CARROTS'S CHARITY.
During the remainder of the day neither Carrots nor Teddy saw Skip.
It appeared very much as if Master Jellison had grown alarmed after seeing his intended victim conversing with the policeman.
The other merchants in the newspaper and the bootblacking business, neglecting everything else, discussed the very remarkable state of affairs brought about by the boy from Saranac, until the partners had succeeded in rolling up profits that made Carrots's eyes open wide with surprise.
Then their brother merchants began to realize that, while effecting nothing so far as the controversy between Skip and Teddy was concerned, they were losing an opportunity of earning money; and so they at once resumed their labors, and Carrots soon was aware of a depression in his department of the bootblacking industry which caused him no slight amount of sorrow.
"If Skip Jellison had hung 'round here the rest of the day, so's to give the other fellers more chance to talk, we'd have come nigh to earnin' enough to pay for the stand before night," he said, as Teddy returned from purchasing his fourth supply of papers.
"That shows how much a feller can lose unless he keeps his eyes open," Teddy replied.
"That's a fact," said Carrots. "It didn't seem much to loaf 'round a little while; but it counts up when you come to look at it."
"You can jest bet it does; an' if you'll keep watch of yourself for another week, we'll be in mighty good shape to set ourselves up in business. There's plenty of money to be earned 'round here, an' if a feller doesn't spend it as fast as he gets it, it won't be long before he's on his feet."
Ever since he began to follow the occupation of a bootblack, Carrots had desired to own such an outfit as was in the possession of a certain Italian on Centre Street. In his eyes it was simply magnificent. A chair, upholstered in red velvet, stood on a platform covered with sheet brass and studded plentifully with large-headed nails of the same metal. As foot-rests there were two deformed camels in bronzed iron, each bearing on its back a piece of iron fashioned in the shape of the sole of a boot. Even in his wildest dreams, however, he had never allowed himself to believe it was possible for him to become the owner of such a gorgeous establishment; for he had learned from a reliable source that the Italian's outfit had cost not less than twenty dollars—an amount which, in Carrots's eyes, was so large as to be within reach of only the very wealthy.