rative
luxury. He actually had a place he could call "home."

"Were you in earnest when you said we would go in partnership?" asked
Dick, after a pause.

"Sure. Why not? Any kid that kin sell papes de way youse kin, not
yellin' about a fire or a murder, kin be a partner wid me as long as he
likes. I'm willin' if youse is. We've got money now t' take us troo
de week an' stack up wid papes every day. Sure, we'll be partners, if
youse likes de idea."

"I certainly do, but I can't be sure of selling as many papers every
day as I sold to-day. I did better than I thought I would."

"Don't let dat worry youse. Everybody is down on deir luck once in a
while. What d'ye say? Is it a go?"

"As far as I'm concerned, yes. I'm much obliged to you for taking me
into the firm."

"Oh, dat's all right. Don't mention it. If youse hear of any of dem
millionaires in Wall Street wantin' an interest, tell 'em de place is
filled."

Thus Jimmy Small and Dick Box (as we must continue to call the strange
lad for a time) formed a newsboy partnership that was destined to have
a greater influence on their lives than either of them suspected.

CHAPTER X

AN ENCOUNTER WITH CONROY

"Well, now we's settled in our mansion," said Jimmy, "s'pose we takes a
night off an' goes t' see a show."

"What kind?"

"Well, we kin git under de roof fer a quarter at a regular theater, or
we kin git a seat in de top gallery of a continuous performance fer
fifteen coppers. Den dere's de movin'-picture shows dat cost a nickel.
I generally takes dem in, 'cause I ain't allers so flush wid de coin as
I am now. What d'ye say t' a movin'-picture show?"

"I've no objections. I never saw one. What are they like?"

"Never saw one! Crimps! If I didn't see a show once in a while I'd
feel like a dead one!"

"That is, I suppose I never saw one," went on Dick, with a puzzled
look. "Of course I can't remember what happened before--before I got
to the box," he added with a smile.

"Well, we'll take in a movin'-picture show, an' mebby youse kin
remember if youse ever saw one before."

"All right," agreed Dick, and they started out together.

The Bowery was ablaze with lights and there was quite a crowd in the
street. It was the first night Dick had been out since his illness,
and, before that, he could not remember having seen New York lighted
up. He was much interested in everything he saw.

"Wait a minute," exclaimed Jimmy, as they