any friends, and I
have outlived nearly all of those."

"You ought to have married, Mr. Benton; then you would have
children and grandchildren to comfort you in your old age."

"I wish I had, Benjamin; but it is too late now."

"It is never too late to mend, Mr. Benton," said Ben. "Men older
than you have married."

"Then they were fools," said Mr. Benton bluntly.

"Suppose you should be sick, sir?"

"I would hire a nurse. I am not rich, but I have enough to provide
for the few years I have remaining."

"I must ask you to excuse me now, sir," said Ben. "I must buy a few
things which I shall need."

Ben wrote briefly to his aunt, to let her know that he was about to
start for Montreal. Mrs. Bradford was not a little discomposed.

"It's tempting Providence to send a child like Benjamin to a foreign
country," she remarked to Mrs. Perkins, who had dropped in for a
neighborly chat.

"Do you know how far it is, Mrs. Perkins?"

"About a thousand miles," answered her visitor, whose ideas about
geography were rather misty.

"Suppose Ben should lose his way."

"Like as not he will," observed Mrs. Perkins.

"I shan't sleep a wink till Ben gets back. They ought to have sent
somebody with him."

"Ben can get along," said Tony, who had implicit confidence in his
big cousin. "He won't get lost."

"What does a child like you know about it?" said Mrs. Perkins
rebukingly. "You shouldn't put in your oar when your mother and
me are talking."

Chapter XXXIV

Solomon Brief

On his arrival in Montreal, Ben ascertained where Mr. Brief's office
was, but deferred going to see him. He felt very properly that he
ought to attend to the business of his employers first, and then, when
he could do so without detriment to their interests look after his
own. He was very anxious to succeed. He knew very well that
Jones & Porter had serious doubts about the expediency of
sending so young a representative to Montreal.

In calling upon different booksellers he exerted himself to the
utmost. Though but sixteen, his address was pleasing, his manner
self-possessed and he was courteous and gentlemanly, so that he
won favorable regards of those with whom he had business
relations. The result was that he received quite a number of orders,
which he at once sent forward by mail.

Thus three days were spent. On the morning of the fourth, he called
at the office of Solomon Brief.

"What do you want, boy?" asked a c