“I’ll do it,” said Tom.
“What is your name? Where can I find you if I want you?”
“I hang out at the Newsboys’ Lodge. My name is Tom Connor.”
“Thank you, Tom; I’m very glad I met you. Your testimony will be valuable to me. Don’t say anything about it to anybody else at present. I want to surprise them.”
“All right.”
“I think I will have a shine, after all,” said Gilbert, wishing to repay his new friend by a little patronage.
“I’ll make your boots shine so you can see your face in ’em,” said Tom, dropping on his knees, and proceeding to his task energetically.
“That will save me the expense of a looking-glass,” said Gilbert.
“So it will,” said Tom.
When the last was completed, Gilbert drew ten cents from his pocket, and extended it towards Tom, but to his surprise the bootblack did not offer to take it.