ridge tender.
The gentleman had told him to call whenever he was in the city, and he had
no doubt but what he could raise a loan when he stated how he was situated.

At length he decided to go back to the hotel and see if anything had been
heard of Jackson Walters. He went back, only to be disappointed.

But the visit was productive of some good. Hearing that he had a friend in
New York, the hotel keeper gave him a quarter of a dollar with which to get
over the ferry and pay other expenses while hunting him up.

Ralph was soon back to the river, and in company with a great stream of
people, he purchased a ferry ticket and went aboard one of the boats.

The trip on such a craft was a novelty, and he was sorry it did not last
longer. Yet when the boat touched on the other side he was one of the first
ashore.

Ralph was now in the great city of New York, and the country boy could not
help but stare about him at the bustle and apparent confusion on all sides.
By a miracle he managed to cross Wall street in safety, and then, learning
that Broadway lay several blocks beyond, he followed the crowd in that
direction.

"It's a big place, and no mistake," he said to himself. "My gracious, what
tall buildings, and how they are crowded together!"

At last Broadway was reached, that greatest of all metropolitan
thoroughfares. It was the most wonderful of all sights to Ralph, so many
cars, and wagons, and trucks, not to mention people. He stood on the corner
so long that at last a policeman came up and told him to move on.

Ralph was sorry he could not remember Horace Kelsey's number. The insurance
agent's card was at home, and the boy had not troubled himself to commit
the address to memory. He knew it was on Broadway, and that was all.

"I suppose I might inquire at some of the insurance offices," he thought,
at length. "I'll step into the next one I run across."

It was not long before he came to such a place as he was looking for. He
entered and made known his wants to the clerk, who advanced to ascertain
his wishes.

"Horace Kelsey?" said the clerk. "Don't know the man."

"He is an insurance agent," went on Ralph.

"Good many insurance agents in New York. You might look in the directory.
There is one on that stand over by the window."

"Thank you, I'll try it," replied the boy.

He soon found the list of men in the insurance business. Running down the
column of K's, he came across the name Kelsey, Horace, insuran