It was fully five minutes before Carrots succeeded in deciphering the letter brought by Teenie, and then he pretended to treat the matter as a huge joke.

"Why, Skip must have spent pretty nigh the whole day gettin' up that thing," he said, as he handed the missive to Teddy. "I wonder what he made the moon there for?"

"Moon?" Teenie repeated. "Why, he told me it was a skull, with a dagger underneath it and with bones on the sides, same's pirates have on their flags; an' the two coffins was for you an' the other feller."

"Who are the two duffers down there at the bottom? A couple of pirates?"

"No; they're the committee," Teenie explained. "I s'pose one of 'em's Skip, an' the other's Sid."

"So Sid's taken a hand in this; he's gone to drivin' boys out er the town, has he? Well, Sid's a nice plum to do anything of the kind! 'T isn't more'n a month ago since he was gettin' right down on his knees, coaxin' Skip to let him stay to black boots. It would be a mighty long while before I'd ask Skip Jellison to 'low me to do anything!"

"Them two are awful thick now. Kind er stand in pardners, I reckon. Sid says he's goin' to run Fulton Ferry on the Brooklyn side, an' Skip's to take care of this end, as soon as they drive the feller from Saranac away."

"Oh, they are, eh? Well, p'rhaps it'll be a good while before they finish up the job they've got on hand, so I guess they won't hurt theirselves workin' this season. What do you think about it, Teddy?"

The young gentleman from Saranac made no reply, but folded the paper carefully and put it in his pocket, as if for future reference.

"What're you goin' to do 'bout it?" Teenie asked, so earnestly that Carrots looked at him suspiciously.

"Do 'bout it?" the latter replied. "Why, let him go ahead. What else can we do? I've seen a good many better-lookin' pictures than he made there, an' if that's all he does he won't hurt anybody."

"But see here, Carrots: Skip says you'll have to leave this town if you stand in with Teddy, an' he's goin' to make it awful hot."

"Well, I s'pose if he can do that he will; so what's the use talkin' 'bout it? We can't help anything, as I see."

Teenie understood that his friend was not absolutely satisfied regarding his connection with the matter, and therefore refused to make any explanation as to what his future course might be. This lack of confidence troubled the messenger; for Carrots was a particular friend of his, and he did not wish anything to impair the kindly feeling existing between them.

So he was glad when Carrots said:

"I ain't blamin' you, Teenie; but I can tell you one thing sure: what ain't known can't be told. If Skip Jellison should 'low he was jest about goin' to thump the life out er you if you didn't repeat everything I said, why, you might have to give up. So I don't think it's best for us to have any talk. Of course I'm sure you won't tell where I'm livin'."

"I wouldn't say a word 'bout that, Carrots, an' you know it."

"I b'lieve you, Teenie, I b'lieve you; but you understand how things are workin'. Teddy an' me are in a pretty bad hole jest now, an' we've got to be careful. If you could kind er tell us once in a while what Skip was thinkin' of doin', it might help along; but I won't ask it in case you're 'fraid, 'cause I don't want ter get any other feller in a scrape."

"I'll do all I can, Carrots; an' now I reckon I'd better be goin'. Mother told me I must come home to-night."

"All right, old man. Be sure, when you get on the street, that Skip ain't watchin' so's to find out where you've been."

"He can't be 'round here, 'cause I went up to supper first, an' walked right down from the house without seein' him."

Then Teenie took his departure, and the victims of Master Skip's wrath were left alone to discuss the situation, which was certainly beginning to look serious for them.

"Now what do you think 'bout it?" Carrots asked, after seeing Teenie over the fence.

"Well, I don't see as it's any different from what it was before. We knew he was bound to drive me away, an' it wasn't likely he'd stop after what little he's done. Now, Carrots, there's jest this much about it: you wouldn't be in any fuss with him if it wasn't for me, an' you can square things up this very minute by sayin' you've shook me. Why not do it?"

"'Cause I kind er like you, Teddy, an' then, ag'in, I wouldn't give Skip the satisfaction of knowin' he'd made me do what he wanted."

"Better that than have to go out of the business."

"I sha'n't do anything of the kind. I reckon you an' I can fix things up somehow, an' I'll tell you what I'd like, Teddy. It seems as if you knew how to manage better'n I, an' why wouldn't it be a good idea to go inter pardnership? I can earn as much money in pleasant weather blackin' boots as you will by sellin' papers, an' I'll 'gree not to spend a cent more'n you. You shall take care of the cash, an' say what we'll have for grub, an' all that sort of thing."

"You want us to go inter business, eh?"

"That's jest it. 'Teddy an' Carrots.' My name don't sound very well. Might call it Joseph; but then nobody'd know who you meant."

"It ought ter be 'Thurston an' Williams,' of course. Pardners don't use their first names."

"Now you've struck it?" Carrots cried in delight. "Is it a whack?"

"It is," Teddy replied gravely, and thus was a very weighty matter settled: a business connection formed which might possibly not receive any great amount of attention from the newspaper reporters, but a solid one in the opinion of the members composing the firm.

"Then here's the money we've got on hand," and Carrots emptied his pockets immediately. "You keep the whole an' we can tell every night jest how we stand."

"But you mustn't put in all your money, Carrots. You see, I haven't got as much, an' that wouldn't be fair."

Then Teddy counted his wealth, which consisted, including the profits made on the newspapers, of forty-three cents.

"That's the size of it. You put in jest as much, an' we'll start fair," said Teddy.

Carrots insisted that it would be better for him to contribute the entire amount of his capital; but Teddy refused to listen to anything of the kind, and, finally, the question was settled by the cashier's putting into one particular pocket, which was to be reserved for the use of the firm, the sum of eighty-six cents.

"Now, then, when are you goin' to work?" Teddy asked, with a business-like air. "It won't do for us to spend this money for grub, 'cause we shall want somethin' to eat to-morrow. What do you say to tryin' it 'round South Ferry?"

"If we do that, Skip will be sure he has driven us out. I think we'd better go right up to City Hall, an' start in straight; but the first thing is, where'll we live?"

"What's the matter with this place?"

"I ain't so certain but Teenie'll give the snap away. If Skip gets hold of him he can make him tell 'most anything."

"No need of movin' till we find out that Skip really knows where we are. I ain't so sure but it would be a good idea to stay right here, anyhow, an' let him do whatever he can."

"But you see, he'd tell the folks in the store, an' they'd drive us out."

"That might be," Teddy replied, thoughtfully. "But we've got plenty of time to think it over. Now what we want is to earn a news-stand the very first thing. Then we'll have to get a chair outside, an' you could tend shop while I was selling papers anywhere trade happened to be the best."

"Won't that be fine!" Carrots cried in a tone of enthusiasm. "How the fellers' eyes would stick out if we were runnin' a reg'lar shop!" But then he added, reflectively, "I don't see how that's goin' to be done. It's been a pretty tight squeeze for me to get enough to buy grub with, to say nothin' of swellin'; an', if that wouldn't be swellin', I don't know what to call it!"

"'Tend right to your work, Carrots, an' don't spend money on cigarettes, or such things as that, an' it won't take long to get what we need. I don't reckon one of them stands costs any more'n ten dollars."

"Ten dollars!" Carrots exclaimed. "Why don't you buy the City Hall an' start in in great shape? Ten dollars! Why, we couldn't earn that much in a month!"

"Well, s'posin' we couldn't? S'posin' it took two months? Wouldn't that be better'n the way you're workin' now?"

"Yes, I reckon it would; but I don't b'lieve we'd ever get that much together."

"You do as I want you to, an' we'll see what'll happen. Now, look at it jest this way, Carrots: if you made twenty-three cents for me yesterday afternoon sellin' papers, s'posin' you put in the whole day at it, couldn't you have made more'n fifty cents?"

"I could do better'n that blackin' boots, even when business wasn't good."

"Well, there you are! If you earn fifty cents, an' enough to buy grub, an' I do the same, it wouldn't take us but ten days to have the money we wanted."

Carrots rubbed his nose reflectively, thereby adding to the smudge of blacking which now extended nearly from ear to ear; and, noticing it, Teddy asked, earnestly:

"Say, why don't you wash your face?"

"What would be the good of that?"

"You'd look more decent, anyhow. I b'lieve folks'd rather buy things of a feller who's clean, than of one lookin' like an Injun."

"But when a man has his boots shined, he doesn't care whether my face is white or red, so long's he gets a polish."

"You ought ter care, Carrots. Isn't there any water 'round here?"

"Yes; there's a hydrant in the other corner of the yard."

"Take this piece of soap an' my towel, an' go over there. Try it once, an' see how much better you'll feel."

As he spoke, Teddy unrolled his newspaper valise, took from it the articles mentioned, and handed them to his friend, who looked at the collection in a suspicious sort of manner, as if questioning whether it would be exactly safe for him to make the experiment suggested.

"I'll do it! By jinks! I'll do it jest once for luck!" he said; and five minutes later the operation had been completed.

Carrots, with every freckle showing on his face, his skin glowing from the unwonted use of soap and water, and a broad streak of dirt left just in front of his ears and extending under his chin, returned to the dwelling almost shamefaced.

"There! if you feel as much better as you look, you must be jest humpin' yourself," Teddy said, admiringly. "Only you didn't wash far enough back."

"What's the matter now?" Carrots asked in surprise.

"It seems to me as if you'd shoved the dirt back instead of washin' it off."

"Well, see here, Teddy: I did this thing to please you, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"Well, I've sworn off now. I don't b'lieve in puttin' on frills anyhow, an' all this talk 'bout water makin' you feel good is all in your eye. If we've got to earn ten dollars in ten days, I reckon it'll take all my time shinin', 'stead of tryin' to look so mighty fine that a man'd think I wouldn't dare to pull the stopper out er a blackin'-bottle for fear of smuttin' my fingers. I s'pose if I lived on a farm, same's you did, I'd wash when I saw the others, an' then it wouldn't come so unhandy. That's where I wish I was now—in the country," he added, as he clasped his hands around one knee and rocked himself to and fro on the impromptu bed.

"You wouldn't wish that very long if you had one taste of it."

"I ain't so sure of that. I tell you, when a feller's got a bed to get inter, an' plenty of stuff to eat, it's a pretty soft snap. I'd like to try it 'bout a month."

"That would be long enough," Teddy said; and then, by way of putting an end to the conversation, he nestled into the straw as if to go to sleep.

Carrots moved about very gingerly, as if his whole nature had been changed by the washing of his face.

At last he blew out the candle, snuffed the glowing end with his thumb and finger, and followed his friend's example.

Next morning Carrots was aroused by the sun shining upon his face, and, after awakening his friend, he explained why it was necessary for them to leave the packing-case home at such an early hour.

From the Company's funds was spent sufficient to buy two bowls of soup; and then, advised by Carrots, Teddy agreed to remain in the vicinity of South Ferry, rather than to make an attempt to do business around City Hall Park, until Master Jellison's anger should have had time to subside.

"I'll see you when you come up for the afternoon papers," Carrots said as they parted. "But you can count on my hustlin' the best I know how toward gettin' to-day's share of the ten dollars."

"Be sure you don't have any trouble with Skip," Teddy cautioned his friend, and then the two separated, each intent on swelling the Company's funds to the greatest possible extent before night.

When noon came, and it was necessary for Teddy to replenish his stock, he failed to find his partner around the newspaper offices.

This absence of Carrots did not trouble him particularly, since Teddy was quite confident the boy was attending to his own business; and he felt positive it would not be safe for him to search very long after the missing partner, lest he should encounter the enemy.

Therefore it was that he returned to his labors without consultation with his business associate; and when it was so late that there could be no danger the occupants of the store would see him entering the dwelling in the corner of the yard, he again clambered over the fence.

Master Carrots was at home, and, as could be told from his face, labouring under the most intense excitement.

"I've done it!" he cried to Teddy before the latter had time to speak. "I've done it, an' we'll have to give up the pardnership business, 'cause this is the best chance I'll get."

"Done what?" Teddy asked in surprise.

"Got a place to work on a farm."

"Are you goin' to leave the city?" Teddy asked, anxiously.

"I'll have to, of course, if I do that. You see, it happened this way: Every feller I met this mornin' told me what Skip had threatened to do, an' I reckon he means business. He says we've both got to leave this town before he goes to work ag'in, an' what's more, he an' Sid Barker wouldn't let me stay 'round Printin' House Square at all. I had to take a sneak, or else stand the chance of gettin' 'rested for fightin', so I went down to Vesey Street Market. Trade wasn't so awful good there, an' I was kind er loafin' 'round when a farmer come up an' says, 'Hello, son. Don't know of any boy 'round here what wants to go out in the country, do you?' Well, you know, that struck me jest right. I said of course I knew a boy, an' I showed him right up, 'cause it was me, an' I hadn't far to go to find myself. Well, the farmer acted as if he was tickled 'most to death, an' he said as how I was the very kind of a feller he was lookin' for; that he'd give me a good home an' make it cheerful; besides, I'd have lots of fun runnin' in the fields."

"How much is he goin' to pay you?" Teddy asked.

"Well, you see, we ain't settled on that yet. He thought I'd better come out and try it for a while, so's he could tell how much I was worth, an' then we'd talk 'bout wages afterward."

"An' are you willin' to go on them promises?"

"Willin'? Why, it's a reg'lar snap! I'd like to stay here an' try to buy that stand with you; but what's the use if Skip's goin' to raise sich a row? Besides, if we've got to sneak 'round all the poorest places to work, we sha'n't make enough to pay for our grub, an' out there I'll have all I can eat."

"Well, Carrots, I'm sorry to have you go jest when we've got acquainted, an' it seemed as though we'd get along well together; but if you're set on farmin', you'll have to try it, I reckon. I'll stay here an' keep on workin', so's when you get ready to come back there'll be somethin' to eat, 'less Skip Jellison succeeds in doin' what he counts on."

"I may drop 'round in a month or two, jest to see how you're gettin' along," Carrots replied, with an air of condescension; "but of course I'm bound to stay out there a year anyhow, when I start in once."

"When are you goin'?"

"To-morrow noon."

"Come down to South Ferry before you go, an' when you get back, Carrots, I guess you'll find me at the same place, 'cause trade was pretty fair to-day."

"Oh, you'll be up 'round City Hall by that time."

"It'll take me longer'n a week to get things straightened out, an' you won't stay there six days, 'less you're a different feller from what I think you are," Teddy replied, with an air of conviction that surprised his friend.