"No, I've got my supper here," returned our hero, producing his paper of provisions.
"What have you got there?" asked the old man, with an eager look.
"It looks good," said the other, with what Tony thought to be a longing look.
"I'll share it with you, if you'll let me sleep here to-night," said Tony.
The old man was a miser, as Tony suspected. He was able to live comfortably, but he deprived himself of the necessaries of life in order to hoard away money. His face revealed that to Tony. He had nearly starved himself, but he had not overcome his natural appetites, and the sight of Tony's supper gave him a craving for it.
"I don't know," he said, doubtfully. "If I let you sleep here you might get up in the night and rob me."
"You don't look as if you had anything worth stealing," he said, candidly.
"You're right, quite right," said old Ben Hayden, for this was his name. "I've only saved a little money--a very little--to pay my funeral expenses. You wouldn't want to take that?"
"Oh, no," said Tony. "I wouldn't take it if you'd give it to me."
"Because you need it yourself. If you were a rich man it would be different."
"So it would," said old Hayden. "You're a good boy--an excellent boy. I'll trust you. You can stay."
He sat down on the door-step, and gave the old man half of his supply of food. He was interested to see the avidity with which he ate it.
"I haven't eaten anything so good for a long time. I couldn't afford to buy food."
"You haven't got any left for breakfast," said the old man.
"Oh, somebody will give me breakfast," said Tony. "I always get taken care of somehow."
"Yes; but I hope to get a chance to go to work soon; I'd rather live in one place."
"You might live with me if I were not so poor," said the old man.
"Thank you," answered Tony, politely; but it did not appear to him that it was exactly such a home as he would choose.
"I didn't know but you might be married."
"I was married when I was a young man, but my wife died long ago."
"Why don't you marry again?" inquired Tony, half in fun.
"I couldn't afford it," answered Hayden, frightened at the suggestion. "Women have terrible appetites."
"And I can't get enough for myself to eat."
"No; I lived in England when I was a young man."