garded with great pride.

"I begin to feel like a capitalist," he said to himself. "I am rather
better off now than I was when I led round old Mills, the blind man. I
wonder how he is getting along."

As Frank entered Broadway from Canal street, by a strange coincidence he
caught sight of the man of whom he had been thinking. Mills, with the
same querulous, irritable expression he knew well, was making his way up
Broadway, led by a boy younger than Frank.

"Pity a poor blind man!" he muttered from time to time in a whining
voice.

"Look out, you young rascal, or you will have me off the sidewalk,"
Frank heard the blind man say; "I'll have a reckoning with you when I
get home."

The boy, who was pale and slight, looked frightened.

"I couldn't help it, Mr. Mills," he said. "It was the crowd."

"You are getting careless, that's what's the matter," said Mills,
harshly. "You are looking in at the shop windows, and neglect me."

"No, I am not," said the boy, in meek remonstrance.

"Don't you contradict me!" exclaimed the blind man, grasping his stick
significantly. "Pity a poor blind man!"

"What an old brute he is!" thought Frank; "I will speak to him."

"How do you do, Mr. Mills?" he said, halting before the blind man.

"Who are you?" demanded Mills, quickly.

"You ought to know me; I am Frank Kavanagh, who used to go round with
you."

"I have had so many boys--most of them good for nothing--that I don't
remember you."

"I am the boy who wouldn't pass counterfeit money for you."

"Hush!" said the blind man apprehensively, lest some one should hear
Frank. "There was some mistake about that. I remember you now. Do you
want to come back? This boy doesn't attend to his business."

Frank laughed. Situated as he was now, the proposal seemed to him an
excellent joke, and he was disposed to treat it as such.

"Why, the fact is, Mr. Mills, you fed me on such rich food that I
shouldn't dare to go back for fear of dyspepsia."

"Or starvation," he added to himself.

"I live better now," said Mills. "I haven't had any boy since, that
suited me as well as you."

"Thank you; but I am afraid it would be a long time before I got rich on
the wages you would give me."

"I'll give you fifty cents a week," said Mills, "and more if I do well.
You can come to-day, if you like."

"You are very kind, but I am doing better than that," said Frank.

"What are you doing,--selling papers?"

"No; I have given that up. I a