Horatio Alger

“ Take him for all in all, you might travel some distance without falling in with a more complete specimen of the Yankee.
"So you came nigh losing your dinner," he repeated, in a pleasant tone.
"Yes," said Paul, "I got tired and fell asleep, and I don't know when I should have waked up but for your dog."
"Yes, Boney's got a keen scent for provisions," laughed the pedler. "He's a little graspin', like his namesake. You see his real name is Bonaparte; we only call him Boney, for short." ”

“ John lounged along, appearing to be very busily engaged in making a whistle from a slip of willow which he had a short time before cut from the tree. He purposely kept in the middle of the road, apparently quite unaware of the approach of the vehicle, until he was aroused by the sound of a voice behind him.
"Be a little more careful, if you don't want to get run over."
John assumed a look of surprise, and with comic terror ran to the side of the road.
Mr. Mudge checked his horse, and came to a sudden halt. ”

“ His shop, for such it was, was drawn at a brisk pace by a stout horse, who in this respect presented a contrast to his master, who was long and lank. The pedler himself was a man of perhaps forty, with a face in which shrewdness and good humor seemed alike indicated. ”