"Could you tell me what is the price of potatoes up your way?" asked the
other boy, with perfect gravity.

"I don't know," said Paul, innocently.

"I'm sorry for that," said the other, "as I have got to buy some for my
wife and family."

Paul stared in surprise for a moment, and then realizing that he was
being made game of, began to grow angry.

"You'd better go home to your wife and family," he said with spirit, "or
you may get hurt."

"Bully for you, country!" answered the other with a laugh. "You're not
as green as you look."

"Thank you," said Paul, "I wish I could say as much for you."

Tired with walking, Paul at length sat down in a doorway, and watched
with interest the hurrying crowds that passed before him. Everybody
seemed to be in a hurry, pressing forward as if life and death depended
on his haste. There were lawyers with their sharp, keen glances;
merchants with calculating faces; speculators pondering on the chances
of a rise or fall in stocks; errand boys with bundles under their arms;
business men hurrying to the slip to take the boat for Brooklyn or
Jersey City,--all seemed intent on business of some kind, even to the
ragged newsboys who had just obtained their supply of evening papers,
and were now crying them at the top of their voices,--and very