d Ben did not come.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE FIRST CIGAR.

It was a week or more after Ben started in business as a
baggage-smasher, that, in returning from carrying a carpet-bag to
Lovejoy's Hotel, on Broadway, he fell in with his first city
acquaintance, Jerry Collins. Jerry had just "polished up" a gentleman's
boots, and, having been unusually lucky this morning in securing shines,
felt disposed to be lavish.

"How are you, Ben?" asked Jerry. "What are you up to now?"

"I'm a baggage-smasher," answered Ben, who was beginning to adopt the
language of the streets.

"How does it pay?"

"Well," said Ben, "sometimes it pays first rate, when I'm lucky. Other
days I don't get much to do. I didn't make but fifteen cents this
morning. I carried a bag up to Lovejoy's, and that's all the man would
pay me."

"I've made fifty cents this mornin'. Look here, Johnny."

The Johnny addressed was a boy who sold cigars, four for ten cents.

"I'll take two," said Jerry, producing five cents.

"Six cents for two," said the cigar boy.

"All right, I'll owe you the other cent," said Jerry, coolly.

"Do you smoke?" inquired Ben.

"In course I do. Don't you?"

"No."

"Why don't you?"

"I don't know," said Ben. "Do you like it?"

"It's bully. Here, take this cigar. I bought it for you."

Ben hesitated; but finally, induced mainly by a curiosity to see how it
seemed, accepted the cigar, and lighted it by Jerry's. The two boys sat
down on an empty box, and Jerry instructed Ben how to puff. Ben did not
particularly enjoy it; but thought he might as well learn now as any
other time. His companion puffed away like a veteran smoker; but after
a while Ben's head began to swim, and he felt sick at his stomach.

"I don't feel well," he said. "I guess I'll stop smoking."

"Oh, go ahead," said Jerry. "It's only because it's the first time.
You'll like it after a while."

Thus encouraged, Ben continued to smoke, though his head and his stomach
got continually worse.

"I don't like it," gasped Ben, throwing down the cigar. "I'm going to
stop."

"You've got a healthy color," said Jerry, slyly.

"I'm afraid I'm going to be awful sick," said Ben, whose sensations were
very far from comfortable. Just at this moment, ignorant of the brief
character of his present feelings, he heartily wished himself at home,
for the first time since his arrival in the city.

"You do look rather green," said Jerry. "Maybe you're going to hav