st me six dollars a week, and I have, besides, to buy
clothing from time to time. I have nearly spent the extra money I had
with me, and do not know how to keep myself looking respectable in the
way of clothing. Under the circumstances, I shall have to apply to you
for a loan, say of twenty-five dollars. In a year or two I hope to earn
enough to be entirely independent. At present I cannot expect it. As my
father--Mr. Brent--undoubtedly intended to provide for me, I don't think
I need to apologize for making this request. Still I do it reluctantly,
for I would prefer to depend entirely upon myself.

"With regards to you and Jonas, I am yours truly, PHILIP BRENT."

Phil put this letter in the post-office, and patiently waited for an
answer.

"Mrs. Brent surely cannot refuse me," he said to himself, "since I have
almost wholly relieved her of the expense of taking care of me."

Phil felt so sure that money would be sent to him that he began to look
round a little among ready-made clothing stores to see at what price he
could obtain a suit that would do for every-day use. He found a store
in the Bowery where he could secure a suit, which looked as if it would
answer, for thirteen dollars. If Mrs. Brent sent him twenty-five, that
would leave him twelve for underclothing, and for a reserve fund to meet
the weekly deficit which he could not avoid.

Three--four days passed, and no letter came in answer to his.

"It can't be that Mrs. Brent won't at least answer my letter," he
thought uneasily. "Even if she didn't send me twenty-five dollars, she
couldn't help sending me something."

Still he felt uneasy, in view of the position in which he would find
himself in case no letter or remittance should come at all.

It was during this period of anxiety that his heart leaped for joy
when on Broadway he saw the familiar form of Reuben Gordon, a young man
already mentioned, to whom Phil had sold his gun before leaving Gresham.

"Why, Reuben, how are you?" exclaimed Phil joyfully. "When did you come
to town?"

"Phil Brent!" exclaimed Reuben, shaking hands heartily. "I'm thunderin'
glad to see you. I was thinkin' of you only five minutes ago, and
wonderin' where you hung out."

"But you haven't told me when you came to New York."

"Only this morning! I'm goin' to stay with a cousin of my father's, that
lives in Brooklyn, over night."

"I wanted to ask you about Mrs. Brent and Jonas. I was afraid they might
be sick, for