Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 52017-h.htm or 52017-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52017/52017-h/52017-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52017/52017-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/boysfortuneorstr00alge Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). [Illustration: "HE HAD FALLEN ASLEEP."] A BOY'S FORTUNE Or, The Strange Adventures of Ben Baker by HORATIO ALGER, JR. Author of "Adrift in the City," "Grit," "Frank and Fearless," "Dan, the Detective," "Plucky Paul Palmer," etc. The John C. Winston Co. Philadelphia Chicago Toronto Copyright, 1898, by Henry T. Coates & Co. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. OLIVER HITCHCOCK'S LUNCH-ROOM, 1 II. A LODGING IN ST. MARK'S PLACE, 10 III. THE MERCHANT'S SECRET, 19 IV. THE MOCK PHILANTHROPIST, 28 V. A YOUNG DUDE, 37 VI. BEN GETS INTO TROUBLE, 45 VII. A STRANGE ADVENTURE, 54 VIII. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, 67 IX. CLARENCE IS PUZZLED, 72 X. AT THE OFFICE OF MR. CODICIL, 81 XI. THE HOME OF POVERTY, 90 XII. A SURPRISING ANNOUNCEMENT, 99 XIII. A FAREWELL CALL, 108 XIV. WHAT BEN'S FRIENDS THOUGHT, 117 XV. FILIPPO NOVARRO, 126 XVI. ON BOARD THE PARTHIA, 134 XVII. THE BEAUFORTS IN TROUBLE, 143 XVIII. MRS. FLANAGAN IS DRIVEN FROM THE FIELD, 152 XIX. BRIGHTER PROSPECTS, 162 XX. THE NEW HOME, 171 XXI. THE COLLAPSE OF AN ELDERLY DUDE, 181 XXII. THE ROMANCE OF A ROSE, 190 XXIII. ON THE BORDERS OF THE LAKE OF GENEVA, 200 XXIV. THE MAISON DE FOUS, 208 XXV. IN A TRAP, 218 XXVI. INTRODUCES TWO CELEBRITIES, 227 XXVII. A MIDNIGHT ESCAPE, 236 XXVIII. BEN'S FLIGHT, 245 XXIX. BEN IS MISSED, 249 XXX. M. BOURDON'S LITTLE SCHEME, 254 XXXI. A WANDERER IN FRANCE, 262 XXXII. A STRANGE MEETING, 267 XXXIII. AN ASTOUNDING DISCOVERY, 271