 without delay, and the young gentlemen from 
 Baker's Court were left to "keep ship " until their 
 companions returned. 
 
 " It's kinder tough for them to put out all the 
 money," Tom said reflectively; "but I don't see 
 how we can help it." 
 
 "I mighter done my share," Josiah replied 
 thoughtfully ; " but I wanted to save what I had 
 to get presents for father an' mother, an' I'd rather 
 do that than have anything to eat." 
 
 "There's no use talkin' about it," Tom said, 
 more than willing to put the very unpleasant sub- 
 ject from his mind. M If them fellers invited us 
 here, it was 'cause they wanted us, an' now they 
 can go ahead an' do as they please. Some other 
 
Ttte Purtuit. 205 
 
 time we'll get even with 'em. I wish I'd thumped 
 Sim Jones when I had a chance this mornin'. It 
 seemed to me that I oughter done it." 
 
 u Why, what was he doin' ? " Josiah asked. 
 
 " Nothin', only kinder lookin' as if he was tryin' 
 some mischief. He acted too sweet, that's what's 
 the matter with him ; an' when Sim gets on such a 
 face you wanter watch out for him." 
 
 " Do you s'pose the other fellers will catch 
 him?" Josiah asked. 
 
 " Course they will ! I'd agree to set up all night 
 rather'n lose the chance of payin' him off for what 
 he's done," and Bob shook his fist in impotent 
 rage toward that point where the thieves had last 
 been seen. 
 
 Then the hosts returned, each carrying a parcel, 
 and once more the locker was covered with a 
 varied collection of dainties. 
 
 " There ! " Bill said, when he had arranged the 
 provision on the impromptu table to his entire satis- 
 faction. "We won't leave this place agin with so 
 much stuff spread out, if every feller in Jersey 
 jumps on the deck. They sha'n't fool us twice in 
 the same way. I reckon Sim was mad 'cause we 
 
206 Josiah in New York. 
 
 didn't invite him to chip in with us, an' that's why 
 he got away with the dinner." 
 
 There was no delay in beginning the feast after 
 it had been made ready. 
 
 Bill invited the guests to commence, by saying, 
 with a majestic wave of his hand toward the 
 locker : — 
 
 " Pitch right in, fellers, an' fill yourselves up. 
 This ain't no twenty-five cent chowder at Coney 
 Island ; but I'll bet you'll feel a good deal better 
 when you get through with it than we did down 
 there yesterday." 
 
 During the next fifteen minutes but little con- 
 versation was indulged in, for every boy seemed to 
 think it his solemn duty to eat as fast and as much 
 as possible. 
 
 Josiah was the first to retire from what seemed 
 very like a contest, and then one by one the others 
 fell out until the feast had come to an end. 
 
 Bill added to the illumination of the cabin by 
 lighting the entire stock of candles, and then, as a 
 fitting finale to the festival, produced a package of 
 cigarettes. 
 
 " Don't you smoke? " he asked, as Josiah refused 
 the proffered tobacco. 
 
The Pursuit. 207 
 
 "I promised mother I wouldn't, so you see I 
 can't," the boy from Berry's Corner replied, and 
 the other guests looked at each other as if they 
 thought there was something comical in the reply ; 
 but no one ventured to laugh. 
 
 Josiah was the only member of the party who 
 did not indulge in smoking; and the result was 
 that in a short time the cabin, closed as it had been 
 to prevent intrusion, was filled with the pungent 
 odor, greatly to the annoyance of the boy from the 
 country. 
 
 He did his best to hold out against the noisome 
 vapor, lest by making a complaint he should bring 
 the party, arranged in his honor, to an untimely 
 end ; but when the hosts lighted their second sup- 
 ply of cigarettes, it was impossible for him to 
 remain silent. 
 
 " I guess while you fellers are smokin' I'll go up 
 on deck, an' look 'round. I never saw a canal-boat 
 before, an' this is a good chance." 
 
 " Don't feel sick, do you ? " Tom asked solici- 
 tously. 
 
 " No, not exactly ; but I'd rather go up-stairs." 
 
 " Too much smoke here, that's what's the mat- 
 
208 Jonah in New York. 
 
 ter," Bill Foss said pityingly, as if pained because 
 the boy for whom the feast had been particularly 
 prepared was not sufficiently hearty to indulge in 
 the alleged pleasures of men of the world like 
 himself. 
 
 Josiah did not venture into the cabin again, but, 
 after filling his lungs with fresh air, seated him- 
 self at the head of the stairs where he could hear 
 what was being said by his friends below, and also 
 take part in the conversation. 
 
 It seemed to him a very long while before the 
 young gentlemen were willing to leave the scene 
 of the festivities ; and they might have remained 
 much longer, to his discomfort and disquietude, had 
 there been a larger stock of cigarettes on hand. 
 
 As it was, however, when the tobacco was 
 exhausted, the cabin of the craft had no further 
 attraction for the merry-makers ; and Bill said as 
 he rose to his feet : — 
 
 " Come on, fellers, we might as well start for 
 Sim Jones now. It won't do to wait too long, for 
 fear he'll sneak off home." 
 
 The chase for the boy who had robbed them 
 offered quite as many inducements in the way of 
 
The Purnui. 209 
 
 pleasure as an additional supply of cigarettes would 
 have done, therefore no objection was made to the 
 proposition; and, five minutes later, all the party 
 were on board the leaking boat, pulling rapidly 
 toward the New York side of the river, leaving 
 behind them only the fragments of candle and the 
 offensive odor of tobacco. 
 
 As a starting-point for the search, it was decided 
 to go directly to the pier from which Bill believed 
 he had seen Sim leave for the Jersey shore ; and 
 there was found the boat in which he had probably 
 rowed across to the basin, but with her ended all 
 clew to the direction taken by the thieves. 
 
 Master Foss was too good a general to allow 
 anything of this kind to distress him. In fact, he 
 rather prided himself on his abilities as an amateur 
 detective, and lost no time in making what he 
 believed to be a proper disposal of his party. 
 
 Two of the boys were sent toward the Battery, 
 two more in the opposite direction, and the re- 
 mainder ordered to proceed toward City Hall 
 Square. 
 
 Bill's instructions to his subordinates could hardly 
 be mistaken, so simple and expressive were they. 
 
210 Josiah in New York 
 
 "Keep right on huntin' till you find 'em, an' 
 then come down to Dick Murray's stand where I'll 
 be waitin'. Don't let them know you wanter get 
 hold of 'em ; but scoot back so's all hands of us 
 can do the rest of the job. We need the whole 
 crowd, 'cause there ain't less'n five in their gang." 
 
 Being unacquainted with the city, Josiah was 
 allowed to remain with the leader of the forces ; 
 and when the scouts had set out, Bill conducted the 
 boy from Berry's Corner to the rendezvous. 
 
 Dick Murray, who had arrived at the dignity of 
 owning a newstand only a few months previous, 
 was a friend of all those who were so eagerly 
 searching for Sim Jones, and at once made the 
 new-comers welcome by inviting them into the 
 tiny apartment which he occupied during very 
 cold weather. 
 
 " Sim Jones is goin' to get hisself inter trouble 
 some of these fine days," Dick said, shaking his 
 head sagely. " That feller's actin' altogether too 
 smart." 
 
 " In case we catch him to-night, he'll be in trou- 
 ble mighty soon," Bill replied with a show of 
 anger. " If he thinks he can steal things the way 
 
The Pursuit. 211 
 
 he did this afternoon, an' then get off without a 
 thump, he's mistaken. I ain't got much time to 
 hunt 'round for sich as him ; but I sha'n't go to 
 sellin' papers agin till this thing is squared." 
 
 " The trouble is, Bill, he's got his gang with 
 him, an' you know it won't do to have a row on 
 the street, 'cause you wouldn't wanter get locked 
 up." 
 
 " I'd like to see the cop what could catch me, if 
 I knew he was comin'," Master Foss replied. 
 
 Then he proceeded to tell a long yarn about an 
 encounter he once had with some newsboys from 
 Brooklyn, which was interrupted by the police, 
 when only his legs saved him from arrest. 
 
 By the time this story, in which Master Foss 
 posed as a hero of the first water, was concluded, 
 Tom arrived, breathless from rapid running. 
 
 " All that crowd are down by the Vesey Street 
 Market now, an' they've got a good deal of the 
 stuff with 'em. If our fellers would only come in 
 this minute, it wouldn't take us a great while to 
 clean out the whole gang." 
 
 Bill was immediately plunged into a state of the 
 greatest excitement, and but for the fact that Sim's 
 
212 Josiah in New York, 
 
 party numbered five, he would have insisted on 
 making the captures single-handed. 
 
 " We'll have to wait, I reckon," he said with a 
 sigh, " an' it'll be jest our luck to find 'em gone 
 when we get there." 
 
 If " luck " had any part in this evening's doings, 
 then it certainly favored Master Foss ; for in less 
 than five minutes from the time Tom arrived, every 
 member of the party returned to report his inabil- 
 ity to find the boy who had attempted to destroy 
 their pleasure. 
 
 Bill did not wait to give the new-comers any 
 particulars regarding the information brought by 
 Tom ; but simply commanded them to " foller the 
 best they knew how," and set off at a rapid pace 
 with Tom and Josiah by his side. 
 
 Upon reaching a point a short distance from 
 where the evil-disposed crowd was supposed to be, 
 the leader of the force halted, and thus mapped 
 out the plan of battle : — 
 
 " We'll sneak right up on 'em, so's they won't 
 hear a thing, an' then make a rush. I'd like to tie 
 their hands, an' leave 'em on the sidewalk till 
 most mornin'. I reckon that would serve 'em out 
 for stealin' the grub. Now come on ! " 
 
The Pursuit 213 
 
 The attack was successful so far as surprising 
 the enemy was concerned, but the captures were 
 not made as readily as Bill had fancied. 
 
 Sim and his friends, knowing full well the pos- 
 sibility of pursuit and an attempt at punishment, 
 were prepared for just such an onslaught; and the 
 result was that instantly Bill's force appeared, each 
 of the plunderers was ready to defend himself to 
 the utmost. 
 
 As a matter of course, a pitched and exciting 
 battle ensued. 
 
 Josiah, to whom no orders had been given, save 
 in a general way when Master Foss instructed all 
 the party on their duties, felt it incumbent upon 
 himself to assist his friends, and the first blow had 
 hardly been delivered when he was in the thickest 
 of the fray, receiving more in the way of punish- 
 ment than it was possible for him to return. 
 
 It appeared as if Sim and his friends had some 
 especial cause for complaint against this boy from 
 the country, and were doing their utmost to pum- 
 mel him, while they paid but little attention to 
 the others. 
 
 It was just at the moment when Josiah began 
 
214 Josiah in New York, 
 
 to realize he had placed himself in a very awkward 
 position, that the fight was stopped as if by magic, 
 at the cry : — 
 
 " Cops ! Cops ! " 
 
 It was Jimmy Skip who gave the alarm ; being 
 too small to make much of a show as a belligerent, 
 he had assumed the part of sentinel to guard 
 against just such a danger. 
 
 "Come on!" Tom shouted; and Josiah, not a 
 little bewildered by the suddenness with which his 
 friends departed, each in a different direction, 
 stood motionless, unable to so much as take a sin- 
 gle step. 
 
 He heard Tom and Bob shouting from a distance, 
 and yet paid no attention to anything until a heavy 
 hand was laid upon his shoulder, and, looking 
 around quickly, discovered that he was in the 
 clutch of a burly policeman who appeared far from 
 friendly. 
 
The Arrest. 215 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE ARREST. 
 
 Josiah's bewilderment was soon turned to 
 alarm. 
 
 Although never having been in the city before, 
 he understood thoroughly well that he was under 
 arrest ; and the idea of being taken to jail was to 
 him something so terrible, that he trembled as if 
 with an ague fit. 
 
 "Why is it you little rascals can't get along 
 without fighting?" the officer asked, shaking the 
 boy from Berry's Corner, as if to render his words 
 more emphatic. 
 
 " I didn't mean to fight ; leastways it didn't seem 
 as though I was doin' it, till all the crowd got 
 together," Josiah replied in a tremulous tone. 
 
 " Oh, you didn't, eh ? I s'pose you wanter make 
 out that somebody wound you up, and you couldn't 
 
216 Josiah in New York. 
 
 help yourself? I've had my eye on you, young 
 feller, for a good many weeks, and don't believe 
 you'll trouble me any more." 
 
 " It couldn't have been so long as that," Josiah 
 replied almost boldly, now that his presence of 
 mind was returning. " I didn't get inter the city 
 till last Monday, so I reckon you must have made 
 a mistake. Besides, I'm goin' home to-morrow." 
 
 "I hardly believe you will. If you don't get a 
 chance in the Reformatory this time, it'll be odd. 
 You can't play off that old dodge 'bout not livin' 
 in the city, with me ; I've known you too long." 
 
 " But it's the truth, all the same ; " and fancying 
 he was mistaken for some other boy, Josiah's alarm 
 increased once more. 
 
 The word " reformatory " had an ugly sound to 
 him ; and instantly it had been uttered there came 
 into his mind a picture of a horrible dungeon which 
 he, loaded with chains, would occupy for an indefi- 
 nite time. 
 
 Even had he been disposed to say anything more, 
 there was no opportunity for him to do so. 
 
 The man pulled him roughly along by the coat 
 collar in such a manner as to cause him consider- 
 
The Arrest. 217 
 
 able discomfort and no little pain, and he felt that 
 it wonld be many weeks, perhaps years, before he 
 again saw Berry's Corner. 
 
 The officer and his prisoner had hardly got a 
 dozen yards from the battle-field when Josiah's 
 friends came in sight, taking good care, however, 
 to remain at a respectful distance from the police- 
 man, who made several attempts as if to capture 
 them. 
 
 "Don't be afraid, we'll see you out of the 
 scrape," Josiah heard Bob cry ; and from that time 
 until they reached the station-house, he was fol- 
 lowed by similar injunctions from different mem- 
 bers of the party, each of whom seemed to consider 
 the words necessary, in order that the prisoner 
 might not lose courage. 
 
 Nothing short of absolute liberty could have 
 revived Master Shindle's spirits while he was in 
 the embrace of the strong arm of the law. 
 
 Although both Tom and Bob assured him they 
 would " see him through all right," he had a clear 
 idea that their influence must be very slight in the 
 premises. 
 
 At the entrance to the station-house, Bob mo- 
 
218 Josiah in New York, 
 
 tioned for his friends to halt as the prisoner and his 
 captor disappeared behind the heavy door, and 
 then said in a low but earnest tone : — 
 
 u See here, fellers, it won't do to let Josiah stay 
 there, even if all of us has to go down to the Island 
 for a month. His father would be pretty nigh 
 crazy if he knew his son was arrested, an' we've 
 got to get him out somehow." 
 
 " How you goin' to do it ? " Tom asked anxiously. 
 
 " S'posen we wait till that cop comes out, an' 
 then all hands sneak in and tell the officer in charge 
 jest how it happened ? If we agree to take Josiah 's 
 place, he oughter let him go." 
 
 " What do you wait till the policeman leaves for ? 
 Why wouldn't it be better to do the talkin' now ? " 
 
 " 'Cause that feller's down on the boys what 
 hang 'round the market, an' jest as like's not he'd 
 take us all in." 
 
 It was not necessary they should wait very long 
 for the officer. He had made the charge, and then, 
 his responsibility having ceased, was returning to 
 his beat as soon as possible. 
 
 The boys were careful not to impede his progress, 
 and when he emerged from the station-house trVy 
 
The Arrest. 219 
 
 were hidden from view ; but three minutes later, 
 when the sound of his retreating footsteps told that 
 he had turned the corner, all re-appeared once more, 
 ready to rescue their unfortunate companion, if it 
 could be done with no other weapons than their 
 tongues. 
 
 Master Foss did not attempt to longer act the 
 part of leader. 
 
 The situation was so grave that he understood 
 he was not competent to deal with it in a proper 
 manner, and to Bob was given the management of 
 the entire affair. 
 
 Master Green entered the station-house, his 
 friends following close behind, with a more sub- 
 dued air than he had worn when explaining what 
 might be done. The very atmosphere of the place 
 seemed to oppress him, and it was an exceedingly 
 humble boy who presented himself to the sergeant 
 at the desk, trying to render his voice steady as he 
 said hesitatingly : — 
 
 " Look here, Mister, that cop just brought in a 
 feller from the country what wasn't doin' any 
 harm, an' we've come to see if we can't get him 
 out." 
 
220 Jonah in New York. 
 
 " Oh, wasn't doin' any harm, eh ? The officer 
 brought him here just because of that ? H 
 
 " That's the truth of it," Bob replied firmly. 
 " Us fellers got into a row with Sim Jones' crowd 
 'cause they stole our grub, an' Josiah was along, 
 so he pitched in, of course. It wasn't his fight ; 
 but he was helpin' his friends, do you see ? " 
 
 " Yes, I see. He was fighting, and so were you, 
 according to your story." 
 
 " That's it, that's jest it," Bob said eagerly ; and 
 now Tom came forward by his partner's side, as 
 if thinking it might strengthen the cause. " We're 
 the ones what made all the trouble, an' you oughter 
 'rest us instead of him. Why, look here, Mister, 
 that feller's father's comin' here to-morrow mornin' 
 to take him home, an' what kind of a scrape will 
 the old man be in when he finds his boy locked up 
 in jail?" 
 
 " His boy should avoid making trouble for his 
 father, by not fighting." 
 
 " I've jest told you it didn't happen that way. 
 We started the row, an' I s'pose he couldn't help 
 hisself, so he got into the fuss. You see, he didn't 
 seem to know what was meant when we hollered 
 
The Arrest. 221 
 
 4 cops ! ' ; but stood still like a chump till the 
 officer had him by the back of the neck. If he'd 
 belonged in the city, that big feller never'd caught 
 him ; but he was green, an' now we want you to 
 let him go." 
 
 It was evident the sergeant was interested ; but 
 whether because of Josiah's unfortunate position, 
 or the earnestness of the boy before him, it would 
 have been difficult to say. 
 
 At all events, instead of dismissing the young 
 pleader, as probably would have been done under 
 other circumstances, he condescended to argue 
 with him. 
 
 " Do you think when an arrest has been made 
 that we can let the prisoner go, or keep him here, 
 just as we please ? " 
 
 "What's to hinder ?" 
 
 " The station-house is only intended for the re- 
 ception of prisoners during the night, until they 
 can be taken to court ; and when a person is com- 
 mitted, it is necessary for us to show him up in the 
 morning, or get ourselves into trouble." 
 
 u But what's the sense of keepin' Josiah when he 
 oughter go home ? " 
 
222 Joslah in New York, 
 
 " Because we must have a prisoner to answer to 
 his name." 
 
 "Then we can fix that easy enough," and Bob 
 looked decidedly relieved. " You let him go, an 1 
 I'll go back in his place. When I come inter 
 court termorrer mornin', it'll take more'n one cop 
 to find out my name ain't Josiah Shindle." 
 
 " In other words, you want me to assist in the 
 escape of a prisoner ? " 
 
 "No, I don't. Jest make a swap, that's all. 
 What's the sense of sendin' a boy like him down 
 to the Island ? He's so green he couldn't do any- 
 thing; but they'd get a pile of work outer me, 
 an' it would be better all 'round. Besides, if one 
 ain't enough, the whole of us'll go in, won't we, 
 fellers ? " 
 
 At this appeal, the entire party ranged themselves 
 in front of the sergeant. 
 
 Then each in turn announced his willingness to 
 submit to imprisonment for any indefinite period, 
 provided the boy from Berry's Corner was allowed 
 to go free. 
 
 The sergeant looked at them scrutinizingly, and 
 called for the turnkey, saying as that functionary 
 appeared : — - 
 
The Arrest, 223 
 
 "You can lock these boys up, and let the 
 youngster you just carried down-stairs go. They 
 want to make a swap. It seems to be a good 
 trade when we're getting ten for one." 
 
 The turnkey did not appear to understand the 
 matter, and while he stood in the door-way hesitat- 
 ingly, Josiah's substitutes marched boldly toward 
 him. 
 
 Before they reached the door, however, the 
 sergeant called them back, and asked his subordi- 
 nate : — 
 
 M Did you lock that boy up who was brought in 
 a few moments ago ? " 
 
 " Not yet, sir. Your orders were to let him run 
 loose." 
 
 "Very well. Bring him here. I didn't enter 
 his name on the books, so I don't fancy there'll be 
 any trouble in making the exchange for which 
 these young gentlemen are so anxious." 
 
 A few moments later Josiah, looking very pale 
 and thoroughly frightened, was ushered into the 
 room. 
 
 A cry of surprise and joy burst from his lips as 
 he saw his friends. 
 
224 Josiah in New York. 
 
 " You can take him away with you," the ser- 
 geant said, " and I don't fancy it will be necessary 
 for any of the party to stay in his place; but 
 remember this : If either of you are brought here 
 within the next six months on a charge of fighting, 
 I shall do all I can to have it go hard with the 
 offender. I want you to promise to keep away 
 from the Vesey Street Market, unless it should be 
 necessary to visit that place on business." 
 
 It can readily be understood how gladly Josiah's 
 friends promised to do as the officer wished, and 
 in the shortest possible time afterward they took 
 their departure, each mentally congratulating him- 
 self that he was not to spend the night in a cell in 
 the station-house. 
 
 " Now, that's what I call doin' the thing in great 
 shape," Bill Foss said when they were on the side- 
 walk once more. " It looked one time as if Josiah 
 was goin' to see more of New York than he wanted." 
 
 " I guess it would jest about have killed father 
 if he'd found me in jail when he came," the boy 
 from the country said half to himself; "an' I'm 
 glad he'll be here to-morrow mornin', cause I've 
 got all the city I need." 
 
The Arrett. 225 
 
 " Now, don't let a little thing like that trouble 
 you," Bob said soothingly. u It doesn't 'mount to 
 anything." 
 
 " But I reckon it would if it hadn't been for 
 you," Bill Foss replied emphatically. 
 
 " I didn't cut much of a figger in it, an' if I did, 
 it wasn't any more'n Josiah would 'a done for me ; 
 so what's the use of makin' all this talk?" 
 
 Then Bob changed the conversation by asking 
 if any of the party had noticed in which direction 
 Sim and his friends fled; and in a few moments 
 all, with the exception of Josiah, were deeply 
 engaged discussing the probability of their being 
 able, at some future time, to mete out the proper 
 amount of punishment to those who attempted to 
 destroy the pleasure of the afternoon. 
 
 Josiah took no part in the conversation because 
 of his mental troubles. Although he had escaped 
 from a prison cell so readily, he was fully alive to 
 the fact of what his fate might have been but for 
 his friends; and it seemed now as if he was in 
 danger of being re-arrested every moment he 
 remained in the city, until the arrival of his 
 father. 
 
226 Jonah in New York. 
 
 It is more than probable he would have returned 
 home without waiting for the morning, had such a 
 thing been possible ; but since that could not be, 
 the only place of refuge was Baker's Court, which 
 point he wished to gain at the earliest convenient 
 hour. 
 
 So impatient was he that it seemed a long while 
 before his friends were ready to separate for the 
 night ; and once alone with Tom and Bob, he urged 
 them to make all speed toward the court. 
 
 " Why, it looks like as if you was still 'fraid of 
 bein' 'rested," Tom said laughingly. 
 
 " Well, I am," was the candid reply. " You see, 
 I never thought anything like that could happen, 
 an' now I've had such good proof, it don't seem 
 safe to stay out on the street. Besides, I'm tired, 
 an' the sooner we go back the sooner we'll get to 
 bed." 
 
 Bob and Tom did not delay after understanding 
 how their friend felt; and, half an hour later, 
 the three were in the tiny chamber at Baker's 
 Court, Josiah congratulating himself over and over 
 again upon the fact that this was the last night h« 
 would be obliged to remain in the city. 
 
The Coupon. 227 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE COUPON. 
 
 Mrs. Baetlbtt had not yet called the boys to 
 breakfast, when Master Foss and his companions 
 of the previous day arrived at the court to escort 
 Josiah to the ferry where he was to meet his 
 father. 
 
 "You see, I was 'fraid you fellers might take 
 Josiah off where we couldn't find you, if we waited 
 much longer," Bill said when Tom explained why 
 he could not invite the party into the house. 
 
 " But he ain't thinkin' of goin' home till night," 
 Master Bartlett replied in surprise. 
 
 44 I know that ; but we wanter go down to the 
 ferry with him. You know a lot of us are countin' 
 on visitin' his farm next summer, an' it won't do 
 any harm if we see the old man." 
 
 44 But look here, Bill, you mustn't foller us 
 
228 Jbsiah in New York. 
 
 'round all day, for I don't b'lieve Mr. Shindle 
 would like it." 
 
 " Oh, we don't 'low to do that. Jest wanter get 
 'quainted with the farmer. We'll take a sneak 
 when you come 'cross the ferry." 
 
 " All right. Wait here, an' as soon's breakfast 
 is over we'll be down." 
 
 Then Tom re-entered the house without telling 
 Josiah of the escort which had arrived. 
 
 The boy from Berry's Corner was deeply en- 
 gaged in packing the well-worn valise, and count- 
 ing his money in order to see how much he might 
 spend in purchasing the presents for his father and 
 mother. 
 
 He was happier now than he had been on the 
 Monday morning previous ; for, although charmed 
 to a certain degree with the city, he preferred to 
 live in the country, and was decidedly impatient 
 to be at Berry's Corner again, where there would 
 be no danger of another arrest. 
 
 Life in New York no longer had any charms 
 for him. He had seen Bob and Tom at work, and 
 felt certain that next summer when called upon 
 to weed the long rows of carrots, the task would 
 
The Coupon. 229 
 
 seem less laborious as compared with theirs, and 
 decidedly more pleasant. 
 
 The city was so big, the throngs of people on 
 the street so intent on their own business without 
 apparently being able to bestow a thought upon 
 others, and the noise so wearying and bewildering, 
 that it would be very pleasant to stand once more 
 by the side of the long, dusty road which stretched 
 away in the distance, like a yellow ribbon between 
 the green and nodding trees. 
 
 Fishing for chubs in the laughing, sparkling 
 brook was much more delightful than peering 
 through the shop windows at things which he 
 wanted but could not purchase, and romping in 
 the back pasture with Towser was more like sport 
 than an hour spent on the street in the vicinity of 
 Baker's Court. 
 
 In addition to his desire to be at home once 
 more, was the fact that when his father arrived a 
 certain scheme, to which he had given no slight 
 amount of thought, might possibly be put into 
 execution. 
 
 Therefore his heart was very light when, with 
 valise in hand, he entered the stuffy kitchen of 
 Mrs. Bartlett's home for the last time. 
 
230 Josiah in New York. 
 
 After the meal came to an end, Bob said laugh- 
 ingly, as he went toward the window : — 
 
 " Look out here." 
 
 Josiah obeyed, and saw ranged either side of the 
 court, in true military precision, ten boys headed by 
 Master Foss, all of them standing with their eyes 
 fixed upon the door of the building. 
 
 " What are they doin' here ? " Josiah asked in 
 surprise. " Bill don't think that we've got time to 
 go anywhere with him, does he ? " 
 
 " Oh, no, he's only come to 'scort you down to 
 the ferry in style." 
 
 Josiah looked distressed. 
 
 Since his experience in the station-house he did 
 not wish to attract any more attention than was 
 absolutely necessary, and was eager only to meet 
 his father in the quietest possible manner. 
 
 " I think it would be a good deal better if we 
 should go alone," he said after a long pause. 
 
 " So do I ; but there don't seem to be any way 
 out of it. Bill is reckonin' on doin' this thing in 
 great shape, an' I s'pose we'll have to let him run 
 it, 'less you're willin' to tell him right up an' up 
 that we oughter go alone." 
 
The Coupon. 231 
 
 "I wouldn't like to do that," Josiah replied 
 slowly. 
 
 "Neither would I." 
 
 "What'er we goin' to do 'bout it ? " 
 
 " You'd better go down, an' see what he's got 
 to say. P'rhaps there'll be someway outer it." 
 
 Josiah, followed by Tom and Bob, descended to 
 the court, and instantly the former appeared, aloud 
 shout went up from the escort, thus showing what 
 they were prepared to do when Mr. Shindle should 
 arrive. 
 
 "Well, what do you think of it?" Bill asked 
 proudly, as he approached Josiah. 
 
 "Think of what?" 
 
 " This crowd. I reckon your father'll be 'bout 
 tickled to death when we give three cheers the 
 minute he steps off the cars. Folks'll think 
 he's the Governor by the time we get through 
 yellin'." 
 
 " But I don't b'lieve the people at the station 
 will want you screechin' 'round there." 
 
 " They'll have to be mighty smart if they can 
 stop us after we once get started. I've figgered the 
 whole thing out, same's it's done when a politician 
 
232 Josiah in New York. 
 
 comes inter town, an' you needn't be 'fraid but 
 we'll do it right up in style." 
 
 " See here, Bill, what makes you do so ?" Josiah 
 asked almost piteously, not feeling exactly at lib- 
 erty to put a decided veto upon the scheme. 
 
 " What makes me ? Why, we're countin' on 
 comin' up to your farm next summer, an' wanter 
 make it lively now for your father, so's he'll be 
 glad to see us when we get there." 
 
 " I'm 'f raid mother hasn't got beds enough for 
 all hands." 
 
 " That don't make a mite of difference ; we're 
 willin' to sleep on the hay, or anywhere. Tom 
 acted as if he thought we counted on follerin' you 
 'round town ; but of course we wouldn't do a 
 thing like that. We'll jest start the old man in 
 right, an' then he an' you can go wherever you 
 wanter; but we're bound to see him first." 
 
 It surely seemed as if this settled the matter, so 
 far as Master Shindle was concerned. If Bill was 
 " bound " to carry out the programme he had ar- 
 ranged, then it would be but a waste of words to 
 remonstrate with him, and Josiah remained silent. 
 
 " You'll have to let 'em go," Bob whispered, and 
 
The Coupon. 233 
 
 the young gentleman from Berry's Corner nodded 
 his head with an air of resignation. 
 
 "I don't think you'd better do any yellin'," Tom 
 said after a pause. " You see, Bill, some of them 
 fellers at the station might kick up a fuss, an' it 
 wouldn't look well if you should get 'rested the 
 very minute Mr. Shindle struck the city, 'cause 
 then there wouldn't be any chance of gettin' 
 'quainted with him." 
 
 "I'll risk their catchin' me," Master Foss re- 
 plied boldly ; but it was evident that the sugges- 
 tion had aroused a certain train of thought which 
 might result in the abandonment of at least a 
 portion of the reception ceremonies. 
 
 By this time the escort had cast aside their mar- 
 tial bearing, and all were clustered around Josiah, 
 urging him to leave the court as soon as possible. 
 
 "You see, there may be a block down on Broad- 
 way, an' it'll take us quite a while to get along, 
 'cause we're goin' to march reg'lar, same's soldiers 
 do," one of the party suggested, and the visitor 
 felt decidedly embarrassed at being made thus con- 
 spicuous. 
 
 "I reckon it'll have to be done, an' we might as 
 
234 Jonah in New York. 
 
 well have it over with at once," Tom whispered, 
 and the company set out in the order prescribed by 
 Master Foss. 
 
 Josiah walked arm in arm with Tom and Bob, 
 while on either side were five of the escort, with 
 Bill leading, and turning now and then to make 
 certain his men were in proper line. 
 
 It had been the intention of the Master of Cere- 
 monies to conduct his party through the streets ; 
 but before they had proceeded two blocks, its mili- 
 tary formation was broken up, owing to the reck- 
 lessness of the driver of a dray, and then he con- 
 cluded it would be quite as well to march on the 
 sidewalk, even though the pedestrians were incon- 
 venienced thereby. 
 
 Josiah did not enjoy what Bill had arranged as 
 a triumphal procession for the boy whose guest he 
 intended to be during the following summer ; but 
 when seeing that they attracted no slight amount 
 of attention, Tom and Bob concluded Master 
 Foss's idea was a thoroughly good one. 
 
 That Bill did not intend to do things in any 
 slipshod fashion, was shown by the fact thai* he 
 bought ferry tickets for the entire party, regardless 
 
The Coupon. 235 
 
 of the expense, and once on the Jersey City side 
 of the river, ranged his followers in two ranks in 
 front of the gate through which Mr. Shindle must 
 emerge. 
 
 Fully an hour did Josiah and his many friends 
 remain at the station ; and after this long, weary 
 time of waiting, Farmer Shindle, dressed in his 
 best clothes, and looking as radiant as a boy with 
 a ticket for the circus, stepped from the cars to 
 be greeted more than warmly by his son. 
 
 " Well, well, well, and are you ready to go 
 home ? " the farmer asked, as if in surprise that the 
 heir of the Shindle estate should show so much 
 joy when his visit was about to come to an end. 
 
 " Yes indeed, father." 
 
 " Why, what's the matter ? Haven't you had a 
 tolerably good time? " 
 
 " Splendid ! I've seen everything I ever heard 
 about, an' a good deal more ; but I ain't sorry 
 to go back to you, an' mother, an' the calf, an' 
 Towser." 
 
 " Well, well, well, now I'm glad to hear that," 
 and Farmer Shindle laid his hand affectionately 
 on Josiah's shoulder. " I feered you'd be wantin' 
 
236 Josiah in New York. 
 
 to stay all winter, an' that would have pretty nigh 
 broke me up. But here's Tom and Bob," and the 
 good man turned to shake hands with the represen- 
 tatives of Baker's Court as he looked at them 
 critically, and added, M You've lost that healthy 
 coat of tan you got out to Berry's Corner last 
 summer, boys. Next year I reckon we'll have to 
 make farmers of both you little rascals, an' then 
 you won't be layin' 'round this dreadful wicked 
 city lookin' as peaked as sick chickens. But say, 
 Josiah, does all this crowd belong to you ? " 
 
 On hearing himself thus referred to, Bill Foss 
 stepped quickly forward, and Josiah introduced 
 him by saying : — 
 
 "This is a friend of Tom's and Bob's, father. 
 He's been 'round with us a good deal, an' come 
 down so's to make it kinder lively for you." 
 
 " Yes, sir, an' I brought them fellers with me," 
 Bill said as he pointed to the escort. " You see, 
 we didn't want you to land here without there was 
 a reg'lar delegation to take care of you." 
 
 " Bles* my soul ! " the farmer exclaimed, as he 
 looked at the two lines of boys, who were standing 
 stiff as statues now they were being inspected. 
 
The Coupon. 237 
 
 " There wasn't any need of makin' a splurge for 
 me, 'cause you see I'm only a plain old farmer, an' 
 wouldn't know how to act if there was too much 
 goin' on." 
 
 " But this thing had to be done," Bill explained, 
 scowling furiously at a boy in the escort who 
 chanced to step out of the line for an instant in 
 order to save himself from being run over by a 
 dray. " We're comin' out to see you next summer, 
 you know, an' it seems like we oughter get 
 'quainted first." 
 
 " Comin' out to the farm, eh? " 
 
 " That's what we 'low to do," Bill replied de* 
 cidedly. 
 
 "The whole crowd?" 
 
 " Yes sir'ee ; we've 'greed to save up cash enough 
 to buy tickets for all hands." 
 
 " Well," Farmer Shindle said hesitatingly, 
 " there'll be plenty of room for you daytimes, an' 
 I reckon we'll manage to have all you can eat ; 
 but I don't know as to stowin' you away at night. 
 We'll have to talk with mother 'bout that." 
 
 " Don't you worry for us," Bill replied without 
 hesitation. " We'll fix ourselves, an' all you've got 
 
238 Josiah in New York. 
 
 to do is to have the farm right where it was when 
 Tom an' Bob was out there." 
 
 "Did you invite all these boys to visit with 
 you, Josiah ? " the farmer asked in a whisper ; and, 
 in the fewest possible words, his son explained the 
 situation of affairs. 
 
 " Oh, that's it, eh ? Well, I wouldn't like to 
 begrudge anything to these poor children who 
 don't ever have a chance to get a breath of pure 
 air ; but at the same time, I ain't sure as it would 
 be treatin' mother jest right to have all of 'em 
 pilin' in on her in such a load." 
 
 Bill waited until the whispered conversation had 
 come to an end, and then said in a confidential 
 tone to Josiah : — 
 
 " I reckon you had better go now, 'cause you'll 
 wanter see your father ; but we'll meet you agin 
 before the train leaves." 
 
 " I guess that would be the best way," the boy 
 replied, thoroughly relieved at the prospect of part- 
 ing with the escort. 
 
 " We ain't goin' to lose sight of you, Mr. Shin- 
 die," Bill said to the farmer ; " but we've got a lit- 
 tle business over on this side of the river, an' will 
 
The Coupon. 239 
 
 turn up agin to-night. You'll get along without 
 us, 'cause Tom and Bob can put you 'round." 
 
 "I reckon we shall get through all right," the 
 farmer replied with a laugh, and Bill gave the word 
 of command to take up the line of march in a very 
 loud voice. 
 
 Josiah was more than willing to part with these 
 acquaintances; and after watching Bill and his 
 friends until they had passed through the gate to 
 the street, he turned to his father. 
 
 It was some moments before Mr. Shindle was 
 ready to go on board the ferry-boat, because of 
 the questions which Tom and Bob thought neces- 
 sary to ask concerning the farm 5 and when they 
 were seated on the steamer where Josiah could 
 talk unreservedly, owing to the fact that his friends 
 were, perforce, some distance away, he asked seri- 
 ously : — 
 
 " Does it cost much to keep a boy or a girl about 
 my age ? " 
 
 " Well, now, that depends," the farmer replied 
 as he rubbed his chin reflectively ; " if they were to 
 be kept the year 'round, I reckon what they'd take 
 from the table wouldn't be missed; but when it 
 
240 Jonah in New York, 
 
 comes to fillin' 'em up for a week, they get away 
 with an amazin' power of vittles — not that I be- 
 grudge what a person eats at our house* though," 
 he added quickly. 
 
 " Would it cost a great deal to keep a child like 
 me?" 
 
 " That depends. You never was a careful boy 
 with shoe-leather, Josiah, an' don't take so kindly 
 to work as I wish you did. Now, them Berry 
 youngsters will stay in the field all day long with 
 never a whimper ; but you no sooner weed two or 
 three rows than you're done, and want to skylark 
 in the woods, catchin' turtles, or somethin' like that. 
 There's a good many times that a boy's a heap of 
 trouble, even if you don't count the expense." 
 
 " I'm talk in' of a girl, father." 
 
 Up to this moment Farmer Shindle probably 
 thought the questions were asked from motives of 
 curiosity ; and now the good man turned squarely 
 around in his seat as he looked at the boy earnestly, 
 and asked : — 
 
 " What have you got in your head, Josiah ? " 
 
 This was not exactly the time when Master 
 Shindle intended to present the story of the match- 
 
The Coupon. 241 
 
 girl. He had expected to bring his father gradu- 
 ally up to the point where he could propose, 
 without exciting too much astonishment, that she 
 be invited to the farm for a long visit. 
 
 It was not possible to further prepare him for 
 what was coming, however, and he plunged boldly 
 into the matter by telling all he knew about the 
 child who sold matches on Chatham Square. 
 
 Very pathetically he described her lonely life 
 and home, with no one but a drunken woman to 
 care for her ; the pinched, wan face, and the hard- 
 ships necessarily endured while trying to earn a 
 livelihood on the streets during the winter season, 
 until, from the varying expression of his father's 
 features, Josiah knew he had excited sympathy, if 
 nothing more. 
 
 The good man wiped his forehead vigorously as 
 if excessively warm, and said in a tone of mingled 
 bewilderment and regret : — 
 
 u I wish you hadn't told me this, Josiah, till you 
 had talked with mother. I was countin' on seein T 
 a good bit of the city to-day ; but somehow your 
 story has taken all the fun outer me." 
 
 " Why not carry her home with us, father? If 
 
242 Jonah in New York. 
 
 mother isn't willin' she needn't stay any longer'n 
 Tom an' Bob did, an' the poor little thing will be 
 jest so much the better for havin' a chance to live 
 two or three days like decent folks." 
 
 " But there's the expense of takin' her back an' 
 forth, 'Siah. Don't forget that, for your mother 
 won't." 
 
 " I've got enough to pay for the ticket. I was 
 goin' to buy you an' mother somethin'; but I 
 know you'd be willin' to get along without the 
 presents for the sake of givin' her a good time." 
 
 Farmer Shindle was so deeply engaged with his 
 thoughts that he made no reply to this last sugges- 
 tion of his son's, until the ferry-boat touched the 
 slip with a shock which caused him considerable 
 alarm, and as the young gentlemen from Baker's 
 Court led the way to the street, he said : — 
 
 " Let's go right up an' see that girl. If she 
 wants to go out to the farm for a week, an' you're 
 willin' to pay the fares, I don't see as there's any 
 reason for sayin' no. Mother can't be very much 
 opposed to it, 'cause the harvestin's over, the 
 apples are dried, an' she's through preservin'. I'll 
 risk it anyhow." 
 
The Coupon. 243 
 
 This was as much as Josiah had dared to hope 
 for, and now had come the time when he could tell 
 Tom and Bob of the plan. 
 
 " Well, that's what I call a big thing,' ' Master 
 Green said in a tone of approbation. " It's goin' 
 to be tough on Sadie to stay out-doors all winter 
 jest to earn what little she needs, an' if you folks 
 take care of her, she'll be mighty lucky." 
 
 Both the boys were as excited and delighted by 
 the information as if it had been a scheme devised 
 for their especial benefit. 
 
 They led the way to Chatham Square at a 
 rapid pace, hurrying Farmer Shindle across the 
 street amid the press of vehicles, until the poor 
 man was almost certain he would never live to 
 reach the desired spot, owing to the recklessness 
 of his guides. 
 
 There was no difficulty in finding Sadie. 
 
 She was standing where Josiah first saw her, 
 and this time he did not hesitate to approach. 
 
 44 Say, wouldn't you like to go out to Berry's 
 Corner an' live with father, an' mother, an' me? " 
 he cried eagerly, as he halted in front of her, while 
 Tom and Bob pressed close behind to hear every 
 
244 Jonah in New York. 
 
 word of the conversation. " I'm goin' home to- 
 night, an* we'll take you for a week, anyhow ; then 
 perhaps mother'll let you stay a good while longer. 
 It's ever so much nicer out there than it is in the 
 city." 
 
 The child was bewildered by Josiah's impetuous 
 manner, as well as by the proposition so hastily 
 made, and appeared wholly at a loss for an answer. 
 
 Then Tom, who fancied some recommendation 
 from him might be necessary, described the Shindle 
 farm, told of his visit of the previous year, and 
 painted so eloquently in words a picture of the life 
 at Berry's Corner, that soon Sadie was as excited 
 as any of the party. 
 
 At this point Mr. Shindle took part in the 
 conversation. 
 
 The child had aroused his sympathies, and he 
 now felt as eager to take her home as did Josiah. 
 
 "We haven't got any little girl out to our 
 house," he said, holding the tiny hand in his hard 
 palm, " an' I know mother would take you right 
 into her heart. She's a bit close-fisted at times, 
 'cause we have to count every cent to make both 
 ends meet ; but in five minutes after you strike 
 
Tht Coupon. 245 
 
 the house she'll be as if you was her own. The 
 good Book says there ain't a sparrow falls without 
 the Father's notice, an' He counts on our doin' all 
 we can to prevent the fallin', so I reckon it'll be 
 layin' up treasure for the hereafter to take you 
 home." 
 
 Sadie did not exactly understand what the old 
 gentleman was saying so earnestly ; but she knew 
 it all meant an invitation to visit the farm, and 
 little persuasion was needed to gain her consent. 
 
 Just then Master Bartlett took charge of the 
 matter by adding : — 
 
 "I'll go down to Mother Hunter's with her, an 
 see that she's ready to leave with you an' Josiah, 
 Mr. Shindle. When it's time to start, we'll be 
 waitin' for you at the court." 
 
346 Jonah in New York. 
 
 CHAPTER XVH. 
 
 AT HOME. 
 
 This arrangement was immediately carried into 
 effect, because Tom did not wait for an expression 
 of opinion regarding it. 
 
 He led Sadie across the square, and the other 
 members of the party were left alone, Farmer 
 Shindle saying, when the child was hidden from 
 view by the throng of pedestrians : — 
 
 "You've done a good deed, 'Siah, no matter 
 what mother says. It's a burnin' shame for that 
 poor little thing to have to earn her livin' sellin' 
 matches on the street. I'll pay for the railroad 
 tickets, an' you can spend your money as you like." 
 Then, conscious of having obeyed a kindly impulse, 
 and feeling better because of it, the farmer be- 
 thought himself of the plans he had made for 
 enjoying this brief visit, and asked, " Ain't there a 
 wax figger show somewhere 'round here ? " 
 
At Home. 2A1 
 
 S Yes, sir," Bob replied. " I know of a big one 
 way up town ; but it costs fifty cents to go in." 
 
 " I don't care if they tax six shillings apiece, 
 we're goin' with the whole crowd. It's the first 
 time I've been in the city with nothin' to do, for 
 more'n two years. I've begun by agreein' to pay 
 that little girl's way out home, an' I guess I can 
 stand three or four dollars more. Show us where 
 it is, Bob, an' I'll buy the tickets." 
 
 Under Master Green's guidance the party walked 
 toward Broadway until Farmer Shindle remem- 
 bered that Tom was in danger of losing his share 
 of the sight-seeing, and suddenly halted as he 
 said : — 
 
 " Now look here, I don't like to cheat that Bart- 
 lett boy outer the fun while he's helpin' the little 
 girl. S'pose you run after him, Bob? 'Siah an' 
 me'll see enough right here on this corner to keep 
 us amused till you get back, for it ain't often we 
 have sich a chance." 
 
 Bob, who had been regretting his partner's ab- 
 sence, was more than willing to act upon the sug- 
 gestion, and set out at full speed, in order to 
 economize time. 
 
248 Josiah in New York. 
 
 So intent was Josiah and his father on the scenes 
 around them, that it hardly seemed more than five 
 minutes before the boys returned, both looking 
 radiantly happy because of the good fortune in 
 store for Sadie. 
 
 Although Mr. Shindle's destination was the 
 " wax figure show " on Twenty-Third street, con- 
 siderable time was occupied in reaching the place, 
 for he found it necessary to stop here and there, 
 and look about him quite as often as had Josiah. 
 
 Tom and Bob piloted the party directly up 
 Broadway, doing the utmost to keep their guests 
 in motion ; for now that his father was with him, it 
 seemed as if Josiah's exclamations of delight were 
 louder and more frequent than before. 
 
 The pedestrians enjoyed the odd antics of these 
 Berry Corner pleasure-seekers to such an extent, 
 that before the party had reached Bleecker street 
 the attention which they received was even more 
 apparent than Bob and Tom fancied desirable. 
 
 " We'll have to hurry the old man along fastern 
 this," the former said in a whisper, "else we'll 
 have the whole city taggin' after us. He's actin' 
 worse'n Josiah ever dared to, an' how it'll be 
 
At Home. 249 
 
 when we get up among the swell stores, I don't 
 know." 
 
 " I reckon it would be a good idea to holler fire, 
 when he gets so much of a crowd 'round him," 
 Tom suggested. " Perhaps if we did that we could 
 run him pretty near all the way up." 
 
 " I don't b'lieve it would work, 'cause he'd soon 
 find out there wasn't anything the matter, an' we 
 don't want to make the old man mad. He was too 
 good last summer for us to play any funny busi- 
 ness." 
 
 M Then tell him if we don't get there pretty soon, 
 the show'll be closed. That'll settle it." 
 
 Bob did as his friend suggested ; and the possi- 
 bility that he might lose the opportunity of seeing 
 this exhibition, of which he had read and heard so 
 much, caused Mr. Shindle to accelerate his pace, 
 greatly to the delight of his guides. 
 
 The old gentleman walked rapidly several mo- 
 ments, and then they had arrived in front of a toy- 
 store. 
 
 Here he came to a full halt ; and it is question- 
 able if even a genuine alarm of fire would have 
 eaused him to move on, unless, by chance, the en- 
 gine had passed within sight. 
 
250 Jonah in New York. 
 
 He appeared to take as much pleasure in looking 
 at the toy soldiers, dolls, and miniature base-ball 
 outfits as did Josiah ; and the two flattened their 
 noses against the window in blissful ignorance 
 of the amusement they were affording the spec- 
 tators. 
 
 Mr. Shindle compared the toys with such as he 
 had owned when he was a child, and speculated 
 with Josiah as to what he would buy for Sadie if 
 he was possessed of unlimited means, until one 
 would have found it difficult, judging simply from 
 the conversation, to say which was the elder of the 
 two. 
 
 " I reckon your mother would go jest about wild 
 if she was to see a thing like this," Mr. Shindle 
 said, when Bob had tried in vain several moments 
 to induce him to continue the journey up town. 
 
 " I wish you'd brought her with you," Josiah re- 
 plied. " You can't think how many things I've 
 seen that I knew both she an' you'd like, since I've 
 been here, an' it seemed too bad we couldn't all 
 have been together." 
 
 " I did ask her if she wouldn't come down ; but 
 she's forever thinkin' about how much the railroad 
 
At Home. 251 
 
 ticket costs ; an' while I don't want to make any 
 complaint against your mother, Josiah, I must say 
 she's a master hand at figgerin' how many cents 
 there are in a dollar, so I don't know as we've got 
 any call to blame her. You see, for a good many 
 years we had an up-hill row to hoe, an' she's buckled 
 down to it so long, that now when we're a little 
 fore-handed, she can't get free of them ways of 
 scrimpin'." 
 
 In due course of time, Bob's and Tom's efforts 
 were rewarded with success, and the little party 
 moved on, slowly to be sure, but, as Bob said, they 
 were "headin' the right way," and it was only a 
 question of an hour or more when they would 
 arrive at their destination. 
 
 Bill Foss could not have been more jaunty in his 
 manner, even when making his best efforts to do 
 honor to Josiah in order to pave the way for the 
 summer's visit, than was Mr. Shindle when he 
 stepped in front of the ticket-office at the "wax- 
 figure show," and purchased the cards of admis- 
 sion. 
 
 " It's a good deal of money to pay out for two 
 or three hour's fun," he said in a confidential tone 
 
252 Josiah in New York. 
 
 to the gentleman in the box-office, as the latter re- 
 turned three dollars in change for a five, accompany- 
 ing them with four bits of pasteboard which would 
 pass the party by the Cerberus at the door ; " but 
 you see when a man don't come down to the city 
 more'n once in two years, I reckon he can afford 
 it." 
 
 This explanation of his almost criminal prodi- 
 gality had the effect of soothing the farmer's 
 mind, so far as the expenditure of two dollars was 
 concerned, and the four entered the museum in 
 open-mouthed astonishment. 
 
 This was a place which neither Tom nor Bob 
 had ever visited before, owing to the high price of 
 admission ; and they were quite as much delighted 
 as were their country friends, although both took 
 especial care to prevent giving such palpable evi- 
 dences of their enjoyment. 
 
 In a very few moments the young gentlemen of 
 Newspaper Row were wearied with looking at the 
 figures of celebrities, and Bob said confidently to 
 his companion : — 
 
 " I don't understand how it is they charge half 
 a dollar jest to come in here and see these people. 
 
At Home. 253 
 
 I can find a good many more on Broadway any 
 day ; " and it is very likely they would have voted 
 this particular exhibition a failure, when taken in 
 connection with the amount charged for admission, 
 had it not been that Josiah accidentally found 
 his way down the staircase to the Chamber of 
 Horrors. 
 
 He came back swiftly, his eyes gleaming with 
 astonishment, his face almost pale, and exclaimed 
 in a voice trembling with surprise and emotion : — 
 
 "Come down here quick! They're murderin' 
 folks, an' hangin' 'em, an' everything else ! It's 
 awful nice ! " 
 
 Tom and Bob had nothing more to say about the 
 entrance fee, for here was an opportunity to drink 
 their fill of horrors. 
 
 During the next fifteen minutes not a single 
 member of the party spoke, as they walked from 
 one scene to another in what was really like silent 
 fear. 
 
 " This is an awful wicked world," Farmer Shin- 
 die said solemnly, when he had fully understood 
 the seven stages of the burglar's life, " an' if ever 
 the time comes when I get tired stayin' out to 
 
254 Josiah in New York. 
 
 Berry's Corner, I'll come right down here. It's 
 enough to make a man wish there never was such 
 places as cities. Say, Bob, do you s'pose them 
 figgers are all wax, or are they reg'lar skins 
 stuffed?" 
 
 Master Green should have acknowledged that 
 he was unable to answer this question, but it seemed 
 hardly the proper thing for him to confess his 
 ignorance, and he replied gravely : — 
 
 " I reckon some of 'em's wax, an' some of 'em 
 ain't. I'm pretty certain that feller what's goin' 
 to have his head cut off is a reg'lar man stuffed. 
 I s'pose they glued him together after the choppin' 
 was over." 
 
 This made the scene of the guillotine more real- 
 istic, and the little party paused in front of the 
 terrible picture until Mr. Shindle said with a sigh : — 
 
 " It's no use, boys, I've got enough of this sort 
 of thing, even if it did cost half a dollar apiece. I 
 reckon we'd better go out on the street where we 
 can see somethin'more lively. If there's any chance 
 'round here to get a bite to eat, I wouldn't mind 
 payin' for a cup of coffee an' a fried cake." 
 
 "There's lots of places like that," Bob said 
 
At Home. 255 
 
 quickly ; for the idea of having a lunch at an up- 
 town restaurant was even more entrancing than any- 
 thing to be found in the museum. 
 
 Ten minutes later the four were seated at a mar- 
 ble-topped table, which Mr. Shindle thought out of 
 place in such an establishment, since, as he said, 
 "wood would have done jest as well so long as it 
 was made strong enough to hold the feed, an' 
 wouldn't have come nearly so expensive." 
 
 Josiah's father generously allowed his guests to 
 order what they wished, and this was done without 
 reference to the bill of fare. 
 
 A thoroughly enjoyable lunch it was until the 
 check had been brought, and then the amount 
 caused even more consternation than had the one 
 at Coney Island among the chowder-eaters. 
 
 The farmer looked at it a moment in eloquent 
 silence, and then said, as he plunged his hand with 
 a certain deliberation into his pocket : — 
 
 " I reckon it's jest as well for me that I don't . 
 come to the city very often, 'cordin' to the price 
 we're gettin' for potatoes now. I don't groan over 
 payin' two dollars to go into a show like the one 
 we jest come out of ; but when they can figger up 
 
266 Jonah in New York. 
 
 a dollar and seventy-five cents for two or three 
 mouthfuls such as we've had, it strikes me we're 
 goin' it pretty strong, eh, Josiah ? " 
 
 " Things are awful expensive in the city, father. 
 I've found that out since I've been here ; " and then 
 the heir of the Shindle estate told of the amount 
 spent at Coney Island, until his father began to 
 look upon Messrs. Green and Bartlett as capitalists, 
 if they could afford to entertain their guests in such 
 a manner. 
 
 " It's no use to cry over spilled milk, so I won't 
 say anything more about it ; but it'll be a long day 
 before I set down to a dollar and seventy-five cent 
 meal agin." 
 
 Then it seemed as if the farmer put from his 
 mind all idea of the value of money, and from that 
 hour until the day's pleasuring had come to an end, 
 there was not a moment which had in it less than 
 sixty full seconds of perfect enjoyment. 
 
 Farmer Shindle not only invited the boys to sev- 
 eral other places of interest, but purchased peanut* 
 and candy with the recklessness of a spendthrift, 
 until there was every probability the entire party 
 would need strong doses of Jamaica ginger before 
 morning. 
 
At Home. 257 
 
 The inhabitants of Baker's Court were in a fer- 
 ment of excitement when the amusement-seekers 
 finally returned. 
 
 All were acquainted with the little match-girl, 
 and more than once had they discussed the possi- 
 bility of doing something to aid her for whom the 
 battle of life had begun so early; but thus far 
 nothing had been accomplished. 
 
 Instantly word was brought of the farmer's gen- 
 erous invitation, however, every mother in the 
 vicinity bent all her energies toward replenishing 
 Sadie's scanty wardrobe ; and when Mr. Shindle 
 and the boys arrived, she presented a much neater 
 and more cleanly appearance than ever since Tom 
 had known her. 
 
 Josiah purchased for his mother a lace cap that 
 he thought a marvel of beauty because of the 
 bright red ribbons with which it was tied. In 
 making the selection he was aided by his father, 
 who told him, as if it was a great secret, that when 
 his mother was young she always wore red, there- 
 fore there could be no mistake if he selected a 
 head covering plentifully bedecked with this color. 
 
 Fifty cents more of his rapidly diminishing capi- 
 
258 Jonah in New York. 
 
 tal had been invested in a gaudily-painted but not 
 very serviceable whip for his father, and thus 
 Josiah was to carry home gifts despite his charita- 
 ble scheme. 
 
 Then the huge valise was brought down-stairs, 
 and Farmer Shindle said, as he seized it by the 
 leathern handles : — 
 
 " We'll take good care of the little girl, neigh- 
 bors, an' next summer, if mother an' me are spared, 
 I reckon the crops will be big enough so's we can 
 stand the feed of a dozen youngsters from 'round 
 here, who I allow don't see a spear of grass from 
 one year's end to another." 
 
 One afternoon in December, when snow covered 
 the brown earth with a mantle of whiteness, as 
 the sleek, well-fed cows and horses were housed in 
 the warm barn, munching contentedly the hay 
 gathered for their especial benefit, and all Nature 
 was under the Ice King's rule, the Shindle family, 
 with the match-girl in their midst, sat before a 
 roaring fire in the rag-carpeted kitchen, enjoying 
 the genial warmth all the more because of the in- 
 teiBe cold outside. 
 
At Rome. 259 
 
 During fully ten minutes not a word had been 
 spoken; and then the farmer said as he laid his 
 hand on the head of the tiny girl, who was sitting 
 upon a footstool near Mrs. Shindle's side, learning 
 to knit : — 
 
 " It would have been pretty hard lines, mother, 
 if this little thing was obliged to walk the streets 
 of that great, big city tryin' to earn money enough 
 for her feed." 
 
 " Indeed it would, father, and while we live she 
 shall never again know what it is to be homeless," 
 the good woman replied, as she stroked the brown 
 hair of the little head which had dropped into her 
 lap to hide the tears of gratitude. 
 
 Happy and contented as were all the inmates of 
 the kitchen, there was a certain huskiness in the 
 farmer's voice as he added : — 
 
 " After all, mother, it ain't givin' we are, it's 
 receivin', because she gives more'n she takes. I 
 reckon when 'Siah an' me lugged her away from 
 New York, it was cuttin' a mighty big coupon from 
 them five shares of the fresh-air fund we invested 
 in last summer." 
 
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