"How much?"
"A dollar will do."
Herbert drew a dollar from his pocket, and handed it to Mrs. Morgan, for such, she informed him, was her name.
Then he went downstairs and out into the air again.
"Well," he said to himself, "I"m sure of a home, such as it is, for a week. In that time something must turn up."
Examining his pocketbook he found that he had two dollars and a half left. Of that sum, two dollars must be reserved to pay the balance of his week"s board. Out of the remaining fifty cents he must pay for his meals until the next morning, when he would take possession of his new boarding place. He wished that he had proposed to come to breakfast, but it was too late now.
With such a small sum in hand, he could not afford to dine on the same magnificent scale as he had breakfasted, but he must be rigidly economical. He decided that the cheapest food he could buy was a five- cent loaf at some baker"s. This would probably last him through the day, and might prove sufficient for breakfast also, since he would take a regular dinner, though he doubted, from what he had seen of the establishment in Stanton Street, whether it would be a very inviting repast. But it was the best he could afford, and that was all he need consider.
Late in the afternoon, it occurred to Herbert to wonder where, in the city, his Uncle Stanton lived. Not that he had any intention of applying to him for a.s.sistance, even if matters came to a crisis, but he felt a natural curiosity as to how his uncle was situated. He found the directory readily, and, turning to the letter S, ran down the list of names till he came to Stanton, Benjamin.
He learned that his uncle"s store was in the lower part of Broadway, while his house was in West Seventeenth Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
"I should like to see what sort of a house Uncle Benjamin lives in,"
thought Herbert.
There was nothing to prevent his gratifying this wish, as he had plenty of time on his hands. If he had had more money, he would have taken the horse cars, but in his present circ.u.mstances this would be imprudent. He decided, as it was only five o"clock, to take a leisurely walk up Broadway, noticing his uncle"s place of business on the way.
A few minutes brought him in front of the latter--an imposing-looking building, with all the appearance of belonging to a prosperous merchant.
Appearances are deceitful, to be sure, and no doubt there are some merchants, as outwardly prosperous, who might profitably change places with their head clerks. But Herbert naturally judged from appearances, and he could not help contrasting in his mind his own condition with that of his uncle"s. But he was too manly to be despondent on this account, and thought rather, "I am young and ready to work, Some time, if I am patient and work hard. I may be as well off as Uncle Benjamin."
The thought of applying to him for a.s.sistance was as far off as ever.
He pursued his way uptown, finding it a longer walk than he antic.i.p.ated, arriving at half-past five at Union Square. At the upper end he turned off, and went down Seventeenth Street.
Carefully noting the numbers, he at length found his uncle"s house. It was a handsome, substantial city mansion, and seemed appropriate as the residence of a rich New York merchant.
"So my uncle lives here," thought Herbert, and there rose involuntarily in his mind the memory of the humble Western home where he and his mother had struggled against poverty, while his uncle, who was evidently so amply provided with the world"s goods, coldly held aloof, and forbore to offer the a.s.sistance which he could so well afford.
"If I had a sister, I could never treat her like that," thought Herbert, indignantly. "He would not help my mother. I will starve before I ask him to help me."
He paused a moment on the opposite side of the street to look at his uncle"s house. While he was standing there, a boy of about his own age, apparently, came down the street whistling, and ascended the steps of his uncle"s house.
"I wonder if that is my cousin Tom," thought Herbert. He knew the names of his cousins from his mother, though he had never seen them.
While he looked, he was struck by something familiar in the appearance of this boy. Where had he seen him before?
All at once it flashed upon him. It was the same boy he had seen in the counting-room of G.o.dfrey He knew him by his dandified dress and his face, which he had noticed at the time.
This was certainly a strange coincidence, that his cousin, for it was doubtless he, should be the first boy he encountered after reaching New York. It would be still stranger if Mr. G.o.dfrey should offer him employment, and he should find himself a clerk in the same office as the son of his rich uncle. But it was by no means certain that he would be lucky enough to obtain such employment. Therefore there was no need of wondering whether, under such circ.u.mstances, Tom would recognize him as a relation.
Herbert walked thoughtfully back, and on reaching his room ate the remainder of the loaf which he had purchased at the baker"s in the morning. It was not a very luxurious repast, but his walk had given him an appet.i.te, and he had no difficulty in disposing of all that was left.
CHAPTER XXV
GETTING A SITUATION
The next morning Herbert reported himself at his new boarding place. He found the fare very far from first-cla.s.s, while his fellow-boarders appeared at the table mostly in shirt-sleeves, and were evidently workingmen. Our hero would have preferred a greater degree of neatness both in the table and in the guests, but he felt that he would be lucky, if he should find himself able to pay his expenses even here. He was not to be daunted by little annoyances, but looked for compensation in the future.
He waited impatiently for the next day, when Mr. G.o.dfrey would return.
Upon the success of the interview with him much depended.
At length it came, and Herbert once more set out for the warehouse on Pearl Street. He entered without question, and made his way to the counting-room. Looking through the gla.s.s door, he saw his cousin--whom he surveyed with new interest now that he knew the relationship--and the bookkeeper. But, besides these, there was an elderly gentleman, rather stout, with a pleasant face, the expression of which rea.s.sured him.
"Is Mr. G.o.dfrey in?" he asked, on entering, with a look of inquiry at the gentleman just described.
"That is my name. What can I do for you?" said Mr. G.o.dfrey, turning towards him.
"I have a letter for you, sir," said Herbert, producing it from his pocket.
Mr. G.o.dfrey held out his hand for it, and ran his eye rapidly over its contents.
"So your name is Herbert Mason?" he said, raising his eyes after finishing it.
"Yes, sir."
At the mention of this name, Tom Stanton, whose curiosity had led him to listen to the conversation, wheeled rapidly round on his stool and surveyed our hero with intense curiosity. He knew that Herbert Mason was the name of his cousin. Could it be possible that this boy was the cousin whom he had never seen? A little later, and he was convinced of it.
"You have just come from Ohio, I suppose?"
"Yes, sir."
"My friend, Mr. Carroll, writes me that you were instrumental in saving him from being robbed while acting as his escort to Philadelphia."
"It wasn"t worth mentioning," said Herbert modestly.
Mr. G.o.dfrey noticed his modest tone, and it pleased him--modesty not being an unvarying characteristic of young America.
"My friend refers to it as an important service. I should like to know the particulars. Mr. Carroll is a connection of mine, and I am naturally interested in all that relates to him."
In reply Herbert gave a brief, but clear and intelligent account of the attempted burglary, pa.s.sing over his own achievement as lightly as possible. But it was easy to infer, even from the little he said, that he had acted with bravery and self-possession,
"You behaved in a very creditable manner," said Mr. G.o.dfrey, approvingly. "Many boys would have lost their self-possession. You have come to New York in search of employment, Mr. Carroll writes me?"
"Yes, sir."
"I don"t, of course, know how you were situated in Ohio," said the merchant, "but as a general rule I think boys make a mistake in leaving the country for the city. Here the compet.i.tion for work is sharp, and there is a surplus of laborers in every department of labor. Still," he proceeded, scanning Herbert"s earnest face, "you look like a boy capable of making his way if an opportunity offers. You have but little money, Mr. Carroll writes."
"I have lost nearly all I had," said Herbert, "so that now I have very little left."
"You have met with a loss? Tell me about it. Indeed, I should be glad if you would confide to me freely your situation and hopes, and then I shall be better able to help you."