Dan The Newsboy 16

Dan The Newsboy 16

"Are you careful of money?"

 

"Whenever I have any to be careful about," answered Dan.

 

"I hope you will be comfortably provided from this time. There is a

little trunk of Althea's clothes in the trunk-room below. I will write

you an order for it, but you may as well wait till you have moved before

carrying it away. It will save you trouble."

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"Have you had any supper?"

 

"No, ma'am."

 

"Then you shall go into supper with Althea and myself."

 

"What! here, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel?" asked Dan.

 

"Certainly."

 

"I'm afraid I don't look fit."

 

"You look well enough. At any rate, it's nobody's business. We may as

well go down now."

 

There was nothing to say, so Dan followed the mysterious lady into the

supper-room, Althea clinging to his hand. He felt awkward as he took his

seat. Suppose some one should recognize him as the newsboy who usually

stood in front of the Astor House!

 

Some one did recognize him.

 

The young lady whom Tom Carver was escorting boarded at the Fifth Avenue

Hotel, and had alighted at the same time with our hero, though he did

not observe it.

 

Tom had been invited to supper, and, with Julia and her father, was

seated at a neighboring table when Dan entered.

 

Tom could hardly credit his eyes when he saw Dan entering the

supper-room, with the little girl clinging to his hand.

 

"Well, I'll be blowed!" he ejaculated, forgetting his manners in his

surprise.

 

"What did you remark?" asked Julia, rather amused.

 

"I beg your pardon, but I was so astonished. There is that newsboy

coming into supper!"

 

"Where?"

 

"There."

 

"What a pretty little girl is with him!"

 

"That's so. Who can she be?"

 

"You must be mistaken about your friend being a newsboy."

 

"He is no friend of mine."

 

"Your acquaintance, then; though he is nice enough looking to be a

friend. Are you sure he is a newsboy?"

 

"Certain. I saw him selling papers yesterday in front of the Astor

House."

 

"His business must be good, or he would not board at the Fifth Avenue

Hotel."

 

"Of whom are you speaking, Julia?" asked her father.

 

"Of that boy at the next table, pa."

 

"That boy! Why, that's my young friend of the ferry-boat. Tom, have the

kindness to ask him to come here a moment and speak to me."

 

Much surprised, and considerably against his will, Tom rose and walked

over to where Dan was sitting.

 

"Look here," said he; "come over to the next table, will you?"

 

"What for?" asked Dan.

 

"There's a gentleman wants to speak to you."

 

Dan looked over and he recognized Mr. Rogers, of the firm of Barton &

Rogers, who had asked him to call at his place of business on Pearl

street.

 

"Good-evening, Mr. Rogers," he said, politely.

 

"Good-evening, my boy. Do you board here?"

 

"Not as a rule," answered Dan, smiling. "My business don't allow it. I

am dining here with some friends."

 

"What's your name?"

 

"Daniel Mordaunt. Everybody calls me Dan."

 

"Then, Dan, let me make you acquainted with my daughter, Julia."

 

Dan bowed and smiled.

 

"I think you were sitting opposite me in the stage, Mr. Mordaunt," said

Julia.

 

"Yes, Miss Rogers."

 

"You were polite enough to hand me my handkerchief when I awkwardly

dropped it."

 

"Oh, don't mention it."

 

"I hope to meet you again."

 

"Thank you."

 

"What a pretty girl she is!" thought Dan.

 

"Dan, this young gentleman is Thomas Carver. You must be nearly of an

age. You ought to know each other."

 

"I have known Mr. Carver a long time," said Dan, smiling.

 

"Indeed!" said Mr. Rogers, surprised.

 

"We used to sit together at school."

 

"You didn't tell me that, Tom," said Julia Rogers, turning to Tom.

 

"No," said Tom, embarrassed; "it is a good while ago."

 

"I won't detain you any longer from your friends," said Mr. Rogers,

politely. "I shall see you at the office in the morning."

 

Dan bowed and withdrew.

 

"Where did you meet him, papa?" asked Julia.

 

Her father told the story of Dan's exploit on the ferry-boat.

 

"He is a very smart boy," he said. "I shall probably take him into my

employ."

 

"I hope you will, papa. He is a very gentlemanly boy."

 

All this was very disagreeable to Tom Carver, but he did not venture to

say all that he felt, being somewhat in awe of Mr. Rogers.

 

"They are making a great fuss over a common newsboy," he muttered to

himself.

 

After supper, Dan prepared to take Althea home with him. She felt so

well acquainted already that she made no objection, but, hand-in-hand,

left the hotel with Dan. He halted a Broadway stage, and they got in.

 

"Are you carrying me to where you live, Dan?" asked the little girl.

 

"Yes, Althea."

 

"Will your mother be glad to see me?"

 

"Yes, she will be very glad. She wants a little girl to keep her

company."

 

"Then I'm glad I'm going."