"
"I will certainly do so, but I hope I may
find employment."
"At any rate," thought Carl, as he resumed
his journey alone, "I am better off than I was
yesterday morning. Then I had but twenty-
five cents; now I have a dollar."
This was satisfactory as far as it went, but
Carl was sensible that he was making no progress
in his plan of earning a living. He was
simply living from hand to mouth, and but for
good luck he would have had to go hungry, and
perhaps have been obliged to sleep out doors.
What he wanted was employment.
It was about ten o'clock when, looking along
the road, his curiosity was excited by a man
of very unusual figure a few rods in advance
of him. He looked no taller than a boy of ten;
but his frame was large, his shoulders broad,
and his arms were of unusual length. He
might properly be called a dwarf.
"I am glad I am not so small as that,"
thought Carl. "I am richer than he in having
a good figure. I should not like to excite
attention wherever I go by being unusually large
or unusually small."
Some boys would have felt inclined to laugh
at the queer figure, but Carl had too much good
feeling. His curiosity certainly was aroused,
and he thought he would like to get acquainted
with the little man, whose garments of fine
texture showed that, though short in stature,
he was probably long in purse. He didn't
quite know how to pave the way for an
acquaintance, but circumstances favored him.
The little man drew out a handkerchief from
the side pocket of his overcoat.
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