What was there in it?"

"There was two shirts."

"You've got a shirt on, aint you?"

"Yes," said Ben.

"That's all right, then. What does a feller want of a thousand shirts?"

"There's some difference between two shirts and a thousand," said Ben.

"What's the odds? I haven't got but one shirt. That's all I want. When
it is wore out I'll buy a new one."

"What do you do when it gets dirty?" asked Ben, in some curiosity.

"Oh, I wash it once in two or three weeks," was the reply.

This was not exactly in accordance with Ben's ideas of neatness; but he
saw that no satisfaction was likely to be obtained in this quarter, so
he walked away rather depressed. It certainly hadn't been a lucky
day,--this first day in the city. He had been rejected in half-a-dozen
stores in his applications for employment, had spent nearly all his
money, and been robbed of all his clothing except what he wore.

Again Ben began to feel an appetite. He had eaten his dinner late, but
it had consisted of a plate of meat only. His funds being now reduced to
two cents, he was obliged to content himself with an apple, which did
something towards appeasing his appetite.

Next Ben began to consider anxiously how he was to pass the night.
Having no money to spend for lodging, there seemed nothing to do but to
sleep out of doors. It was warm weather, and plenty of street boys did
it. But to Ben it would be a new experience, and he regarded it with
some dread. He wished he could meet with Jerry Collins, his acquaintance
of the morning. From him he might obtain some information that would be
of service in his present strait.

Three or four hours must elapse before it would be time to go to bed.
Ben hardly knew how or where to pass them. He had become tired of the
park; besides, he had got over a part of his fatigue, and felt able to
walk about and explore the city. He turned at a venture up Chatham
Street, and was soon interested in the sights of this peculiar
thoroughfare,--the shops open to the street, with half their stock in
trade exposed on the sidewalk, the importunities of the traders, and the
appearance of the people whom he met. It seemed very lively and
picturesque to Ben, and drew away his attention from his own awkward
position.

He was asked to buy by some of the traders, being promised wonderful
bargains; but his penniless condition put him out of the reach of
temptation.

So he wandered on until he came to the Bowery, a broad av