Ben kept on his way, looking in at the shop windows as before. He had not yet given up the idea of getting a place in a store, though he began to see that his chances of success were rather small.
The next pause he came to was before a bookstore. Here, too, there was posted on the window:—
"BOY WANTED."
Ben entered. There were two or three persons behind the counter. The oldest, a man of forty, Ben decided to be the proprietor. He walked up to him, and said, "Do you want a boy?"
"Yes," said the gentleman. "We want a boy to run of errands, and deliver papers to customers. How old are you?"
"Ten years old."
"That is rather young."
"I'm pretty strong of my age," said Ben, speaking the truth here, for he was rather larger and stouter than most boys of ten.
"That is not important, as you will not have very heavy parcels to carry. Are you well acquainted with the streets in this part of the city?"
This question was a poser, Ben thought. He was at first tempted to say yes, but decided to answer truthfully.