it has already been mentioned that there was a train to milltown at half-past ten in the morning. of course ben was too late for this. he ascertained, however, that there was another train at five o'clock, and this he resolved to take.

"where are we going, ben?" asked emma, as they stepped out of the station.

"don't you feel hungry, emma?"

"yes."

"then we will go and have some dinner, first of all."

this proposal was satisfactory to the little girl, who took ben's hand and walked up toward washington street with him.

on school street they found an eating-house which did not appear too high in price, and ben led emma in.

they seated themselves at a table, and ordered dinner. just opposite sat a pleasant-looking man, of middle age. he was fond of children, and his attention was drawn to little emma.

"is that your sister?" he inquired of ben.

"no, sir," answered ben.

"no relation?"

"no, sir; she is from new york. she is going to board with my aunt."

"does your aunt live in boston?"

"no, sir; in milltown."

"has the young lady come into the city on a shopping excursion?" inquired the new acquaintance, smiling.

"no, sir; she is just on her way from new york. i went to fetch her."

"you are a young guardian."

"rather, sir; but there was no one else to go for her."

"how old are you?"

"fifteen."

"are you attending school?"

"no, sir; i should be glad to do so; but my aunt is not in good circumstances, and i have to work. i have been employed in the mills, but they discharged some of their hands lately, and i was among them."

"how would you like to come to boston to work?"

"very much."

"i may some time have a vacancy for you. i am a wholesale stationer on state street. give me your address, and if i have any opening i will write to you."

"thank you, sir," said ben; "i should like very much to work here."

ben took the stranger's card, from which he learned that his name was otis johnson, and that he dealt in stationery, blank books, diaries, and a similar line of goods.

"this may lead to something," thought ben. "i should enjoy living in boston. there is a good deal more going on here than in milltown."

it was about quarter of two when ben and emma rose from the table.

"what are we going to do now?" asked emma.

ben considered.

"the train doesn't start till five," he said. "we won't go to the station yet, for we should get tired of waiting. we will walk about, and look into the shop windows, unless you are tired."

"i am not tired. i should like it," said emma.

presently they came to the old state house. ben's attentions was attracted by a charleston car. he knew that bunker hill monument was in charleston, and it struck him that it would be a good opportunity to go and see it.

"does this car go to bunker hill monument?" he inquired.

"yes," said the conductor. "it goes within two minutes' walk of it."

"how long does it take to go there?"

"twenty minutes."

ben reflected that the train did not start till five o'clock, and that there would be plenty of time for the excursion. he did not know when he would have another chance, and resolved to avail himself of this.

he helped emma to board the car, and got on himself.

"i like to ride in electric cars, ben," said emma.

"so do i, emma. do you know what we are going to see?"

"what is it?"

"a great stone monument, five times as high as a house."

"what is a monument?"

ben explained to her.

"does anybody live in it?" asked the little girl.

"no, i don't think it would be a very pleasant place to live in."

"what did they build it for, then?"

ben explained that a great battle had been fought on the hill where the monument stood.

"do they fight any battles there now, ben?" asked emma, in some apprehension.

"why? are you afraid of getting killed?"

"yes."

"there is no danger. it is over a hundred years since there was any fighting there."

just then the car stopped, and a new passenger got on and sat down just opposite ben and his young charge. ben did not take special notice of her, and was surprised to hear a familiar voice.

"i declare, if it ain't the little gal,"

looking up, he recognized the old lady, his fellow passenger.

"how do you do, ma'am?" he said.

"putty well. where be you goin'?"

"over to bunker hill."

"i'm goin' to charleston, myself. my son is away with his wife, and i'm goin' over to stay with my niece till he comes back. how do you do, little gal?"

"pretty well," said emma.

"you don't know me, do you?"

it was an unfortunate question.

"yes, i do. you're the lady that takes snuff," said emma.

some of the passengers tittered, and the old lady turned red in the face.

"well, i never did!" she exclaimed, in mortification. "you're a bad-behaved little gal."

"she didn't mean to offend you, ma'am," said ben. "she's very young."

"she's old enough to behave. children didn't use to sass their elders like they do now. if one of my children was to behave so, i'd shut 'em up in a dark closet for twenty-four hours, with only dry bread to eat."

the old lady shook her head vigorously, and glared at emma over the top of her spectacles. it was just as well, perhaps, that emma was absorbed in looking out of the window, and did not listen to what the old lady was saying. being a high-spirited and free-spoken young woman, she would have been likely to reply, and that would have made matters worse.

the ride was not a long one, for but a narrow bridge separates boston proper from the historic town of charleston.

"you get out here," said the conductor. "go up that street to the monument."

ben could see the great stone pillar standing up against the sky in plain sight, and he ascended the hilly street toward it.

"that is the monument, emma," he said.

"it looks like a big chimney," said emma; "only chimneys are made of brick."

"it would take a big house to need such a chimney as that," said ben.

they reached the top of the hill, and stood beside the monument, which looked immensely tall, now that they were close to it.

"this is where warren fell," said ben, repeating to himself a piece of information which he had heard.

"did he fall?" inquired emma.

"oh, no; he was killed in the battle here."

"are you going to ascend the monument?" asked a gentleman who had come up the hill another way.

"i didn't know you could," said ben.

"there is a spiral staircase inside. most visitors ascend it. there is a splendid view from the top."

"i should think there would be."

"will you go? i think of going, and would like your company."

"no, i guess not," said ben. "it would be too much for emma. she is only a little girl, and could not stand the fatigue."

"i wouldn't dare to go up so high, ben," said emma timidly.

here a well-dressed lady, who had heard the discussion said: "if you would like to go up, young man, i will take care of the little girl till you come down. will you stay with me, my dear?"

she smiled pleasantly, and emma's confidence was won.

"yes, ben, i will stay with her," she said; "only don't be gone too long."

ben hesitated. he wanted to go up, and was not sure when he would have another opportunity. he could see no reason to doubt that emma would be entirely safe under the care of the stranger.

"i don't like to give you so much trouble," said ben.

"it will be no trouble," said the lady politely. "i am fond of children."

it was twenty-five minutes before ben descended. he looked for emma, and his heart gave a great bound of dismay.

neither emma nor the lady was to be seen.