re treat; but, greatly to their disappointment, Paul
did not enjoy it as they had expected he would.

The afternoon papers were purchased, and even though their new friend
was so wholly unacquainted with the business, and they were obliged to
spend so much of their time in defending him from the assaults of the
more evil disposed of their calling, trade was more than ordinarily
good.

The reckless expenditure of forty-five cents for dinner was made up,
and when the day's work was over they had a clear profit of
forty-three cents; which, to say the least, encouraged them in their
good work.

Instead of going directly to the home that Dickey Spry had founded,
after their day's work was over, Ben proposed that Paul be introduced
to some of their mutual friends, in order that his change in life
might be made as agreeable as possible, and then came the question as
to who should be honored by the first call.

Ben was in favor of visiting Nelly Green, whose mother kept a
fruit-stand on Chatham Square, and who was always to be found acting
as clerk, while Johnny was anxious to visit a mutual friend by the
name of Mopsey Dowd, who had risen from boot-black to the proud
eminence of owning a pea-nut stand near Fulton Market.

There was quite an argument as to which one of their friends Paul
would be most pleased to meet, and each one held so strongly to his
own views on the matter that the question was only settled by the
agreement to call on both.

Mopsey Dowd's place of business being near the corner where they held
their consultation, the three concluded to visit there first, and Paul
was considerably interested in this work of making acquaintances.

The traffic at the ferry was still quite brisk, and Mopsey was in the
full tide of prosperity, selling his goods as rapidly as though he had
extensively advertised to close out his entire stock a little below
cost.

Between the intervals of waiting upon customers and turning the
roaster to keep the nuts from burning, Ben related Paul's story to the
pea-nut merchant, and Mopsey was so much interested that he not only
favored Paul with a great deal of his attention, but insisted on
presenting him with a large handful of the very best and warmest nuts.

Mopsey even went so far as to enter into negotiation with Paul for the
purchase of the two tops that had caused him so much trouble in the
getting. But owing to a sudden rush of customers the proposed trade
was broken off,