en years since I
have been in New York, and I did not feel quite certain of finding my
way. Do you live in New York?"

"Yes, sir."

"You may give me the package now. How much shall I pay you for your
services?"

"Whatever you please, sir," said Ben.

"Will that answer?" and the traveller placed twenty-five cents in the
hands of our young hero.

"Yes, sir," said Ben, in a tone of satisfaction. "Thank you."

The traveller entered the hotel, and Ben remained outside,
congratulating himself upon his good luck.

"That's an easy way to earn twenty five cents," he thought. "It didn't
take me more than fifteen minutes to come up from the ferry, and I
should have to sell twenty-five papers to make so much."

This sum, added to what he had made during the day by selling papers,
and including what he had on hand originally, made one dollar and thirty
cents. But out of this he had spent twenty-five cents for dinner, and
for his letter, including postage, five cents. Thus his expenses had
been thirty cents, which, being deducted, left him just one dollar. Out
of this, however, it would be necessary to buy some supper, and pay for
his lodging and breakfast at the Newsboys' Home. Fifteen cents, however,
would do for the first, while the regular charge for the second would be
but twelve cents. Ben estimated, therefore, that he would have
seventy-three cents to start on next day. He felt that this was a
satisfactory state of finances, and considered whether he could not
afford to spend a little more for supper. However, not feeling very
hungry, he concluded not to do so.

The next morning he bought papers as usual and sold them. But it seemed
considerably harder work, for the money, than carrying bundles.
However, Ben foresaw that in order to become a "baggage-smasher" (for
this is the technical term by which the boys and men are known, who wait
around the ferries and railway depots for a chance to carry baggage,
though I have preferred to use the term luggage boy), it would be
necessary to know more about localities in the city than he did at
present. Accordingly he devoted the intervals of time between the
selling of papers, to seeking out and ascertaining the locality of the
principal hotels and streets in the city.

In the course of a fortnight he had obtained a very fair knowledge of
the city. He now commenced waiting at the ferries and depots, though he
did not immediately give up entirely the newspaper trade. But at