“Certainly, if you have an engagement,” replied Herbert.
“I go to an evening school; but if you’ll be lonesome alone, why, I’ll stay with you till you learn a thing or two about the city.”
“Oh, I shall be all right,” said our hero, confidently. “Don’t think of remaining away from school on my account. I can enjoy looking at the sights here in the Bowery for a while; then I will go to the room, and read till you come.”
“All right. I’ll do as you say; but now you look out, Vermont, and don’t get lost.”
Bob seemed to have a fondness for calling his friend by this name, and the latter indulged him in the peculiarity without objection.
After a while, young Randolph drifted up to one of the Bowery dime museums, and stood there for some time reading the announcements, looking at the pictures, and watching the crowd that ebbed and flowed up and down that thoroughfare.
Presently a young fellow of about his own age, who had for some time been standing near him, made a casual remark about a comical looking person who had just passed by. Our hero looked up, and seeing that the remark had been addressed to him, he replied promptly. A conversation between him and the stranger followed. Herein Herbert showed the trustfulness characteristic of a country boy. He knew he was honest himself, and did not once suspect that the agreeable young man was playing the confidence game upon him.