ad a hard time before he
made a start."

Jack thought that both the bread and the ham were cut too thin, and
that the sandwich did not last long enough.

"I'll keep my last twenty cents, though," thought Jack, and he tried to
be satisfied.

Before that afternoon was over, the guide-book had been again read
through, and a long home letter was written.

"I'll mail it," he said, "as soon as I get some money for stamps. I
haven't said a word to them about famine. It must be time to eat that
third sandwich; and then I'll go out and take a walk."

The sandwich was somewhat dry, but every crumb of it seemed to be
valuable. After eating it, Jack once more walked over and looked at
the fine houses on Fifth Avenue; but now it seemed to the hungry lad an
utter absurdity to think of ever owning one of them. He stared and
wondered and walked, however, and returned to the hotel tired out.

On Monday morning, the Ogden family were at breakfast, when a neat
looking farm-wagon stopped before the door. The driver sprang to the
ground, carefully helped out a young woman, and then lifted down a
trunk. Just as the trunk came down upon the ground there was a loud
cry in the open doorway.

"Mother! Molly's come home!" and out sprang little Bob.

"Mercy on us!" Mrs. Ogden exclaimed, and the whole family were on their
feet.

Mary met her father as she was coming in. Then, picking up little
Sally and kissing her, she said:

"There was a way for me to come over, this morning. I've brought my
books home, to study till term begins. Oh, mother, I'm so glad to get
back!"

The blacksmith went out to thank the farmer who had brought her; but
the rest went into the house to get Mary some breakfast and to look at
her and to hear her story.

Mrs. Ogden said several times:

"I do wish Jack was here, too!"

That very moment her son was leaving the Hotel Dantzic behind him, with
two and a half miles to walk before getting his breakfast--a bowl of
bread and milk.

CHAPTER XVII.

JACK-AT-ALL-TRADES.

Jack Ogden, that Monday morning, had an idea that New York was a very
long city.

He had eaten nothing since Saturday noon, excepting the sandwiches, and
he felt that he should not be good for much until after he had had
breakfast. His mind was full of unpleasant memories of the stores and
offices he had entered during his last week's hunt, and he did not
relish renewing it.

"I must go ahead though," he thought. "So