"Now, boys, we will have a smoke," said Joe, as they seated themselves in the house.
"Yes; and we haven't any too much time," replied Ben Tinker, as he took the cigars from his pocket.
"Have you any matches?"
"To be sure I have. What's the use of cigars without any matches? Take a cigar, Tom."
Tommy took the cigar, and though he had some doubts about smoking it, he did not like to be behind his companions in anything. He thought it would make him sick, as he had known it to do to others. He did not want to smoke it, but he had not the courage to refuse.
He was proud, and did not want to have the other boys any smarter than he was. They thought it was manly and big to smoke, for I don't believe either of them could have liked the fumes of a cigar. They had not smoked enough for this.
Ben lighted a match, and then his cigar. Joe, as dignified as any old smoker, took a light from him; and both of them puffed away, and felt as big as though they were doing some great thing.
"Have a light, Tommy?" asked Ben. "If you are going with us, you must learn to smoke."
"All the fellers that are anything smoke," added Joe.
"Then I'll smoke," replied Tommy. "I used to see lots of gentlemen smoking cigars in Broadway, in New York, when I was there."