"By the way, Dick, where are your Washington coat and Napoleon pants now?"
"They were stolen from my room," said Dick, "by somebody that wanted to appear on Broadway dressed in tip-top style, and hadn't got money enough to pay for a suit."
"Perhaps it was some agent of Barnum who desired to secure the valuable relics," suggested Frank.
"By gracious!" said Dick, suddenly, "there they are now. It's the first time I've seen 'em since they was stolen."
He pointed to a boy, of about his own size, who was coming up Broadway. He was attired in the well-remembered coat and pants; but, alas! time had not spared them. The solitary remaining coat-tail was torn in many places; of one sleeve but a fragment remained; grease and dirt nearly obliterated the original color; and it was a melancholy vestige of what it had been once. As for the pantaloons, they were a complete wreck. When Dick had possessed them they were well ventilated; but they were now ventilated so much more thoroughly that, as Dick said afterwards, "a feller would be warmer without any."
"That's Micky Maguire," said Dick; "a partic'lar friend of mine, that had such a great 'fection for me that he stole my clothes to remember me by."
"Perhaps," said Fosdick, "it was on account of his great respect for General Washington and the Emperor Napoleon."
"What would the great Washington say if he could see his coat now?" said Frank.
"When I wore it," said Dick, "I was sorry he was so great, 'cause it prevented his clothes fitting me."
It may be necessary to explain to those who are unacquainted with Dick's earlier adventures, that the clothes in which he was originally introduced were jocosely referred to by him as gifts from the illustrious personages whose names have been mentioned.