When Paul became satisfied that Dawkins was not inclined to accept his overtures, he ceased to court his acquaintance, and confined himself to his own desk.
One day as he was returning from dinner, he was startled by an unceremonious slap upon the shoulder.
Looking up in some surprise, he found that this greeting had come from a man just behind him, whose good-humored face and small, twinkling eyes, he at once recognized.
“How do you do, Mr. Stubbs?” inquired Paul, his face lighting up with pleasure.
“I’m so’s to be round. How be you?” returned the worthy pedler, seizing our hero’s hand and shaking it heartily.
Mr. Stubbs was attired in all the glory of a blue coat with brass buttons and swallow tails.
“When did you come to New York?” asked Paul.
“Just arrived; that is, I got in this mornin’. But I say, how you’ve grown. I shouldn’t hardly have known you.”
“Shouldn’t you, though?” said Paul, gratified as most boys are, on being told that he had grown. “Have you come to the city on business?”
“Well, kinder on business, and kinder not. I thought I’d like to have a vacation. Besides, the old lady wanted a silk dress, and she was sot on havin’ it bought in York. So I come to the city.”
“Where are you stopping, Mr. Stubbs?”
“Over to the Astor House. Pretty big hotel, ain’t it?”
“Yes, I see you are traveling in style.”
“Yes, I suppose they charge considerable, but I guess I can stand it. I hain’t been drivin’ a tin-cart for nothin’ the last ten years.
“How have you been enjoying yourself since you arrived?”
“Oh, pretty well. I’ve been round seeing the lions, and came pretty near seeing the elephant at one of them Peter Funk places.”
“You did! Tell me about it.”
“You see I was walkin’ along when a fellow came out of one of them places, and asked me if I wouldn’t go in. I didn’t want to refuse such a polite invitation, and besides I had a curiosity to see what there was to be seen, so I went in. They put up a silver watch, I could see that it was a good one, and so I bid on it. It ran up to eight dollars and a quarter. I thought it was a pity it should go off so cheap, so I bid eight and a half.”
” `Eight and a half and sold,’ said the man; `shall I put it up for you?’
” `No, I thank you,’ said I, `I’ll take it as it is.’
” `But I’ll put it up in a nice box for you,’ said he.
“I told him I didn’t care for the box. He seemed very unwilling to let it go, but I took it out of his hand and he couldn’t help himself. Well, when they made out the bill, what do you suppose they charged?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why, eighteen and a half.”
” `Look here,’ said I, `I guess here’s something of a mistake. You’ve got ten dollars too much.’
” `I think you must be mistaken,’ said he, smiling a foxy smile.
” `You know I am not,’ said I, rather cross.
“We can’t let that watch go for any thing shorter,’ said he, coolly.
“Just then a man that was present stepped up and said, `the man is right; don’t attempt to impose upon him.’
“With that he calmed right down. It seems it was a policeman who was sent to watch them, that spoke. So I paid the money, but as I went out I heard the auctioneer say that the sale was closed for the day. I afterwards learned that if I had allowed them to put the watch in a box, they would have exchanged it for another that was only plated.”
“Do you know anybody in the city?” asked Paul.
“I’ve got some relations, but I don’t know where they live.”
“What is the name?” asked Paul, “we can look into the directory.”
“The name is Dawkins,” answered the pedler.
“Dawkins!” repeated Paul, in surprise.
“Yes, do you happen to know anybody of the name?”
“Yes, but I believe it is a rich family.”