le for him to be
hung."

Miss Peyton laughed at this remark, and Dick went upstairs to get ready
for his visit to Madison Avenue.

Our hero felt a little bashful about this visit. He was afraid that he
would do or say something that was improper, or that something would
slip out which would betray his vagabond life of the streets.

"I wish you was going with me, Fosdick," he said.

"You'll get along well enough alone, Dick. Don't be afraid."

"You see I aint used to society, Fosdick."

"Nor I either."

"But it seems to come natural to you. I'm always makin' some blunder."

"You'll get over that in time, Dick. It's because you have so much fun
in you. I am more sober. Miss Peyton seems very much amused by your odd
remarks."

"I have to talk so; I can't think of anything else to say."

"There's one thing, Dick, we mustn't give up at any rate."

"What's that?"

"Studying. We don't either of us know as much as we ought to."

"That's so."

"You can see how much good studying has done for you so far. If it
hadn't been for that, you wouldn't have been able to go into Mr.
Rockwell's employment."

"That's true enough, Fosdick. I'm afraid I don't know enough now."

"You know enough to get along very well for the present, but you want to
rise."

"You're right. When I get to be old and infirm I don't want to be an
errand-boy."

"Nor I either. So, Dick, I think we had better make up our minds to
study an hour or an hour and a half every evening. Of course, you can't
begin this evening, but there are very few when you can't find the
time."

"I'll send a circ'lar to my numerous friends on Fifth Avenue and
Madison, tellin' 'em how much I'm obliged for their kind invitations,
but the claims of literatoor and science can't be neglected."

"Do you know, Dick, I think it might be well for us to begin French?"

"I wonder what Johnny Nolan would say if I should inquire after his
health in the polly-voo language?"

"It wouldn't be the first time you have astonished him."

"Well, Fosdick, I'm in for it if you think it's best. Now tell me what
necktie I shall wear?"

Dick displayed two. One was bright red with large figures, which he had
bought soon after he began to board in Mott Street. The other was a
plain black.

"You'd better wear the black one, Dick," said Fosdick, whose taste was
simpler and better than his friend's.

"It seems to me it don't look handsome enough," said Dick, whose taste
had not yet b