could not sleep in so public a place without attracting
attention. Two ragged boys espied him, and held a low conference
together.

"What's he got in that bundle, Jim, do you think?" asked one.

"We'd better look and see."

They went up to the bench, and touched him, to make sure that he was
fast asleep. The touch did not rouse him to consciousness.

"Just lift up his head, Mike, and I'll take the bundle," said the larger
of the two boys.

This was done.

"Now, let him down softly."

So the bundle was removed, and poor Ben, wandering somewhere in the land
of dreams, was none the wiser. His head, deprived of its former support,
now rested on the hard bench. It was not so comfortable, but he was too
tired to awake. So he slept on.

Meanwhile Jim and Mike opened the bundle.

"It's a couple of shirts," said Jim.

"Is that all?" asked Mike, disappointed.

"Well, that's better than nothin'."

"Give me one of 'em."

"It's just about your size. 'Taint big enough for me."

"Then give me the two of 'em."

"What'll you give?"

"I aint got no stamps. I'll pay you a quarter when I get it."

"That don't go down," said Jim, whose confidence in his confederate's
honesty was not very great. Considering the transaction in which they
were now engaged, it is not surprising that there should have been a
mutual distrust. Being unable to make any bargain, Jim decided to take
his share of the booty round to a second-hand clothes-dealer in Chatham
Street. Here, after considerable higgling, he succeeded in selling the
shirt for sixteen cents, which was less than his companion had offered.
However, it was cash down, and so was immediately available,--an
important consideration in the present state of Jim's finances. "A bird
in the hand," as he considered, "was worth two in the bush."

Jim immediately purchased a cigar with a portion of his dishonest gains,
and, procuring a light, walked about in a state of high enjoyment,
puffing away as coolly as a man of twice his years.

Meanwhile Ben continued to sleep, happily unconscious of the loss of his
entire personal possessions. In his dreams he was at home once more,
playing with his school companions. Let him sleep! He will waken soon
enough to the hard realities of a street life, voluntarily undertaken,
it is true, but none the less likely to bear heavily upon him.

He slept a long time. When he awoke it was six o'clock.

He sat upon his seat, and rubbed his eyes in mome