"I can't hardly realize it myself, Tony."

"It's a great responsibility, Benjamin," said his aunt, beginning to look serious. "Suppose the cars run off the track."

"I guess they won't, Aunt Jane."

"I was reading of an accident out West only yesterday."

"I am not going out West, Aunt Jane. I guess I'll reach New York right side up with care."

"What an expression, Benjamin!"

Ben laughed.

"Only boys' talk, aunty. It means all right."

"Don't you go on the steamboat, too, Benjamin?"

"I guess so."

"The boiler may explode."

"If everybody thought that, n.o.body would travel, Aunt Jane. It doesn't happen once in a thousand times."

At last Ben got ready.

He was very much excited, but his excitement was of a pleasurable kind. One his way to the hotel, he met James Watson.

"Where ware you going, all dressed up, Ben?"

"Going to New York," answered Ben proudly.

"You're only foolin'!"

"No, I'm not. I'm going to New York by the twelve-o'clock train."

"What for?" asked James astonished.

"To escort a lady home," answered Ben. "She wants an able-bodied escort, that's used to traveling."

James was very much surprised, and also a little incredulous, but he was finally convinced that Benn was in earnest.

"I wish I were in your shoes," he said enviously. "There's nothing I'd like better than going to New York. You're a lucky boy!"

Ben quite agreed with him.

Chapter XI

In New York

Of the journey to New York I do not purpose to speak. Ben enjoyed it extremely, for it gave him his first view of the great world. As he whirled by town after town and city after city, and reflected how small, after all, was the distance on the map between Milltown and New York, he got a new idea of the size of the world.

"What are you thinking about, Ben?" asked Mr. Manning, observing that our hero looked thoughtful.

"I was thinking how large the world is, sir."

"Didn't you ever think of that before?"

"No, sir; I have always lived in Milltown. I don't think I was ever ten miles from home before."

"Then your ideas were necessarily contracted. One advantage of travel is, that it broadens our views, not only as regards distance, but also of men and things."

Ben a.s.sented, though he did not fully understand his companion's statement.

From time to time Ben asked questions of Mr. Manning; but after a while that gentlemen met a friend on the cars, and Ben was left pretty much to himself.

They did not reach New York till midnight.

"I will take you to my boarding-house to-night, Ben," said his companion. "Tomorrow we will talk over our plans."

A hansom conveyed them to a house in an up-town street, where Mr. Manning boarded. Of course Ben could not at that hour see much of the great city which he was visiting for the first time.

Besides, he was quite fatigued, and felt more like closing his eyes in sleep than using them.

Mr. Manning's rooms were very comfortable, and even luxurious.

Ben slept soundly till his companion waked him up.

"Come, Ben, it's eight o'clock, and the breakfast bell is ringing.

Haven't you had sleep enough?"

The sun was shining bright in at the window, and the noise of carriages could be heard in the street beneath.

Ben looked about him in momentary bewilderment.

"Don't you know where you are?" asked Mr. Manning smiling.

"Yes, I am in New York," said Ben, his face brightening up.

"I'll be dressed in less than no time," he exclaimed, leaping out of bed, and setting to work energetically.

"If you keep your promise I certainly can't complain," said Mr. Manning.

"Shall we be late to breakfast?" asked Ben, with some anxiety.

"There will be others later. So you feel hungry, do you?"