"His father punished him for something he didn't do. He found it out afterwards; but he is a stern man, and he never says anything about him. But I guess he feels bad sometimes. Father says he has grown old very fast since my cousin ran away." "Is his mother living,--your aunt?" Ben inquired, drawn on by an impulse he could not resist. "Yes, but she is always sad; she has never stopped mourning for Ben." "Did you like your cousin?" Ben asked, looking wistfully in the face of his companion. "Yes, he was my favorite cousin. Poor Ben and I were always together. I wish I knew whether he were alive or not." "Perhaps you will see him again some time." "I don't know. I used to think so; but I have about given up hopes of it. It is six years now since he ran away." "Maybe he's turned bad," said Ben. "S'posin' he was a ragged baggage-smasher like me, you wouldn't care about seein' him, would you?" "Yes, I would," said Charles, warmly. "I'd be glad to see Ben again, no matter how he looked, or how poor he might be." Ben looked at his cousin with a glance of wistful affection. Street boy as he was, old memories had been awakened, and his heart had been touched by the sight of the cousin whom he had most loved when a young boy. "And I might be like him," thought Ben, looking askance at the rags in which he was dressed, "instead of a walkin' rag-bag. I wish I was;" and he suppressed a sigh. It has been said that street boys are not accessible to the softer emotions; but Ben did long to throw his arm round his cousin's neck in the old, affectionate way of six years since. It touched him to think that Charlie held him in affectionate remembrance. But his thoughts were diverted by noticing that they had reached the Astor House. "I guess we'd better cross the street, and take the Fourth Avenue cars," he said. "There's one over there." "All right!" said Charles. "I suppose you know best." There was a car just starting; they succeeded in getting aboard, and were speedily on their up town. CHAPTER XVII. BEN FORMS A RESOLUTION. "Does this car go up Madison Avenue?" asked Charles, after they had taken their seats. "No," said Ben, "it goes up Fourth Avenue; but that's only one block away from Madison. We'll get out at Thirtieth Street." "I'm glad you're with me; I might have a hard time finding the place if I were alone." "Are you going to stay in the city long?" asked Ben. "Yes, I am going to school here. Father is going to move here soon. Until he comes I shall stay with my Cousin Mary." Ben felt quite sure that this must be his older sister, but did not like to ask. "Is she married?" "Yes, it is the sister of my Cousin Ben. About two years ago she married a New York gentleman. He is a broker, and has an office in Wall Street. I suppose he's rich." "What's his name?" asked Ben. "Maybe I've seen his office." "It is Abercrombie,--James Abercrombie. Did you ever hear that name?"