"I'll send you a particular invitation to attend, if I can get anybody
to go over to the island."
As Mike had been a resident at Blackwell's Island on two different
occasions, this produced a laugh at his expense, in the midst of which
Paul walked off.
CHAPTER IV
TEDDY GIVES UP BUSINESS
"Have you sold all your packages, Paul?" asked Jimmy, as our hero
entered the humble room, where the table was already spread with a
simple dinner.
"No," said Paul, "I only sold twenty. I begin to think that the
prize-package business will soon be played out."
"Why?"
"There's too many that'll go into it."
Here Paul related his experience of the morning, explaining how it was
that Teddy had managed to distance him in the competition.
"Can't you do the same, Paul?" asked Jimmy. "Mother's got a gold dollar
she could lend you."
"That might do," said Paul; "but I don't know any boy I could trust to
draw it except you, and some of them would know we were brothers."
"I think, Paul, that would be dishonest," said Mrs. Hoffman. "I would
rather make less, if I were you, and do it honestly."
"Maybe you're right, mother. I'll try it again this afternoon, keeping
as far away from Teddy as I can. If I find I can't make it go, I'll try
some other business."
"Jimmy, have you shown Paul your drawing?" said his mother.
"Here it is, Paul," said Jimmy, producing his drawing-book, from which
he had copied a simple design of a rustic cottage.
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