ound him.

"I don't know," said he, doubtfully; "it don't look very pleasant."

"Don't look very pleasant!" repeated Mr. Mudge in a tone of mingled
amazement and indignation. "Well, there's gratitude for you. After the
town has been at the expense of providin' a nice, comfortable home for
you, because you haven't got any of your own, you must turn up your nose
at it."

"I didn't mean to complain," said Paul, feeling very little interest in
the matter.

"Perhaps you expected to live in a marble palace," pursued Mr. Mudge, in
an injured tone. "We don't have any marble palaces in this neighborhood,
we don't."

Paul disclaimed any such anticipation.

Mr. Mudge deigned to accept Paul's apology, and as they had now reached
the door, unceremoniously threw it open, and led the way into a room
with floor unpainted, which, to judge from its appearance, was used as a
kitchen.

IV.

LIFE IN A NEW PHASE.

Everything was "at sixes and sevens," as the saying is, in the room Mr.
Mudge and Paul had just entered. In the midst of the scene was a large
stout woman, in a faded calico dress, and sleeves rolled up, working as
if her life or the world's destiny depended upon it.

It was evident from the first words of Mr. Mudge that this lady was his
helpmeet.

"Well, wife," he said, "I've brought you another boarder. You must try
to make him as happy and contented as the rest of 'em are."

From the tone of the speaker, the last words might be understood to be
jocular.

Mrs. Mudge, whose style of beauty was not improved by a decided squint,
fixed a scrutinizing gaze upon Paul, and he quite naturally returned it.

"Haven't you ever seen anybody before, boy? I guess you'll know me next
time."

"Shouldn't wonder if he did," chuckled Mr. Mudge.

"I don't know where on earth we shall put him," remarked the lady.
"We're full now."

"Oh, put him anywhere. I suppose you won't be very particular about your
accommodations?" said Mr. Mudge turning to Paul.

Paul very innocently answered in the negative, thereby affording Mr.
Mudge not a little amusement.

"Well, that's lucky," he said, "because our best front chamber's
occupied just now. We'd have got it ready for you if you'd only wrote a
week ago to tell us you were coming. You can just stay round here," he
said in a different tone as he was about leaving the room, "Mrs. Mudge
will maybe want you to do something for her. You can sit down till she
calls on you."

It