, he strove to play the beacon. Between snatches of worldly
counsel he read with solemn inflection certain gems of guidance from
authors in whose wisdom he had long felt a faith entire. His ready mind
harked forward to direful emergencies, and he submitted devices for
meeting these.

"Remember what that says, Kid," he urged impressively, and he read once
more a saving passage from his well-thumbed "Guide to Polite Behavior."
"'If you cannot sing a song or tell a mirth-provoking story at an
evening ball or party you may well perform a few tricks in legerdemain.
The following are among the simplest and, when deftly performed never
fail to provoke loud applause and win you the undying gratitude of your
hostess.' Are you a-hearin' me? Well, I've turned down the pages at that
one with the coin and the hat, and the one where you must tell the right
card by a simple act of mind-readin'. And don't forget what he says
here, 'the hand is quicker'n the eye.'"

"Yes, Ben; I'm listening."

"Well, listen to this here other book. It's more serious."

He took up his treasured "Traps and Pitfalls of a Great City," and again
became a voice in the wilderness, waving a forefinger to punctuate and
warn.

"'It is the habit of these gentry to lie in wait for their intended
victims when they alight at the principal railway stations, and where,
by their plausible and insinuating advances, they ingratiate themselves
into the _confidence_ of those whom it is their purpose to fleece; hence
the name, "confidence men." Only by constant watchfulness and a thorough
knowledge of their methods may the stranger in the great city hope to
escape their wiles, since their ways of approach are manifold.' You hear
that, Kid--their ways is manifold. Here's a pitcher of one of 'em
tacklin' a countryman. See what an oily-lookin' feller he is, stovepipe
hat, fancy vest, big watchchain, long coat, striped pants. You'd say he
was a bank president. Oh, I bet they're slick ones. They'd have to be to
tog out like that every day in the week. Now remember, if one o' them
ducks comes up to you and starts to butter you up with fine words and
wants to carry your satchel, you just let out a yell for the police and
hand him over. That's the way to settle 'em!"

"I'll surely remember, Ben."

"And there's thugs and footpads. Always keep your coat buttoned over
your watch, it says, and if you're goin' along Broadway or Fifth Avenue
after dark, get out and walk in the mid