"
"And can put A.B. after your name."
"What's that?"
"It stands for Bachelor of Arts. It's a degree that students get
when they graduate from college."
"Oh," said Dick, "I didn't know but it meant A Boot-black. I can put
that after my name now. Wouldn't Dick Hunter, A.B., sound tip-top?"
"I must be going," said Fosdick. "It won't do for me to be late the
very first morning."
"That's the difference between you and me," said Dick. "I'm my own
boss, and there aint no one to find fault with me if I'm late. But I
might as well be goin' too. There's a gent as comes down to his
store pretty early that generally wants a shine."
The two boys parted at the Park. Fosdick crossed it, and proceeded
to the hat-store, while Dick, hitching up his pants, began to look
about him for a customer. It was seldom that Dick had to wait long.
He was always on the alert, and if there was any business to do
he was always sure to get his share of it. He had now a stronger
inducement than ever to attend strictly to business; his little
stock of money in the savings bank having been nearly exhausted by
his liberality to his room-mate. He determined to be as economical
as possible, and moreover to study as hard as he could, that he
might be able to follow Fosdick's example, and obtain a place in
a store or counting-room. As there were no striking incidents
occurring in our hero's history within the next nine months, I
propose to pass over that period, and recount the progress he made
in that time.
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