"Nor I, Henry. But it is a long story. Come and see me this evening at the St. Nicholas, and I will tell you all. I must leave you now, as I have a little business to attend to." That evening Henry and Sam met at the hotel, and each told his story, to the deep interest of the other. "You have been very lucky, Sam," said Henry, at the end. "I never supposed you would reform so completely and thoroughly. You were a pretty hard case when I knew you." "So I was," said Sam; "and I would have been to this day if I had not turned over a new leaf. Sometime I hope to introduce you to the two friends to whom I owe my reformation." "Who are they?" "A young lady of Boston, Miss Julia Stockton, and my most valued friend, Arthur Brown." "So there is a young lady in the case, Sam?" "I know what you are thinking of, Henry; but it isn't as you suppose. Julia Stockton will never be any more than a friend to me. Indeed, she is engaged to be married next month to Arthur's elder brother, Charlie, who has just been admitted to the bar. But I shall always feel indebted to her for first leading me to look upon myself as an ignorant and heedless boy. I never became ambitious till I met her." "Then my lectures did no good, Sam?" "Not at the time. Afterward I thought of them, and saw that you were right. And now that we have found each other, Henry, don't let us remain strangers. Can't you come and see me in Boston?" "I am to visit Boston, on business, in October, Sam. I won't fail to look you up then." * * * * * * * Henry kept his word. Sam received him with cordial hospitality, and henceforth the two remained fast friends. It is not necessary to sketch their future. Both are on the right track, though Sam was much later in finding it; and the young outlaw, as well as his more prudent companion, is likely to prosper more and more as the years roll by. * * * * * * * Transcriber's Note: Several typographical errors in this edition have been corrected in keeping with the author's original intent. The corrections are here listed as chapter followed by a colon, beginning words of paragraph in which the error appears followed by a semicolon, and a description of the error and/or the correction made. Chapter 2: '"Oh! You're the boy I heard him speak of.'; joined to following paragraph. Chapter 3: 'They stood before a shabby brick dwelling,'; 'ldging-house' changed to 'lodging-house'. Chapter 5: '"Saturady night, the boss said,'; 'Saturady' changed to 'Saturday'. Chapter 5: '"I'l lend you a dollar if you'll be sure to pay me'; 'I'l' changed to 'I'll'. Chapter 5: '"I don't think you have. You have been extravagent,'; 'extravagent' changed to 'extravagant'. Chapter 6: '"Take that, then; it's the last one I have.'; missing double-quote at end inserted. Chapter 10: '"Wasn't that a tiptop dinner?"'; 'would't' changed to 'wouldn't'. Chapter 10: 'Settlement was made, and Henry,'; 'accomodation' changed to 'accommodation'.