It was Dick's custom to commence his business before breakfast;
generally it must be owned, because he began the day penniless, and
must earn his meal before he ate it. To-day it was different. He had
four dollars left in his pocket-book; but this he had previously
determined not to touch. In fact he had formed the ambitious
design of starting an account at a savings' bank, in order to
have something to fall back upon in case of sickness or any other
emergency, or at any rate as a reserve fund to expend in clothing or
other necessary articles when he required them. Hitherto he had been
content to live on from day to day without a penny ahead; but the
new vision of respectability which now floated before Dick's mind,
owing to his recent acquaintance with Frank, was beginning to
exercise a powerful effect upon him.

In Dick's profession as in others there are lucky days, when
everything seems to flow prosperously. As if to encourage him in
his new-born resolution, our hero obtained no less than six jobs
in the course of an hour and a half. This gave him sixty cents,
quite abundant to purchase his breakfast, and a comb besides. His
exertions made him hungry, and, entering a small eating-house he
ordered a cup of coffee and a beefsteak. To this he added a couple
of rolls. This was quite a luxurious breakfast for Dick, and more
expensive than he was accustomed to indulge himself with. To gratify
the curiosity of my young readers, I will put down the items with
their cost,--

Coffee, . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 cts.
Beefsteak, . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A couple of rolls, . . . . . . . 5
--25 cts.