? ? ? ? "Oh, no," said John Wade, recovering his composure. "He is a perfect stranger to me; but I once knew a man of that name, and a precious rascal he was. When you mentioned his name, I thought he might be a son of this man. Does he say his father is alive?"
? ? ? ? "No; he is dead, and his mother, too, so the boy says."
? ? ? ? "You haven't told me how my uncle fell in with him?"
? ? ? ? "It was an accident. Your uncle fell in getting out of a Broadway stage, and this boy happened to be near, and seeing Mr. Wharton was a rich gentleman, he helped him home, and was invited in. Then he told some story about his poverty, and so worked upon your uncle's feelings that he hired him to read to him at five dollars a week."
? ? ? ? "Is this all the boy does?"
? ? ? ? "No; he is cash-boy in a large store on Broadway. He is employed there all day, and he is here only in the evenings."
? ? ? ? "Does my uncle seem attached to him?" asked John.
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