"I am staying at the Astor House, and it is important that you should be with me, as I may have some errands on which to employ you."
"Is it an expensive hotel?" asked Ben.
"That will not matter to you, as I shall pay the bill."
"Thank you, Miss Sinclair; but you are spending a great deal of money for me."
"I have an object in doing so. Besides, I have no lack of money."
"Shall I go with you to the hotel now?"
"Yes."
"May I speak a moment to the boy who was with me?"
"Certainly."
"May I tell him where I am going?"
"Yes, but ask him to keep it to himself."
"I will, Miss Sinclair," and Ben was about to walk away.
"On the whole, call the boy here," said Miss Sinclair. "Tom!" Tom Cooper answered the summons.
"I am going to California with this lady," said Ben. "She has paid my pa.s.sage."
"You"re in luck!" exclaimed Tom. "Say, miss, you don"t want a boy to go along to black your boots, do you?"
Miss Sinclair smiled faintly.
"I think not," she answered.
"Tom," continued Ben, "you won"t say a word about my going, will you?"
"Not if you don"t want me to. Besides, there ain"t n.o.body to tell."
Miss Sinclair looked relieved. She drew out her pocketbook, and took from it a ten-dollar bill.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Tom Cooper, ma"am."
"Then, Tom, allow me to offer you a small present."
"Is it all for me?" exclaimed Tom, in amazement.
"Yes."
Tom thrust it into his vest pocket, and immediately executed a somersault, rather to Miss Sinclair"s alarm.
"Excuse me, ma"am," said Tom, a.s.suming his natural posture; "I couldn"t help it, I felt so excited. I never was so rich before."
"May I tell Tom where we are going to stop?" asked Ben.
"Certainly, if he will keep it to himself."
"I shall be at the Astor House, Tom. Come round and see me."
Tom watched the two as they preceded him on their way to Broadway.
"I wonder if I"m dreaming," he said to himself. "If I am, I hope I won"t wake up till I"ve spent this ten dollars. I guess I"ll go to the Old Bowery to-night."
CHAPTER IX.
AT THE ASTOR HOUSE.
As they walked up to the hotel together, Miss Sinclair said: "You are probably surprised at what has taken place, but I have strong reasons for acting as I have done."
"I don"t doubt it, Miss Sinclair," returned Ben.
"It is desirable that I should tell you-"
"Don"t tell me anything unless you like, Miss Sinclair. I am not troubled with curiosity."
"Thank you, but in the confidential relations which we are to hold toward each other, it is necessary that you should understand my position. I will reserve my explanation, however, till we reach the hotel."
"We are to stop at the Astor House?"
"Yes, and I wish you to put down my name and your own on the register, and obtain two rooms as near together as convenient."
"Very well, Miss Sinclair."
"You may put me down as from-well, from Philadelphia."
"All right. Shall I put myself down from Philadelphia, too?"
"Not unless you choose. Your native village will answer. By the way, you are to pa.s.s for my cousin, and it will be better, therefore, that you should call me by my first name-Ida."
"I wouldn"t take the liberty but for your wishing it."
"I do wish it-otherwise it would be difficult to pa.s.s you off as my cousin."
"All right, Miss Sinclair-I mean Ida."