right. The captain lit his pipe, while Terry
munched some candy, and the two wandered on in a careless manner,
enjoying the cold air and the quiet of the hour.

"It's a big place this, isn't it, Terry?" said the captain as they
stood at an intersection of two streets, and looking north, south,
east, and west, saw the long lines of lights go twinkling 'off as far
as the eye could reach. "All the same, I believe I'd rather live in
Halifax; wouldn't you?"

"That I would," responded Terry promptly. "I'd be afraid of gettin'
lost here all the time. Sure, there must be a sight of people here.
It's not much chance a poor chap like me 'ud have wid such a crowd."

Now that Terry's ambition had been so thoroughly aroused, he already
began to realize what the stress of competition meant, and it was clear
enough to him that the bigger the city the more there were ready to
fill every opening. Miss Drummond's encouraging statement about her
grandfather had taken deep hold upon the boy's mind, and there were
times when he was bold enough to indulge in day-dreams having a similar
fulfilment.

"I guess you'd stand as good a chance of holding your way as the most
of boys, Terry," said Captain Afleck, giving him a kindly pat on the
head. "You've got lots of grit in ye, and that's the sort of thing
that counts in these big places. But what's that? There's mischief
going on down there. Come, let's see what's up."

They were by this time on their way back to the railway station, and
were just crossing a narrow dark side street, when there came to them
through the stillness of the night a muffled cry for help, followed by
the sound of heavy blows.

Captain Afleck carried a stout stick, and grasping this firmly, he sped
down the street in the direction whence the sounds had come, Terry
keeping close at his heels.

In the very narrowest and darkest part of the street they almost fell
over a group of three men, one being prostrate on the ground, while the
other two bent over him, evidently engaged in rifling his pockets.

Shouting "Take that, you rascal!" the brawny captain struck one of the
highwaymen a sounding whack across the shoulders with his stick, and
the next instant tumbled the other over with his left fist. The
astounded scoundrels as soon as they recovered themselves made off at
full speed; and when assured of their departure, Captain Afleck turned
his attention to the victim of their violence.

It was too dark a