"Not very long."
"Do you know that he is a telegraph boy?"
"Oh, yes," answered Fred, smiling.
"He used to be a newsboy, and sell papers in the lower part of the city."
"I didn't know that," said Fred indifferently.
"I must say that I am rather surprised to see him here."
"Why?" asked Fred, with provoking calmness.
"Oh, you know, he is much below us in a social point of view."
"I know that he is a poor boy; but some of our most prominent men were once poor boys."
"I don't believe in mixing up different ranks."