sipated them. He felt amused by the verdancy
of Abner Blodgett, and anticipated a good deal of entertainment from
his remarks.

They took the horse cars to Bunker Hill; Sam paid the fare both ways,
as his companion did not expect to have any money till tomorrow. He
did not relish lending, his own stock of money being so scanty; but
Abner was so confident of being in funds the next day that he did not
refuse. He was interested in the view from the summit of the monument,
and spent an additional hour in exploring Charlestown. When the two
got back to Boston they found the afternoon well advanced and the
dinner hour near.

CHAPTER XXIV.

AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE.

After dinner Sam and his roommate took a walk. As they passed the
Boston theater, Abner proposed going in; but Sam knew very well that
the expense of both tickets would come upon him, and declined.

"I am tired," he said; "I've been walking about all day, and, besides,
I got up very early in the morning. I would rather go home and go to
bed."

"Lend me a dollar, and I'll go," said Abner. "I don't feel sleepy."

"Not much," answered Sam. "When you've got your money, it will be time
enough to go to the theater; but if you haven't got any more than I
have, you'd better not go to the theater much."

The reader may be surprised at such sensible advice proceeding from
Sam; but he had begun to feel the responsibilities of life more keenly
than ever before. For the first time, too, he saw how foolish he had
been in the past, and felt an eager desire to win a respectable
position. He was sanguine and hopeful, and felt that it was not too
late to turn over a new leaf.

"All right," said Abner. "I can wait till another evening, but I
thought I'd like to go to the theater, seein' as I never went there."

"Never went to the theater!" exclaimed Sam, with a gratifying sense of
superiority. "I've been ever so many times in New York."

"I've been to the circus," said Abner. "There was one come round last
summer to our place. Is the theater any like the circus?"

"No," said Sam; "but the circus is pretty good. I like to see it
myself. You miss a good many things by living in the country."

"Did you ever live in the country?" inquired Abner.

"A good many years ago," answered Sam. "The fact is, I was born there,
but I got tired of it and went to New York."

Presently fatigue overpowered Sam, and he announced his intention of
returning to the boarding-house, a