father caught him up to dash into the ring.

"Foot it with Billy. It's only four miles, and we've got lots of time,
so we can take it easy. Mother wont care, if I send word by Cy,"
answered Sam, producing half a dollar, as if such magnificent sums were
no strangers to his pocket.

"Come on, Brown; you'll be a first-rate fellow to show us round, as you
know all the dodges," said Billy, anxious to get his money's worth.

"Well, I don't know," began Ben, longing to go, but afraid Mrs. Moss
would say "No!" if he asked leave.

"He's afraid," sneered the red-faced boy, who felt bitterly toward all
mankind at that instant, because he knew there was no hope of _his_
going.

"Say that again, and I'll knock your head off," and Ben faced round
with a gesture which caused the other to skip out of reach
precipitately.

"Hasn't got any money, more likely," observed a shabby youth, whose
pockets never had anything in them but a pair of dirty hands.

Ben calmly produced a dollar bill and waved it defiantly before this
doubter, observing with dignity:

"I've got money enough to treat the whole crowd, if I choose to, which
I _don't_."