engine-house, and Seth looked really distressed.

"What's the matter?" 'Lish Davis asked in surprise as he noted the
expression on the boy's face. "It don't seem to strike you right because
I'm thinking of where you'll find a shelter."

"I'm 'fraid it'll seem like as if Dan an' I were beggin' for a bed. We
can find one after a spell, an' it wouldn't be any new thing if we
knocked around the streets a few nights."

"Now, don't distress yourself on the score of begging," the driver said
with a hearty laugh. "I've come to know how thin-skinned you are on that
point, and ain't counting on giving either of you the value of a pin.
But it so happens that a friend of mine lives in the next block, and
he's got a room in his attic that he's just dying to let. I was telling
him about you kids, and he'll make what I call a fair trade."

"Do you mean that we're to hire a reg'lar room?" Seth asked in surprise.

"Why not, if it comes cheap enough? Now, this 'ere place I'm speaking of
ain't very swell, and I don't allow he could let it to any but boys like
you. He'll give a lease of it, with bed and such furniture thrown in as
his wife can scare up, for fifty cents a week. By blacking Ben Dunton's
and my boots five mornings a week you'll have the price earned, and
it'll pay a heap better than skinning 'round the streets, likely to be
moved on by a policeman a dozen times 'twixt sunset and sunrise."

Seth looked suspiciously at 'Lish Davis.

The possibility of hiring a "reg'lar room" at such a low price had never
before entered his mind, and he feared there might be something in
regard to the transaction which was being kept a secret from him.

"Now, then, Amateur, what are you staring at? Do you think I'd give you
any fairy story about the place? You'd better have a look at it before
thinking it's a very big bargain," and the driver leaned back in his
chair laughing heartily, although Seth could not understand what had so
excited his mirth.

"We'll be mighty glad to get lodgin's at that price," Dan said promptly,
and Mr. Davis handed him a card, on the back of which was written an
address, saying as he did so:

"Go to that place, and ask to see the room 'Lish Davis was talking
about. If it suits you, take it, and if it don't there's been no great
harm done."

"You're mighty good to think of us in this way," Seth said, feeling
almost ashamed because of his previous mistrust.

"Yes, I reckon I am; but we'll hope it don't spo