Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-MerchantAlger, Horatio, Jr.
General
Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Boys -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Juvenile fiction
"No. 116 Third avenue," said Paul, at a venture. "Can you remember?"
"Yes."
"They will probably send a message from her late Monday evening for me
to go over there."
"Will you go?"
"I will leave the house, for they will probably be watching; but I
shall not go far, and I shall leave the house well guarded."
Julius nodded.
"I'll tell 'em," he said.
He was about to go, when Paul called him back.
"Won't you get yourself into trouble?" he said. "I should not want to
have any harm come to you."
"They won't know I'm in the game," answered Julius.
"Will you come to-morrow and let me know what they say?"
"Yes."
Julius crossed Broadway and turned into Fulton street, leaving Paul
full of thought. He felt what a great advantage it was to be
forewarned of the impending danger, since being forewarned was
forearmed, as with the help of the police he could prepare for his
burglarious visitors. He saw that the money he had paid for a dinner
for a hungry boy was likely to prove an excellent investment, and he
determined that this should not be the last favor Julius received from
him.
Meanwhile Julius returned to business. With the help of his blacking
materials he succeeded in earning a dollar before the close of the
day. Unluckily, half of this was to be given to the young capitalist
who had supplied him with a box and brush; but still fifty cents was
more than he would probably have earned if he had been compelled to
depend upon chance jobs. At six o'clock he met his young employer and
handed over fifty cents, which the other pocketed with much
satisfaction.
"Do you want to take the box ag'in to-morrow?" he asked.
"Yes," said Julius.
"All right. You can keep it then. You can take it home with you and
bring me the stamps to-morrow night at this same hour."
So the contract was continued, and Julius, having treated himself to
some supper, went home.
Jack Morgan was already there. He looked up as Julius entered.
"Where'd you get that box?" he asked.
"I borrored it."
"Of a boy?"
"Yes; I give him half I makes."
"How much did you make to-day?"
"Ten shines. That was a dollar."
"And half of it went to you?"
"Yes, Jack."
"Where is it?"
"I had to get my dinner and supper. There's all that's left."
He handed Jack ten cents.
"Why didn't you keep the whole of the money?" grumbled Jack. "You
needn't have paid the boy."
"He'd have licked me."
"Then I'd lick him."
Julius shook his head.
"That would be cheatin'," he said. "I wouldn't want to cheat him when
he give me the box."
"Oh, you're gettin' mighty particular," sneered Jack, not very well
satisfied at having so large a portion of the boy's earnings diverted
from himself.
"If I had a box and brush of my own I could keep all the stamps I
made," said Julius.
"I'm dead broke. I can't give you no money to buy one. Did you go to
see that boy I told you of?"
"Paul Hoffman?"
"Yes, if that's his name."
"Yes, I went to see him."
"And did you find out anything?" asked Jack, with eagerness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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