had just finished smoking a cheap cigar when the boat arrived. The
passengers poured out, and the usual bustle ensued. Now was the time for
Ben to be on the alert. He scanned the outcoming passengers with an
attentive eye, fixing his attention upon those who were encumbered with
carpet-bags, valises, or bundles. These he marked out as his possible
patrons, and accosted them professionally.

"Smash yer baggage, sir?" he said to a gentleman carrying a valise.

The latter stared hard at Ben, evidently misunderstanding him, and
answered irascibly, "Confound your impudence, boy; what do you mean?"

"Smash yer baggage, sir?"

"If you smash my baggage, I'll smash your head."

"Thank you, sir, for your kind offer; but my head aint insured," said
Ben, who saw the joke, and enjoyed it.

"Look here, boy," said the puzzled traveller, "what possible good would
it do you to smash my baggage?"

"That's the way I make a livin'," said Ben.

"Do you mean to say any persons are foolish enough to pay you for
destroying their baggage? You must be crazy, or else you must think I
am."

"Not destroying it, smashin' it."

"What's the difference?"

Here a person who had listened to the conversation with some amusement
interposed.

"If you will allow me to explain, sir, the boy only proposes to carry
your valise. He is what we call a 'baggage-smasher,' and carrying it is
called 'smashing.'"

"Indeed, that's a very singular expression to use. Well, my lad, I think
I understand you now. You have no hostile intentions, then?"

"Nary a one," answered Ben.

"Then I may see fit to employ you. Of course you know the way
everywhere?"

"Yes, sir."

"You may take my valise as far as Broadway. There I shall take a stage."

Ben took the valise, and raising it to his shoulders was about to
precede his patron.

"You can walk along by my side," said the gentleman; "I want to talk to
you."

"All right, governor," said Ben. "I'm ready for an interview."

"How do you like 'baggage-smashing,' as you call it?"

"I like it pretty well when I'm workin' for a liberal gentleman like
you," said Ben, shrewdly.

"What makes you think I am liberal?" asked the gentleman, smiling.

"I can tell by your face," answered our hero.

"But you get disappointed sometimes, don't you?"

"Yes, sometimes," Ben admitted.

"Tell me some of your experiences that way."

"Last week," said Ben, "I carried a bag, and a thunderin' heavy one,
from the Norwich