im?"

"I asked him to raise my wages to-night, and he wouldn't."

"Umph! How much did you ask for?"

"Two dollars more a week."

"You're a fool!"

"_What!_" said Roswell, astonished.

"WHAT!" exclaimed Mrs. Crawford, angrily.

"I say the lad's a fool to ask for so large an advance so soon. Of
course his employers refused it. I would, in their place."

"You're very hard upon the poor boy!" said Mrs. Crawford. "I thought you
were his friend."

"So I am; but he's acted foolishly for all that. He should have known
better."

"I ought to be worth six dollars, if your boot-black is worth ten,"
responded Roswell.

"He isn't worth ten."

"Why do you pay him that, then?"

"It's Mr. Rockwell who pays him, not I. Why he does it, I can't say. It
isn't because he earns it. No boy of his age, or yours either, can earn
ten dollars a week."

"At any rate he gets ten, and I get only four. I certainly earn more
than that," said Roswell.

"I am not so sure about that," said his cousin. "But if it will afford
you any comfort, I'll venture to make the prediction that he won't
remain in Rockwell & Cooper's employment a week longer."

"Has anything happened?" asked Roswell, eagerly.

"_Not yet_," said James Gilbert, significantly.

"Then something is going to happen?"

"You need not trouble yourself to ask questions. Wait patiently, and
when anything happens I'll let you know."

Here James Gilbert left the room, and went up to his own chamber. His
words had excited hope in both Roswell and his mother. The former felt
that it would be a satisfaction to him to learn that Dick had lost his
situation, even if he failed to get it himself.

CHAPTER XI.

A NEW ALLIANCE.

The name of Micky Maguire is already familiar to the readers of "Ragged
Dick." He had acquired a prominent position among the down-town
boot-blacks by his strength, which he used oftentimes to impose upon
boys weaker than himself. He was a young ruffian, indeed, with few
redeeming qualities. When Dick was in the same business, he tried on two
or three occasions to make him acknowledge his superiority; but it was
not in Dick's nature to be subservient to any one whom he did not
respect. Moreover, Dick had two good stout arms of his own, and knew how
to use them in self-defence. The consequence was that Micky Maguire
signally failed in the attempts which he made on different occasions to
humble our hero, and was obliged to slink off in discomfitu