"Who's he?"
"The Ledger man from Philadelphia. I once blacked his shoes and he gave me a quarter. General Washington once paid me a dollar."
"What!" ejaculated Edgar. "Do you mean to say that you ever blacked General Washington's shoes?"
"No; he wore boots."
"Why, my good boy, General Washington died almost a hundred years ago."
"Did he? Well, it might have been some other general."
"I guess it was. You don't seem to know much about history."
"No, I don't. I spent all my time studyin' astronomy when I went to school."
"What's your whole name?"
"Tom Trotter. I guess you've heard of my father. He's Judge Trotter of the Supreme Court?"