"If you will allow me to explain, sir, the boy only proposes to carry your valise. He is what we call a 'baggage-smasher,' and carrying it is called 'smashing.'" "Indeed, that's a very singular expression to use. Well, my lad, I think I understand you now. You have no hostile intentions, then?" "Nary a one," answered Ben. "Then I may see fit to employ you. Of course you know the way everywhere?" "Yes, sir." "You may take my valise as far as Broadway. There I shall take a stage." Ben took the valise, and raising it to his shoulders was about to precede his patron. "You can walk along by my side," said the gentleman; "I want to talk to you." "All right, governor," said Ben. "I'm ready for an interview." "How do you like 'baggage-smashing,' as you call it?" "I like it pretty well when I'm workin' for a liberal gentleman like you," said Ben, shrewdly. "What makes you think I am liberal?" asked the gentleman, smiling. "I can tell by your face," answered our hero. "But you get disappointed sometimes, don't you?" "Yes, sometimes," Ben admitted. "Tell me some of your experiences that way." "Last week," said Ben, "I carried a bag, and a thunderin' heavy one, from the Norwich boat to French's Hotel,--a mile and a half I guess it was,--and how much do you think the man paid me?" "Twenty-five cents." "Yes, he did, but he didn't want to. All he offered me first was ten cents." "That's rather poor pay. I don't think I should want to work for that myself." "You couldn't live very high on such pay," said Ben. "I have worked as cheap, though." "You have!" said Ben, surprised. "Yes, my lad, I was a poor boy once,--as poor as you are." "Where did you live?" asked Ben, interested. "In a country town in New England. My father died early, and I was left alone in the world. So I hired myself out to a farmer for a dollar a week and board. I had to be up at five every morning, and work all day. My wages, you see, amounted to only about sixteen cents a day and board for twelve hours' work." "Why didn't you run away?" inquired Ben. "I didn't know where to run to." "I s'pose you aint workin' for that now?" said our hero. "No, I've been promoted," said the gentleman, smiling. "Of course I got higher pay, as I grew older. Still, at twenty-one I found myself with only two hundred dollars. I worked a year longer till it became three hundred, and then I went out West,--to Ohio,--where I took up a quarter-section of land, and became a farmer on my own account. Since then I've dipped into several things, have bought more land, which has increased in value on my hands, till now I am probably worth fifty thousand dollars." "I'm glad of it," said Ben. "Why?" "Because you can afford to pay me liberal for smashin' your baggage." "What do you call liberal?" inquired his patron, smiling. "Fifty cents," answered Ben, promptly.