When his toilet
was complete, he surveyed himself with no little complacency. For the
first time in all the years that he could remember, he was attired,
from top to toe, as a young gentleman.

"Blest if I couldn't pass myself off for a young Fifth avenoodle," he
said to himself. "I'll go down and see Mrs. Flanagan. I wonder if
she'll know me?"

He descended the stairs, and knocked at the door of the good-hearted
Irishwoman.

She did not recognize him, having no idea that it was Tom the
bootblack.

"Does Mrs. Flanagan live here?" asked Tom, slightly disguising his
voice.

"Yes, sir. Is it washing ye want me to do?"

"Is there a boy named Tom lives here?" asked our hero.

"He lives up stairs, just over this."

"Do you know him?"

"Shure I do. I know him as if he was my own bye."

"I don't know about that," said Tom, in his natural voice, raising his
hat, which he had worn slouched down over his eyes. "You didn't seem to
know him when you saw him."

"Shure it's Tom himself!" exclaimed Mrs. Flanagan. "Why, Tom, dear,
what's come to you? You're lookin' quite the gintleman."

"Of course I am," said Tom. "That's the new business I've gone into."

"Where did you get them new clo'es, Tom?"

"I bought them with the money old Jacob left me. And now, Mrs.
Flanagan, I'm goin' to leave you."

"Where are you goin', Tom?"

"I'm goin' out West, to seek my fortune."

"Shure I hope you'll find it."

"So do I, Mrs. Flanagan. I know it's there, and mean to get it, if I
can."

"Are you goin' now?"

"Not till to-morrow. I've got some more things to buy first."

"I'm sorry to lose you, Tom. I'll miss you and old Jacob. I hope the
poor man's better off."

"So do I, Mrs. Flanagan. I won't hide it from you--but he left me a
paper, tellin' me that there is a man out West that's cheated me out of
my fortune."

"What's his name?"

"Grey. He's my father's cousin."

"Where does he live?"

"I don't know."

"Then how will you find him?"

"I know how he looks. He was in New York a little while ago, and I
blacked his boots. When I come into my fortune, I'll make you a
handsome present, Mrs. Flanagan."

"Shure I hope you'll get it widout the present."

"Now I must be goin'. I've got to buy a carpet-bag and umbrella."

"Come in and bid me good-by before you go, Tom."

"Yes, I will."

Tom went out into the street, when it occurred to him that there was
one article he had not yet renewed--his hat. He lost no ti