The two boys reached their boarding house as the clock struck twelve.

“The best thing we can do is to get to bed as soon as possible,” said Sam, as they entered the room and locked the door.

“You might as well pay me what you owe me,” suggested Joshua, who did not intend Sam to forget his indebtedness.

“Oh, yes!” said Sam. “Let me find my pocketbook.”

He felt in the pocket of his “other pants,” but of course did not find what was not there. To let the reader into a secret, he had, before leaving for the theatre, carefully locked it up in his trunk, where it was even now, as he very well knew.

“By Jove!” he exclaimed, whistling, as he withdrew his hand, empty.

“What’s the matter?” inquired Joshua, anxiously.

“My pocketbook isn’t there!”

“Isn’t it? Where is it, then?” demanded Joshua, beginning to be alarmed.

“I must have taken it with me to-night, after all,” said Sam. “I understand now,” he added, suddenly. “I must have had my pocket picked in the car.”

“Had your pocket picked?” repeated Joshua, as ruefully as if it had been his own.

“Yes; didn’t you notice that black-whiskered man that sat next me?”

“No.”

“I am sure it was he. I thought he looked suspicious as I entered the car. If I hadn’t been talking with you, he couldn’t have robbed me without my knowing it.”

“Was there much in the pocketbook?” inquired Joshua.

“Not much,” said Sam, indifferently. “Between twenty-seven and twenty-eight dollars, I believe--a mere trifle.”

“I call that a good deal.”

“It’s more than I like to lose, to be sure.”

“Then, you can’t pay me what you owe me?” said Joshua, soberly.

“Not just now. In fact, I must wait till the end of the week, when I get my wages.”

“How much do you get then?”

“Twenty dollars.”

“You will surely pay me then?”

“Of course. You ain’t afraid to trust me?” said Sam, in a tone indicating his enjoyment of the joke.

“No,” returned Joshua, slowly; but he would have much preferred to receive payment there and then.

“I don’t think I shall run away on account of such a debt,” said Sam, laughing. “If it was two thousand dollars, instead of two, I might, you know.”

“Two dollars and ten cents,” corrected Joshua.

“What a mean hunks!” thought Sam. “He’s going to be worse than his father, and that’s saying a good deal.”

Had Joshua known the real state of the case, he would have been more alarmed for his money, but, as he supposed that Sam really received twenty dollars a week, and was to be taken into partnership at twenty-one by his employer, and thenceforth to be a prosperous business man, with a large income, he was reassured, and did not doubt that he should be paid.

“Well, Joshua, what are you going to do with yourself?” asked Sam the next morning, as they rose from breakfast.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ve got to go to business, you know. I’d like to go round the city with you, but I can’t be spared.”

“I’ll walk down to your store with you.”

“All right; only I wouldn’t advise you to stay very long in the store.”

“Why not?”

“Oh, Craven would think I was neglecting my business, and, as I am to be his future partner, I want to keep his good opinion.”

“To be sure,” said Joshua. “I suppose I can walk round?”

“Yes, you can go around and see the city--only keep your eyes peeled, so you will know the way back. And, if you ride in the cars, look out for pickpockets.”

“Is there much danger?” asked Joshua, hastily thrusting his hand into his pocket, to ascertain the safety of his money.

“Plenty of danger. If I am in danger of being robbed, you are much more so, not being used to the city. If you like, I’ll take your money--that is, what you don’t need to use--and lock it up in the safe.”

“I guess I’ll keep it,” said Joshua, hastily. “I’ll look out for pickpockets. Besides, I don’t think I’ll ride in the cars--I’ll walk.”

“You’ll get tired if you tramp about all day.”

“If I get tired, I’ll come back to the room and rest a while.”

As proposed, Joshua accompanied his friend to the shoe store, and entered, but, after a few minutes, went out to see what he could of the city. He wandered about for two hours, looking in at shop windows, and examining with curiosity the many unusual objects which everywhere met his view. It was interesting, but it was also tiresome, particularly as he walked everywhere. At length, his attention was drawn to a car going uptown, on which was printed its destination, “Central Park.” Joshua had heard a good deal of Central Park in his country home, and he naturally was curious to see it. The car was nearly empty, and, therefore, as it struck him there could not be much danger of pickpockets, he resolved, especially as he felt quite tired, to get in and ride to the park, even if it did cost five cents. Getting into the car, he seated himself at a distance from other passengers, and kept his hand on his pocket. After a time, he reached Fifty-ninth street, and had no difficulty in guessing that the beautiful inclosed space before him was the park of which he had heard so much. He was a little afraid, on seeing the policeman at the entrance, that there was a fee for admission, but was gratified to find that no money was required.

He wandered on, with the other promenaders, and by and by sat down on one of the seats considerately placed at intervals for the benefit of weary pedestrians.

He had not been sitting there long, when a dark-complexioned man of forty also seated himself on the bench. Joshua took no particular notice of him till the stranger looked toward him, and remarked, politely: “It’s a fine day, sir.”

“Yes,” said Joshua, who was secretly flattered at being called “sir.”

“It is a fine day to enjoy the park.”

“Yes,” said Joshua.

“I suppose you live in the city?”

“Yes; that is, I do now,” answered Joshua, flattered again at being mistaken for an old resident of New York.

“I am a stranger in the city,” said the other; “I live in the country. I came up here on a little business. I never was in the park before.”

“Weren’t you?” asked Joshua, with the air of one who had visited it a great many times.

“No; I like it very much. It reminds me of the country where I live.”

“It is very pretty, we city people think,” said Joshua, swelling with satisfaction as he classed himself among the city people.

“I ought to like it,” said the stranger, laughing, “for I have had a piece of great good luck here this morning.”

“Indeed!” said Joshua, pricking up his ears, with curiosity.

“I was walking just above here, when I found this in the path.”

As he spoke, he drew from his pocket what appeared to be a handsome gold watch of considerable size.

“Did you find that?” said Joshua, enviously, wishing he had had the same good fortune.

“Yes; somebody must have dropped it. It must be worth a hundred dollars. Why, the chain is worth thirty, at least,” and he pointed to the chain, which also was, to all appearances, gold.

“I wish I had been as lucky,” said Joshua, gazing at the watch and chain with longing eyes. “How long is it since you found it?”

“About twenty minutes. However, I’ve got another watch at home. I don’t need it. I’d sell it for a good deal less than it is worth,” and he looked suggestively in Joshua’s face.

Now, Joshua had long cherished the desire of having a watch, though his hopes had been confined to a silver one, and a chain of silk braid. Never, in his wildest and most ambitious dreams, had he thought of an elegant gold watch and chain like this.

“How much will you take?” he asked, eagerly.

“Why, it’s well worth a hundred dollars,” said the stranger, “but I’ll take half price.”

“That is, fifty dollars?”

“Yes; it’ll be a great bargain at that. Any jeweler would give more, but I haven’t time to go and see one; I must go out of this city in an hour.”

“I can’t afford to give fifty dollars,” said Joshua.

“I might take a little less,” said the stranger, “considering that I found it; but it’s well worth fifty dollars, or seventy-five, for that matter.”

“I’ll give you thirty dollars,” said Joshua, after a little pause.

“That’s too little,” said the other. “I’d rather stay here till the next train, and sell it to a jeweler. I feel sure they would pay me sixty, at least.”

If that was the case, it would certainly be a good speculation to buy the watch and sell it again. Joshua began to be anxious to get it.

“I want it for myself,” he said, “but I can’t afford to pay fifty dollars.”

“Will you give forty-five?”

“I’ll give thirty-five.”

“Say forty, and it’s yours; though I ought not to sell it at that. Just put it on, and see how well it looks.”

Joshua put it in his watch-pocket, and was conquered.

“All right,” he said; “I’ll take it.”

He paid the forty dollars, and bade farewell to the kind stranger who had given him so good a bargain.

“You city people are sharp,” said the stranger, as he bade him good-morning. “We poor countrymen don’t stand much chance with you.”

This remark flattered Joshua immensely, and he strutted about the park, glancing continually at his new acquisition, and fancying that he already had quite a city air.