me.

Mrs. Green succeeded in getting her boarders away from the
contemplation of their surroundings by reminding them, in a very
forcible voice, that everything would be spoiled if they waited much
longer. They took their places at the table, and Ben and Johnny were
in a dream of surprise during the meal, which was, as Ben afterwards
told Mopsey, "one of the swellest dinners ever got up in New York
City."

After they had eaten as much as they wanted--and it seemed as if they
never would get enough, so good did it taste--Nelly showed the
boarders through the rooms, which were above a store. There were two
floors divided into five rooms, and an attic which could be of no use
except as a store-room, because of the fact that it was hardly more
than five feet from the floor to the roof.

Ben was highly delighted with everything he saw, Paul expressed
neither surprise nor pleasure, and Johnny was not enthusiastic until
he saw the attic. The moment he was taken there, a gigantic idea
seemed to have come to him very suddenly, and he stood in the centre
of the place almost too much excited to give words to the thoughts
that crowded upon him.

"Fellers!" he cried, and he repeated it twice before he could say any
more--"fellers! do you know what we can do up here?"

Now it is possible that both Ben and Paul could have thought of very
many things they could do in a space as large as that attic; but since
they did not know what Johnny referred to, they shook their heads
negatively, and waited for him to tell them what it was that had so
excited him.

"We can jest fix things up here, an' have a theatre--a reg'lar
theatre, an' make more money than--than--well, all we want."

And then in a very excited way he went on to tell them just what could
be done to transform the place into as beautiful a theatre, save in
one or two unimportant details, as could be found in the city.

Nelly stood by, looking first at one and then the other of the boys in
mute surprise, while Paul, delighted at the idea of making a large sum
of money at one bold stroke, and being saved thereby from weary days
of waiting and working before he could return to his home, listened
attentively.

[Illustration: "FELLERS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO UP HERE?"]

Ben agreed with all his partner said, but he advised that Mrs. Green
be consulted as to the scheme before they went very far in deciding
what work they would be obliged to do in order to transform the