"I know it's a State's prison offense; but a man must live, and I'm too far gone to work now," replied Thompson. Putting down his pipe, and replacing his hat on his head, he told Tommy to accompany him to Broadway to make his first attempt at the game of confidence.
Thompson was not yet acquainted with Tommy's aptitude for making blunders, or he would not have been so pleased at getting him as a decoy for unwary strangers.
They walked on till they came near Grand Street, where Thompson saw an individual upon whom he thought he could practice.
He was tall and gaunt, with a restless, inquisitive air, looking into shop windows, and staring about him as if everything was new and he wanted to take in all he could during a limited stay in the city.
"Here's the bloke!" exclaimed Thompson. "Go and do what I told you, and leave me to play him for a sucker."
"All right," answered Tommy.
The boy approached the stranger, and pulling his sleeve, accosted him, saying:
"How are you, Mr. Jennings?"
The man stopped abruptly, and with a sharp, clear eye scanned his face.
Instead of answering as Tommy expected, he exclaimed: