what?' Why, no thought of a
possibility of danger had crossed young Meeker's mind since the day he
joined the church in Hampton.

He sat quite still, uncertain what reply to make.

He was interrupted by the tones of the Doctor's voice--tones which were
modified from their previous severity.

'I will take your letter,' he said, 'and at the next communion, which
will take place in about six weeks, you will be admitted to membership.'

'I should like to have a class in the Sunday school,' said Hiram,
breathing more freely.

'If you will speak next Sunday to Mr. Harris, the superintendent,'
replied the Doctor, 'he will furnish you with one. There is a demand for
teachers just at present, I heard him say.'

Dr. Chellis rose, as if Hiram had taken up enough of his time. Our hero
could but do the same. He bowed and left the room.

'A pretty sort of minister that,' exclaimed he between his teeth, as he
quitted the house. 'Pious! no more pious than my boot. Never listened to
a word I said. I know he didn't. Is it possible I must sit under this
man's preaching? I see now what cousin Bennett meant by things being got
up on an entirely different basis here from what they are in the
country. I should think they were. But there is Allwise, Tenant & Co.,
Daniel Story. I may trust myself with such names [he did not say with
such _men_]. Ah! h'm--h'm--lots of pretty girls, with plenty of cash.
I'll try it. Anyhow, it stands number one. No mistake about that!

CHAPTER III.

Hiram soon learned a lesson. He discovered there were people in New York
just as quickwitted, as keen, and as shrewd as he was himself. This did
not alarm him. Not a bit. He was only the more ready to appreciate the
truth of Mr. Bennett's remark, that he had yet much to learn.

'I see it,' quoth Hiram. 'The city gets the best of everything, by the
natural course of supply and demand. Yes, it gets the best beef and
mutton and fowls, and fruits and vegetables, and on the same principle
it commands the best men. Well, I like this all the better. It was dull
business in Burnsville, after all, with nobody to compete with. Give me
New York!'

* * * * *

In the store of Hendly, Layton & Gibb, Hiram saw and conversed with
shipmasters who were familiar with every port in the world. The reader
will recollect, at school he had devoted himself to mercantile
geography. Thus he had located in his mind every principal seaport, and
had