Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks: Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis

To Frank’s surprise, Dick confronts the man, acting as though he were an agent of the police. He tells the con artist all about the sixty-dollar check and the young man who was conned. Dick suggests to the con artist that he will have him arrested if he doesn’t give the money back immediately.

The con artist hastily hands the money over to Dick and dashes from the ferry, which has just docked. Dick and Frank decide to remain on board and return to Wall Street in hopes of returning the money to the young man.

Again on dry land, they quickly find the young man and return his money to him. The young man is overwhelmed with gratitude and shakes Dick’s hand so enthusiastically that the young shoeshine boy has to ask him to stop. The boy, who is named Jonathan, invites Dick to his country home, and Dick says the fresh air would be good for his wife; with this, Dick and Frank walk away from a confused Jonathan, whom the narrator notes is likely still unsure whether or not Dick had been joking.

Frank realizes that his uncle, Mr. Whitney, has probably finished up work for the day, and so decides to end his tour of the city. He asks Dick to come back to the hotel with him, however, before they part ways.

At the hotel, they find Mr. Whitney, who remarks that he barely recognizes Dick in his new suit. Whitney tells Dick his life story, noting that he used to be as poor as Dick was but managed to become part of the middle class through a combination of hard work and a dedication to education.

Dick tells Mr. Whitney that he doesn’t intend to be a shoeshine boy forever. Whitney tells him that there’s nothing wrong with the shoeshine business, as it’s good, honest work. But he agrees with Dick that the boy might be able to do something more with his life. In the meantime, Mr. Whitney tells Dick to make sure that he’s living frugally and saving as much of his income as possible, only using some of it to buy books. 

Dick agrees to this plan, and Frank accompanies him upstairs so that the boy can get his old clothes and his shoe-shining equipment. On the way, Frank admonishes Dick to stop spending his money on gambling. Dick agrees to this, too, and says he wishes that Frank were staying in New York. Frank gives Dick his address so that he can write to him, though Dick admits he’s not a very good writer.

Before Dick leaves, Mr. Whitney gives him a five-dollar bill. At first Dick doesn’t feel right about taking it, but Mr. Whitney says that he is giving him the money under the condition that, when Dick becomes prosperous himself, he will help a homeless boy in need. Dick agrees.