CHAPTER VIII. — A STRANGE ACQUAINTANCE.
Tom Cooper was too familiar with the streets of New York to pay any attention to the moving panorama of which he and Ben formed a part. But everything was new and interesting to Ben, who had passed his life in a quiet country town.
"I should think it was the Fourth of July," he said.
"Why?" asked the bootblack.
"Because there's such a lot of people and wagons in the streets."
"There's always as many as this, except Sundays," said Tom.
"Where do they all come from?" said Beu wonderingly.
"You've got me there," answered Tom. "I never thought about that. Look out!" he exclaimed suddenly, dragging Ben from in front of a team coming up the street. "Do you want to get run over?"
"I was looking the other way," said Ben, rather confused.