f them."

"All right, Paul," and Jimmy, glad to be of use, got the pen and ink,
and, gathering up the envelopes, began to inscribe them as he had been
instructed.

By the time the packages were made up, dinner was ready. It was not a
very luxurious repast. There was a small piece of rump steak--not more
than three-quarters of a pound--a few potatoes, a loaf of bread, and a
small plate of butter. That was all; but then the cloth that covered
the table was neat and clean, and the knives and forks were as bright as
new, and what there was tasted good.

"What have you been doing this morning, Jimmy?" asked Paul.

"I have been drawing, Paul. Here's a picture of Friday. I copied it from
'Robinson Crusoe.'"

He showed the picture, which was wonderfully like that in the book, for
this--the gift of drawing--was Jimmy's one talent, and he possessed it
in no common degree.

"Excellent, Jimmy!" said Paul. "You're a real genius. I shouldn't be
surprised if you'd make an artist some day."

"I wish I might," said Jimmy, earnestly. "There's nothing I'd like
better."

"I'll tell you what, Jimmy. If I do well this afternoon, I'll buy you a
drawing-book and some paper, to work on while mother and I are busy."

"If you can afford it, Paul, I should like it so much. Some time I might
earn something that way."

"Of course you may," said Paul, cheerfully. "I won't forget you."

Dinner over, Paul went out to business, and was again successful,
getting rid of his thirty packages, and clearing another dollar. Half of
this he invested in a drawing-book, a pencil and some drawing-paper for
Jimmy. Even then he had left of his earnings for the day one dollar and
eighty cents. But this success in the new business had already excited
envy and competition, as he was destined to find out on the morrow.

CHAPTER III

PAUL HAS COMPETITORS

The next morning Paul took his old place in front of the post office.
He set down his basket in front, and, taking one of the packages in his
hand, called out in a businesslike manner, as on the day before, "Here's
your prize packages! Only five cents! Money prize in every package! Walk
up, gentlemen, and try your luck!"

He met with a fair degree of success at first, managing in the course of
an hour to sell ten packages. All the prizes drawn were small, with the
exception of one ten-cent prize, which was drawn by a little bootblack,
who exclaimed:

"That's the way to do business, Johnny. If yo