fare back."

"Thank you," said Ben.

"Besides this, Mrs. Abercrombie has a note, which she wants carried down
town to her husband's office in Wall Street. She will give you fifty
cents more, if you will agree to deliver it there at once, as it is of
importance."

"All right," said Ben. "I'll do it."

"Here is the note. I suppose you had better start with it at once.
Good-morning."

"Good-morning," said Ben, as he held his cousin's proffered hand a
moment in his own. "Maybe I'll see you again some time."

"I hope so," said Charles, kindly.

A minute later Ben was on his way to take a Fourth Avenue car down
town.

CHAPTER XVIII.

LUCK AND ILL LUCK.

"That will do very well for a beginning," thought Ben, as he surveyed,
with satisfaction, the two half dollars which he had received for his
morning's services. He determined to save one of them towards the fund
which he hoped to accumulate for the object which he had in view. How
much he would need he could not decide; but thought that it would be
safe to set the amount at fifty dollars. This would doubtless require a
considerable time to obtain. He could not expect to be so fortunate
every day as he had been this morning. Some days, no doubt, he would
barely earn enough to pay expenses. Still he had made a beginning, and
this was something gained. It was still more encouraging that he had
determined to save money, and had an inducement to do so.

As Ben rode down town in the horse-cars, he thought of the six years
which he had spent as a New York street boy; and he could not help
feeling that the time had been wasted, so far as any progress or
improvement was concerned. Of books he knew less than when he first came
to the city. He knew more of life, indeed, but not the best side of
life. He had formed some bad habits, from which he would probably have
been saved if he had remained at home. Ben realized all at once how much
he had lost by his hasty action in leaving home. He regarded his street
life with different eyes, and felt ready to give it up, as soon as he
could present himself to his parents without too great a sacrifice of
his pride.

At the end of half an hour, Ben found himself at the termination of the
car route, opposite the lower end of the City Hall Park.

As the letter which he had to deliver was to be carried to Wall Street,
he kept on down Broadway till he reached Trinity Church, and then turned
into the street opposite. He quickly