ts. I will allow you two cents on each of these.
On the 'Ledger' and 'Weekly,' and other papers of that price, I will
allow one cent. You'd make rather more if you bought them yourself; but
you might have them left on your hands."

"That's so," said Ben.

"Did you ever sell papers?"

"I used to sell the mornin' and evenin' papers before I went to
baggage-smashin'."

"Then you know something about the business. When do you want to begin?"

"Right off."

"Very well; I will make you up a bundle of a dozen papers to begin on.
I'll put in three each of the illustrated papers, and fill up with the
story papers."

"All right, mister, you know better than I what people will buy."

The dealer began to collect the papers, but paused in the middle of his
task, and looked doubtfully at our hero.

"Well, what's up?" asked Ben, observing his hesitation.

"How do I know but you'll sell the papers, and keep the money yourself?"
said the dealer.

"That's so," said Ben. "I never thought of that."

"That wouldn't be very profitable for me, you see."

"I'll bring back the money or the papers," said Ben. "You needn't be
afraid."

"Very likely you would; but how am I to know that?"

"So you don't want to trust me," said Ben, rather disappointed.

"Have you got any money?"

"Yes."

"Very well, you can leave enough with me to secure me against loss, and
I will give you the papers."

"How much will that be?"

After a little thought, the dealer answered, "Seventy-five cents." He
had some doubt whether Ben had so much; but our hero quickly set his
doubts at rest by drawing out his two half-dollars, and demanding a
quarter in change.

The sight of this money reassured the dealer. Ben's ragged clothes had
led him to doubt his financial soundness; but the discovery that he was
a capitalist to the extent of a dollar gave him considerable more
respect for him. A dollar may not be a very large sum; I hope that to
you, my young reader, it is a very small one, and that you have never
been embarrassed for the want of it; but it is enough to lift a ragged
street boy from the position of a penniless vagabond to that of a
thrifty capitalist. After seeing it, the dealer would almost have felt
safe in trusting Ben with the papers without demanding a deposit of
their value. Still it was better and safer to require a deposit, and he
therefore took the dollar from Ben, returning twenty-five cents in
change.

This preliminary matter