Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant

of being mistaken for a peaceful, law-abiding citizen. One, attired in a red shirt and pants, was leaning back in his chair, smoking a clay pipe. His hair was d

n of the boy Julius. He was certainly a disreputable-loo

But, like Jack, he, too, was a social outlaw, and the more dangerous that he could more

rgan to the latter, who had j

ead. "I haven't been so hard up for a long t

Morgan; "but I'd rather look out for myself

never tried it but once, and then I

ne. You always co

" said Marlowe, with pride. "You reme

u wasn't

, I

the fellows

I heard in tim

ke anything

of a thousand

u put i

ld it for

is the

olly. "I lived then, you can bet. But I

vest pocket a d

t of

y last

e got to do

es

u thought o

a plan tha

nce produced a brief interruption.

ot a bundle to car

u got th

. I bought my supp

it t

ten cents and thrus

he said. "You ought to ha

ng-box and I wil

arlowe, you were just goin

him?" asked Marlowe

ad. He's o

e that I've heard about. It belon

t much left in i

has left all his plate locked up in a safe on the s

e got

I he

told

was discharged for drunkenness, and

thief h

lling to help us,

depend on hi

e is no do

house

s a family

t's

children-one a little boy of eight

w anything

peddler. He keeps a necktie

y a matter of course. But the last remark of Marlowe put a different face upon the matter. The description was so exact that he felt almost certain the boy spoken of must be

may give trouble,"

osed of," said Mar

he woman and little bo

ure the boy's abse

ow

and kept over night in the station-house. Or there's other ways. But I can't tell till

her would get somebod

bout him. How's that bo

s knocked about for

him. Come he

his seat and walk

ad, can you do

us n

r you to do. It'll lead

," said

d what we were

but I di

o, now. Have you ever seen a necktie s

es

a boy k

seed

hen. Do you know a

shook h

riends in Brooklyn, or just outside of the city. I'll tell you what I know abo

N

dison avenue. We want to break into that house some night next week and carry off s

aid Julius, noddi

ight we make the attempt. That will leave the coast clear. If the woman wakes up

nodde

you can do w

es

we lay our plans, Jack. Now that's settled, we'll s

the money, Marlowe,

ding Julius the bill he had recently disp

ht," sai

change, or I must go without

ember," s

d: "Where did you pick up that bo

as a little chap. He didn't seem to belong to nobody;

e shut up, Jack? That's a goo

cks up a living there so

s back to you when

es

father, eh?" said

me," said Jack

if he had deserted him. Still, he, too, had got used to the society of Julius, who was the only living thing that clung to him, and prob

we la

u laughing a

to train up a boy in the way he should go, and all that. If he

bad sort,"

been over t

N

owed your teaching,

ck, who had grown weary of the subj

isky. Both men brightened up at th

pack of cards?

ds?" asked Jack, a

pon a pallet in the corner, which he shared with his guardian. He didn't sleep immediately, however, for now that his attention was drawn away from the game, he began to consider how he should act in the matter which had been confided

interest for them unless something was staked upon it, and the winner pocketed hi