and the visitors took their leave, promising to call
again at some time when they would be less liable to interruption from
a pea-nut-hungry public.

Then the three started for Nelly Green's place of business, taking a
roundabout course to get there, for the purpose of avoiding the crowd;
and by doing this they met another of their acquaintances whom they
were rejoiced to see, even though he was a creditor.

This individual was none other than Master Dickey Spry, who had earned
his last name because of the quickness of his movements, and who had
borne it so long that there was considerable doubt as to whether he
remembered his parents' name or not.

Master Spry was leaning against a lamp-post in an attitude of deepest
dejection, looking down into the gutter as if he expected to see there
some help arise to aid him in his evident trouble.

Now Dickey Spry was the founder of the house in which Ben and Johnny
took so much pride. He it was who had discovered that snug place,
replete with all needful modern conveniences, and Ben and Johnny had
purchased it of him for fifty cents, paying ten cents per week on the
instalment plan, and having already made three payments according to
agreement.

Dickey had not noticed them when they first came up, and it was not
until Ben touched him on the shoulder that he appeared to hear what
they said.

"What's the matter with yer?" asked Ben, anxiously. "You look as if
somebody'd stole yer an' carried yer off. What's up now?"

"Busted," replied Dickey, mournfully, and then he began surveying the
gutter again.

"Busted!" echoed the two boys in the same breath; and Ben asked,
eagerly,

"You don't mean to say that you've gone up--failed?"

"That's jest it. I trusted out as much as thirty cents, an' then I got
Tim Dooley to 'tend the stand for me this forenoon, an' when I come
back I couldn't find anything but the stand, an' that, you know, I
hired. All ther nuts an' Tim had gone off."

The boys were so thoroughly overwhelmed by the news of this misfortune
that it was some time before Ben could ask,

"But can't you find out where Tim is?"

Dickey shook his head.

"I've been lookin' everywhere, an' I can't hear nothin' 'bout him, an'
I can't make any of ther fellers pay me what they owe me, so I'm all
cleaned out."

Ben looked at Johnny inquiringly for an instant, and when that young
gentleman nodded his head, he said,

"Well, we owe yer twenty cents that ain't due yet, Dic