dollar and thirty cents," said Giacomo, after counting the
contents of his pockets.

Meanwhile Phil had been doing the same thing. The result of his count
was that he found he had two dollars and eighty cents.

"Listen, Giacomo," he said. "I will give you enough to make two
dollars."

"But then you will be beaten."

"No; I shall have two dollars and five cents left. Then neither of us
will get beaten."

"How kind you are, Filippo!"

"Oh, it is nothing. Besides, I do not want to carry too much, or the
padrone will expect me to bring as much every day, and that I cannot do.
So it will be better for us both."

The transfer was quickly made, and the two boys kept together until they
heard the clock strike eleven. It was now so late that they determined
to return to their miserable lodging, for both were tired and longed for
sleep.

CHAPTER VII

THE HOME OF THE BOYS

It was a quarter-past eleven when Phil and Giacomo entered the shabby
brick house which they called home, for want of a better. From fifteen
to twenty of their companions had already arrived, and the padrone was
occupied in receiving their several contributions. The apartment was
a mean one, miserably furnished, but seemed befitting the principal
occupant, whose dark face was marked by an expression of greed, and
alternately showed satisfaction or disappointment as the contents of the
boys' pockets were satisfactory or otherwise. Those who had done badly
were set apart for punishment.

He looked up as the two boys entered.

"Well, Filippo," he said, harshly, "how much have you got?"

Phil handed over his earnings. They were up to the required limit, but
the padrone looked only half satisfied.

"Is that all you have?" he asked, suspiciously.

"It is all, signore."

"You have not done well this afternoon, then. When I met you at twelve
o'clock you had more than a dollar."

"It was because a good signora gave me fifty cents."

The padrone, still suspicious, plunging his hands into Phil's pockets,
but in vain. He could not find another penny.

"Take off your shoes and stockings," he said, still unsatisfied.

Phil obediently removed his shoes and stockings, but no money was found
concealed, as the padrone half suspected. Sometimes these poor boys,
beset by a natural temptation, secrete a portion of their daily
earnings. Whenever they are detected, woe betide them. The padrone makes
an example of them, inflicting a cruel punishment, in o