JIMMY'S FURTHER PROGRESS
Meanwhile Dick, all unconscious of the plot being woven about him,
continued to sell his papers. When he was out he went to the delivery
wagon and got more, and he remained in the financial district until
three o'clock, when, as that marks the close of the day's business,
there was not much chance to sell any more papers.
Then he went up to report to Jimmy and help him dispose of his stock by
circulating around City Hall Park and the streets leading to the
ferries.
"Well, dis ain't so bad," remarked Jimmy as they went to supper that
evening, calculating on the way how much they had taken in.
"No, indeed," said his partner. "If this keeps on we can soon start a
regular stand."
"Crimps! Dat would be fine! But I guess we'll have t' have more money
saved up. All de good places is taken, and we'd have t' buy somebody
out."
"Oh, yes, we'll have to have more money," agreed Dick. "But if all
goes well we can put another dollar in the bank this week."
"Dat's de stuff. Crimps! but I'm hungry! Guess I'll have a----"
Jimmy stopped suddenly as he put his hand in his pocket.
"What's the matter? Lost your money?" asked Dick anxiously.
"Nope. I was jest goin'--jest goin' t' smoke a cigarette, but I
forgot----"
"I'm glad you remembered in time. Do you find it hard to give them up?"
"It's kinder hard--jest now."
"Then come on, let's hurry up and have supper and you'll not think of
smoking."
"All right," Jimmy agreed, but it was quite a struggle for the lad.
The cigarette habit had taken more of a hold on him than he supposed,
and he felt that he must smoke. But he determined to keep his word,
and as he was a boy of some strength of character, in spite of his
surroundings, he did not readily give in to the temptation.
After supper the reading lesson was resumed, and Dick also began to
instruct his pupil in the mysteries of writing. It was not easy work,
but Dick was not discouraged.
Jimmy had one merit, he really wanted to learn; for he was sharp and
shrewd, and he saw what an advantage it was to Dick to be able to read
and call out intelligently the items of news. In this way Dick could
sell as many papers as could Jimmy, and with half the effort, for Jimmy
made himself hoarse with his frequent cries of "Wuxtry!" Then, too,
Jimmy was aware of how much better off he was since he had formed a
partnership with Dick. He actually had money in the bank, a thing he
never dreamed of before, and he had a good room, which formerly was
such a rare occurrence for him that he could count on the fingers of
one hand the number of times it had happened since he had had to shift
for himself. So Jimmy determined to do his best to learn to read and
write.
In a week the newsboy knew the alphabet, and could spell a few simple
words. The writing came slower, but he was making progress.
Then another improvement took place. As he learned to spell the words
he also learned how to pronounce them correctly. He saw that "the"
spelled a different word from "de," as he was accustomed to pronounce
it, and he began to practise using "this" and "then" in place of "dis"
and "den."
"There!" exclaimed Jimmy triumphantly one night as he looked at a piece
of paper. "There's me name!" and he looked at it proudly, for it was
written after a severe effort on his part. "Did I speak right den--I
mean then?" he asked.
"Very nearly, except that you said 'me name' instead of 'my name',
Jimmy."
"Dat's so--I mean that's so. Well, what do youse think of me--I mean
my writin'?"
"It's very good; but if you want to speak correctly, don't say 'youse'
for you, and put a final 'g' on your words that need it."
"Crimps! but dat's--I mean that's a lot to remember," he answered with
a sigh.
"You're not sorry you're learning, though, are you?"
"Betcher life I ain't."
He gave a sudden start.
"I s'pose I shouldn't say that," he added.
"Well, I don't know that it's any particular harm," answered Dick.
"It's slang, and when you grow up to be a man I don't suppose you'll
like to use slang. The trouble is, as I've read, it's hard to break
off the habit. So I suppose it's best to start young."
"Dat's--I mean that's what it is. I'm goin'--there, I dropped another
'g'--I'm going to try," and Jimmy spoke very slowly.
"You're doing very well," complimented his young teacher. "I wish I
was making some progress myself."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'd like to find out who I am. Sometimes in the night I get to
thinking about it, and I feel quite badly. I think I must have
some--some folks somewhere, and maybe they're anxious about me."
"Don't any of it come back to youse--I mean you?" asked Jimmy
sympathetically.
"Not the least. I've tried and tried again, but all I can remember is
a big house somewhere with lots of ground around it and a man and a
lady who were good to me. I seem to remember driving a horse once."
"Maybe you worked as a driver," suggested Jimmy, "and a horse kicked
you. That's how your head was hurt, maybe."
"I don't believe so. I don't remember working anywhere. I wish there
was some way of finding out about myself."
Jimmy felt a sudden twinge of his conscience. Perhaps it was his fault
that Dick had not been able to discover the secret of the mystery that
surrounded him. Jimmy had said nothing to the police about the boy,
and Sam Schmidt had not read of any reward being offered for
information of a missing lad. Jimmy determined to make amends.
"Dick, I've got somethin' to tell you," he said, speaking slowly and
more correctly than he ever talked before. "Maybe it's my fault that
you don't know who you are."
"Your fault? How do you mean?"
And then Jimmy, feeling very much ashamed of himself, told of how he
had kept silent, hoping that a reward would be offered.
"I'm--I'm awful sorry," he concluded. "I feel real mean about it,
Dick, for you've been so good to me an' have done so much for me."
For a few seconds Dick said nothing. The disclosure was quite a shock
to him. But he did not blame Jimmy, for he realized that the boy did
not know any better.
"Do you think the police would know anything about me, Jimmy?" asked
Dick at length.
"Maybe they would. Come on, we'll go to headquarters," replied Jimmy,
anxious to make up for lost time.
It did not take the two boys long to reach police headquarters in
Mulberry Street. Jimmy felt a little diffident about going into that
dreaded place, of which he had heard so much, and the brass-buttoned
sergeant sitting behind the brass railing looked very stern, but the
newsboy mustered up courage to enter. As for Dick, he was filled with
a nervous excitement.
The story was soon told, and the sergeant at once took an interest in
Dick's queer plight. He questioned the youth carefully, but, as we
know, Dick could tell little about himself. The sergeant went over the
books from the time Jimmy had found his partner in the box, but there
was no report of any missing boys answering the description of Dick,
though there were many youngsters missing.
"Didn't you say you had a hat with you in the box?" asked the sergeant.
"Yes, sir," replied Dick. "That is it," and he handed it over.
The officer looked at the band inside. This was a bit of detective
work that had not occurred to either Dick or Jimmy.
"Hum!" remarked the sergeant with a shake of his head. "All it says is
'Boston Store.' I thought it might give the name of the place where it
was bought."
"Perhaps it was purchased in Boston," suggested Dick, "though I don't
remember ever living near there."
"No," replied the officer, "nearly every city has either a 'New York'
or a 'Boston' or a 'Philadelphia' store, and they are scattered from
here to San Francisco. It's a queer custom. If that hat had the
maker's name in it it might be a clue. However, I'll telegraph to
Boston and make some inquiries."
"When will you have an answer?" asked Dick eagerly.
"Some time to-morrow, or maybe late to-night. Better call in
to-morrow."
"I will," promised Dick, and feeling for the first time since he found
himself in this queer plight that there was a ray of hope, he and Jimmy
went back to the lodging-house.
Dick did not sleep well that night, for he was thinking that perhaps
the next day would find his identity established and the mystery solved.