So he turned, and retraced his steps down Broadway. By the time he got to the City Hall Park he was quite tired. Seeing some vacant seats inside, he went in and sat down, resting his bundle on the seat beside him. He saw quite a number of street boys within the inclosure, most of them boot-blacks. As a rule, they bore the marks of their occupation not only on their clothes, but on their faces and hands as well. Some, who were a little more careful than the rest, were provided with a small square strip of carpeting, on which they kneeled when engaged in "shining up" a customer's boots. This formed a very good protection for the knees of their pantaloons. Two were even more luxurious, having chairs in which they seated their customers. Where this extra accommodation was supplied, however, a fee of ten cents was demanded, while the boot-blacks in general asked but five. "Black your boots?" asked one boy of Ben, observing that our young adventurer's shoes were soiled. "Yes," said Ben, "if you'll do it for nothing." "I'll black your eye for nothing," said the other. "Thank you," said Ben, "I won't trouble you." Ben was rather interested in a scene which he witnessed shortly afterwards. A young man, whose appearance indicated that he was from the country, was waylaid by the boys, and finally submitted his boots to an operator. "How much do you want?" "Twenty-five cents," was the reply. "Twenty-five cents!" exclaimed the customer, aghast. "You're jokin', aint you?" "Reg'lar price, mister," was the reply. "Why, I saw a boy blackin' boots down by the museum for ten cents." "Maybe you did; but this is the City Hall Park. We're employed by the city, and we have to charge the reg'lar price." "I wish I'd got my boots blacked down to the museum," said the victim, in a tone of disappointment, producing twenty-five cents, which was eagerly appropriated by the young extortioner. "I say, Tommy, give us a treat, or we'll peach," said one of the boys. Tom led the way to the ice-cream vender's establishment, where with reckless extravagance he ordered a penny ice-cream all round for the half-dozen boys in his company, even then making a handsome thing out of the extra pay he had obtained from his rustic patron. By this time it was half-past two o'clock. So Ben learned from the City Hall clock. He was getting decidedly hungry. There were apple and cake stands just outside the railings, on which he could have regaled himself cheaply, but his appetite craved something more solid. There was a faint feeling, which nothing but meat could satisfy. Ben had no idea how much a plate of meat would cost at a restaurant. He had but twenty-two cents, and whatever he got must come within that limit. Still he hoped that something could be obtained for this sum. Where to go,--that was the question. "Can you tell me a good place to get some dinner?" he asked of a boy, standing near him. "Down on Nassau Street or Fulton Street," was the reply.