ned himself near the Astor House, and kept an eye on
the boots of all who passed, promptly offering his services where they
appeared needed. Of course, there were long intervals between his
customers, but in the course of two hours he had made fifty cents,
which he regarded as doing fairly.

Finally a gentleman, rather tall and portly, descended the steps of the
Astor House, and bent his steps in Tom's direction.

"Shine yer boots?" asked Tom.

The gentleman looked down upon the face of the boy, and a sudden
expression swept over his own, as if he were surprised or startled. His
boots were tolerably clean; but, after a moment's hesitation, he said:

"Yes."

Tom was instantly on his knees, first spreading a piece of carpet,
about a foot square, to kneel upon, and set to work with energy.

"How long have you been in this line of business, boy?" asked his
customer.

"Four or five years," answered Tom.

"Do you like it?"

"I have to like it," said Tom. "I've got to do somethin' for a livin'.
Bread and meat don't grow on trees."

"What's your name?" asked the stranger, abruptly.

"Tom."

"Haven't you got but one name?"

"Tom Grey's my whole name; but everybody calls me Tom."

"Grey? Did you say your name was Grey?" asked the stranger, in a tone
of some excitement.

"Yes," said Tom, surprised at the gentleman's tone.

In his surprise he looked up into his customer's face, and for the
first time took notice of it. This was what he saw: a square face, with
a heavy lower jaw, grizzled whiskers, and cold, gray eyes. But there
was something besides that served to distinguish it from other faces--a
scar, of an inch in length, on his right cheek, which, though years
old, always looked red under excitement.

"Grey," repeated the stranger. "Is your father living?"

"I don't know," said Tom. "If he is, he's too busy to call round and
see me."

"You mean that you don't know anything about your father?"

"That's about so," said Tom. "I'm ready to adopt a rich gentleman as a
father, if it's agreeable."

And he looked up with a smile in the face of his customer.

But the latter did not respond to the joke, but looked more and more
serious.

"That smile," he said to himself. "He is wonderfully like. Is it
possible that this boy can be----"

But here he stopped, and left the sentence unfinished.

"Are you sure your name is Tom?" asked the stranger.

"Why shouldn't it be?" demanded the boy, in natural surpri