e, "there is no occasion for this. It is much
better that I should trust you for two cents than that you should
trust me with five dollars."

"Probably the two cents are as important to you as five dollars to me.
At any rate, it is a matter of confidence, and I am quite willing to
trust you."

"Thank you, sir, but----"

"I shall have to leave you, or I shall be home late to dinner."

Before Luke had a chance to protest further, he found himself alone,
his stock of papers exhausted, and a five-dollar bill in his hand.

While he stood on the corner in some perplexity, a newsboy crossed
Randolph Street, and accosted him.

"My eyes, if you ain't in luck, Luke Walton," he said. "Where did you
get that bill? Is it a one?"

"No, it's a five."

"Where'd you get it?"

"A gentleman just bought two papers of me."

"And gave you five dollars! You don't expect me to swaller all that,
do you?"

"I'm to bring him the change to-morrow," continued Luke.

The other boy nearly doubled up with merriment.

"Wasn't he jolly green, though?" he ejaculated.

"Why was he?" asked Luke, who by this time felt considerably annoyed.

"He'll have to whistle for his money."

"Why will he?"

"Cause he will."

"He won't do anything of the sort. I shall take him his change
to-morrow morning."

"What?" ejaculated Tom Brooks.

"I shall carry him his change in the morning--four dollars and
ninety-eight cents. Can't you understand that?"

"You ain't going to be such a fool, Luke Walton?"

"If it's being a fool to be honest, then I'm going to be that kind of a
fool. Wouldn't you do the same?"

"No, I wouldn't. I'd just invite all the boys round the corner to go
with me to the theayter. Come, Luke, be a good feller, and give us all
a blow-out. We'll go to the theayter, and afterwards we'll have an
oyster stew. I know a bully place on Clark Street, near Monroe."

"Do you take me for a thief, Tom Brooks?" exclaimed Luke,
indignantly.

"The gentleman meant you to have the money. Of course he knew you
wouldn't bring it back. Lemme see, there's a good play on to Hooley's.
Six of us will cost a dollar and a half, and the oyster stews will be
fifteen cents apiece. That'll only take half the money, and you'll
have half left for yourself."

"I am ashamed of you, Tom Brooks. You want me to become a thief, and
it is very evident what you would do if you were in my place. What
would the gentleman think of me?"

"He don't know you. You