in presenting "ben, the luggage boy," to the public, as the fifth of the ragged dick series, the author desires to say that it is in all essential points a true history; the particulars of the story having been communicated to him, by ben himself, nearly two years since. in particular, the circumstances attending the boy's running away from home, and adopting the life of a street boy, are in strict accordance with ben's own statement. while some of the street incidents are borrowed from the writer's own observation, those who are really familiar with the different phases which street life assumes in new york, will readily recognize their fidelity. the chapter entitled "the room under the wharf" will recall to many readers of the daily journals a paragraph which made its appearance within two years. the writer cannot close without expressing anew his thanks for the large share of favor which has been accorded to the volumes of the present series, and takes this opportunity of saying that, in their preparation, invention has played but a subordinate part. for his delineations of character and choice of incidents, he has been mainly indebted to his own observation, aided by valuable communications and suggestions from those who have been brought into familiar acquaintance with the class whose mode of life he has sought to describe.

new york, april 5, 1876.