in the service of the Great
Pekin Tea Company.

CHAPTER XXVII

AN INCIDENT IN A STREET CAR

When Frank returned to the city, he walked slowly up through the Battery
to the foot of Broadway. He passed the famous house, No. 1, which, a
hundred years ago, was successively the headquarters of Washington and
the British generals, who occupied New York with their forces, and soon
reached the Astor House, then the most notable structure in the lower
part of the city.

With his small means, Frank felt that it was extravagant to ride uptown,
when he might have walked, but he felt some confidence in the success of
his visit to Mr. Percival, and entered a Fourth Avenue horse car. It so
chanced that he seated himself beside a pleasant-looking young married
lady, who had with her a young boy about seven years old.

Soon after the car started the conductor came around to collect the
fares.

Frank paid his, and the conductor held out his hand to the lady.

She put her hand into her pocket to draw out her purse, but her
countenance changed as her hand failed to find it.

Probably no situation is more trying than to discover that you have lost
or mislaid your purse, when you have an urgent use for it. The lady was
evidently in that predicament. Once more she searched for her purse, but
her search was unavailing.

"I am afraid I have lost my purse," she said, apologetically, to the
conductor.

This official was an ill-mannered person, and answered, rudely:

"In that case, ma'am, you will have to get off."

"I will give you my card," said the lady, "and will send double the fare
to the office."

"That won't do," said the man, rudely. "I am responsible for your fare,
if you stay on the car, and I can't afford to lose the money."

"You shall not lose it, sir; but I cannot walk home."

"I think you will have to, madam."

Here Frank interposed. He had been trained to be polite and considerate
to ladies, and he could not endure to see a lady treated with rudeness.

"Take the lady's fare out of this," he said.

"And the boy's, too?"

"Of course."

The lady smiled gratefully.

"I accept your kindness, my young friend," she said. "You have saved me
much annoyance."

"I am very glad to have had the opportunity," said Frank, politely.

"Of course, I shall insist upon reimbursing you. Will you oblige me with
your address, that I may send you the amount when I return home?"

A boy of less tact than Frank would