ages! Only five cents apiece!"--and
made a purchase; most from curiosity, but some few attracted by the
businesslike bearing of the young merchant, and willing to encourage
him in his efforts to make a living. These last, as well as some of the
former class, declined to accept the prizes, so that these were so much
gain to Paul.

At length but one package remained, and this Paul was some time getting
rid of. At last a gentleman came up, holding a little boy of seven by
the hand.

"Oh, buy me the package, papa?" he said, drawing his father's attention.

"What is there in it, boy?" asked the gentleman.

"Candy," was the answer.

Alfred, for this was the little boy's name, renewed his entreaties,
having, like most boys, a taste for candy.

"There it is, Alfred," said his father, handing the package to his
little son.

"There's a prize inside," said Paul, seeing that they were about to
pass.

"We must look for the prize by all means," said the gentleman. "What is
this? One cent?"

"Yes sir"; and Paul held out a cent to his customer.

"Never mind about that! You may keep the prize."

"I want it, pa," interposed Alfred, with his mouth full of candy.

"I'll give you another," said his father, still declining to accept the
proffered prize.

Paul now found himself in the enviable position of one who, at eleven
o'clock, had succeeded in disposing of his entire stock in trade, and
that at an excellent profit, as we soon shall see. Business had been
more brisk with him than with many merchants on a larger scale, who
sometimes keep open their shops all day without taking in enough to pay
expenses. But, then, it is to be considered that in Paul's case expenses
were not a formidable item. He had no rent to pay, for one thing,
nor clerk hire, being competent to attend to his entire business
single-handed. All his expense, in fact, was the first cost of his stock
in trade, and he had so fixed his prices as to insure a good profit on
that. So, on the whole, Paul felt very well satisfied at the result
of his experiment, for this was his first day in the prize-package
business.

"I guess I'll go home," he said to himself. "Mother'll want to know how
I made out." He turned up Nassau street, and had reached the corner of
Maiden lane, when Teddy O'Brien met him.

"Did you sell out, Johnny?" he asked.

"Yes," answered Paul.

"How many packages did you have?"

"Fifty."

"That's bully. How much you made?"

"I can't t