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prizes。 I got one of 'em。〃
There was a group of half…a…dozen boys around Paul； two of whom
were about to invest； but on hearing thus they changed their
intention； and walked of in the direction of the post office。
Looking up； Paul saw that the boy who had injured his trade was
Mike； who had drawn the first fifty…cent prize from his
competitor。
〃Can't you stop interfering？〃 he said； angrily。 〃I've lost two
customers by you。〃
〃If you don't like it； you can lump it；〃 said Mike； insolently。
〃This is a free country； ain't it？〃
〃It's a mean trick；〃 said Paul； indignantly。
〃Say that ag'in； and I'll upset your basket；〃 returned Mike。
〃I'll say it as often as I like；〃 said Paul； who wasn't troubled
by cowardice。 〃Come on； if you want to。〃
Mike advanced a step； doubling his fists； but； finding that Paul
showed no particular sign of fear； he stopped short； saying：
〃I'll lick you some other time。〃
〃You'd better put it off；〃 said Paul。 〃Have a prize package；
sir？ Only five cents！〃
This was addressed to a young man who came out of an insurance
office。
〃I don't mind if I do；〃 said the young man。 〃Five cents； is it？
What prize may I expect？〃
〃The highest is ten cents。〃
〃There's a boy around the post office that gives fifty…cent
prizes； mister；〃 said Mike。 〃You'd better buy of him。〃
〃I'll wait till another time；〃 said the young man。 〃Here's the
money； Johnny。 Now for the package。〃
〃Look here；〃 said Paul； indignantly； when his customer had gone
away； 〃haven't you anything to do except to drive off my
customers？〃
〃Give me two cents on every package；〃 said Mike； 〃and I'll tell
'em you give dollar prizes。〃
〃That would be a lie； and I don't want to do business that way。〃
Mike continued his persecutions a while longer； and then turned
the corner into Nassau street。
〃I'm glad he's gone；〃 thought Paul。 〃Now there's a chance for
me。〃
He managed after a while to sell twenty of his packages。 By this
time it was twelve o'clock； and he began to feel hungry。 He
resolved； therefore； to go home to dinner and come out again in
the afternoon。 He didn't know how much he had made； but probably
about fifty cents。 He had made more than double as much the day
before in less time； but then he did not suffer from competition。
He began to doubt whether he could long pursue this business；
since other competitors were likely to spring up。
As he walked by the post office he had the curiosity to look and
see how his competitor was getting along。
Teddy had started； originally； with seventy…five packages； but of
those scarcely a dozen were left。 A group of boys were around
him。 Among them was Mike； who was just on the point of buying
another package。 As before； he put it in his pocket； and it was
not till Teddy asked； 〃What luck； Mike？〃 that he drew it out；
and opening it again； produced fifty cents。
〃It's the big prize！〃 he said。 〃Sure I'm in luck； anyhow。〃
〃You're the boy that's lucky；〃 said Teddy； with a grin。
As Paul witnessed the scene a light broke upon him。 Now he
understood how Teddy could afford to give such large prizes。
Mike and the other boy； Jim； were only confederates of hisdecoy
duckswho kept drawing over again the same prize； which was
eventually given back to Teddy。 It was plain now why Mike put
the package into his pocket before opening it。 It was to
exchange it for another packet into which the money had
previously been placed； but which was supposed by the lookers…on
to be the same that had just been purchased。 The prize could
afterward be placed in a new packet and used over again。
〃That ain't the same package；〃 said Paul； announcing his
discovery。 〃He had it all the while in his pocket。〃
〃Look here；〃 blustered Mike； 〃you jest mind your own business！
That's the best thing for you。〃
〃Suppose I don't？〃
〃If you don't there may be a funeral to…morrow of a boy about
your size。〃
There was a laugh at Paul's expense； but he took it coolly。
〃I'll send you a particular invitation to attend； if I can get
anybody to go over to the island。〃
As Mike had been a resident at Blackwell's Island on two
different occasions； this produced a laugh at his expense； in the
midst of which Paul walked off。
CHAPTER IV
TEDDY GIVES UP BUSINESS
〃Have you sold all your packages； Paul？〃 asked Jimmy； as our
hero entered the humble room； where the table was already spread
with a simple dinner。
〃No；〃 said Paul； 〃I only sold twenty。 I begin to think that the
prize…package business will soon be played out。〃
〃Why？〃
〃There's too many that'll go into it。〃
Here Paul related his experience of the morning； explaining how
it was that Teddy had managed to distance him in the competition。
〃Can't you do the same； Paul？〃 asked Jimmy。 〃Mother's got a
gold dollar she could lend you。〃
〃That might do；〃 said Paul； 〃but I don't know any boy I could
trust to draw it except you； and some of them would know we were
brothers。〃
〃I think； Paul； that would be dishonest；〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman。 〃I
would rather make less； if I were you； and do it honestly。〃
〃Maybe you're right； mother。 I'll try it again this afternoon；
keeping as far away from Teddy as I can。 If I find I can't make
it go； I'll try some other business。〃
〃Jimmy； have you shown Paul your drawing？〃 said his mother。
〃Here it is； Paul；〃 said Jimmy； producing his drawing… book； from
which he had copied a simple design of a rustic cottage。
〃Why； that's capital； Jimmy；〃 said Paul； in real surprise。 〃I
had no idea you would succeed so well。〃
〃Do you really think so； Paul？〃 asked the little boy； much
pleased。
〃I really do。 How long did it take you？〃
〃Only a short timenot more than half an hour； I should think；〃
said Mrs。 Hoffman。 〃I think Jimmy succeeded very well。〃
〃You'll make a great artist some time； Jimmy；〃 said Paul。
〃I wish I could；〃 said the little boy。 〃I should like to earn
some money； so that you and mother need not work so hard。〃
〃Hard work agrees with me。 I'm tough；〃 said Paul。 〃But when we
get to be men； Jimmy； we'll make so much money that mother
needn't work at all。 She shall sit in the parlor all day；
dressed in silk； with nothing to do。〃
〃I don't think I would enjoy that；〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman； smiling。
〃Will you be in the candy business； then； Paul？〃 said Jimmy。
〃No； Jimmy。 It would never do for the brother of a great artist
to be selling candy round the streets。 I hope I shall have
something better to do than that。〃
〃Sit down to dinner； Paul；〃 said his mother。 〃It's all ready。〃
The dinner was not a luxurious one。 There was a small plate of
cold meat； some potatoes； and bread and butter； but Mrs。 Hoffman
felt glad to be able to provide even that； and Paul； who had the
hearty appetite of a growing boy； did full justice to the fare。
They had scarcely finished； when a knock was heard at the door。
Paul； answering the summons； admitted a stout； pleasant…looking
Irishwoman。
〃The top of the mornin' to ye； Mrs。 Donovan；〃 said Paul； bowing
ceremoniously。
〃Ah； ye'll be afther havin' your joke； Paul；〃 said Mrs。 Donovan；
good…naturedly。 〃And how is your health； mum； the day？〃
〃I am well； thank you； Mrs。 Donovan；〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman。 〃Sit
down to the table； won't you？ We're just through dinner； but
there's something left。〃
〃Thank you； mum； I've jist taken dinner。 I was goin' to wash
this afternoon； and I thought maybe you'd have some little pieces
I could wash jist as well as not。〃
〃Thank you； Mrs。 Donovan； you are very kind； but you must have
enough work of your own to do。〃
〃I'm stout and strong； mum； and hard work agrees with me； but
you're a rale lady； and ain't used to it。 It's only a thrifle；
but if you want to pay me； you could do a bit of sewin' for me。
I ain't very good with the needle。 My fingers is too coarse；
belike。〃
〃Thank you； Mrs。 Donovan； on those terms I will agree to your
kind offer。 Washing is a little hard for me。〃
Mrs。 Hoffman collected a few pieces； and； wrapping them up in a
handkerchief； handed them to her guest。
〃And now what have you been doin'； Jimmy darlint？〃 said Mrs。
Donovan； turning her broad； good…humored face toward the younger
boy。
〃I've been drawing a picture；〃 said Jimmy。 〃Would you like to
see it？〃
〃Now； isn't that illigant？〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Donovan； admiringly；
taking the picture and gazing at it with rapt admiration。 〃Who
showed you how to do it？〃
〃Paul bought me a book； and I copied it out of that。〃
〃You're a rale genius。 Maybe you'll make pictures some time like
them we have in the church； of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints。
Do you think you could draw me； now？〃 she asked； with curiosity。
〃I haven't