have any sich swell notions when you first started there, an'
he wanted a place to sleep."

"Yes, I remember all about that; but it's no use twittin' a feller. He
was willin' enough to bunk in with me, but if he don't want to turn
about an' give me the same show, it ain't any of my business."

"Of course you can come to my place, an' stay jest as long as you want
to, Joe, an' I'll be glad to have you; but if you're countin' on workin'
down-town it won't be very handy."

"I ain't certain but I'll try my luck hangin' 'round the _de_pot here
waitin' for a chance to carry baggage. I've done them kind of jobs
before, an' they didn't turn out so terrible bad. You see, with only
sixteen cents, a feller can't spread hisself very much on goin' into
business."

"You might buy papers, an' sell 'em here. It ain't a very great show for
trade, but you won't have to work very hard, an' there's a good deal in
that."

"Yes, Plums, there is, for a feller like you, what don't want to stir
'round much; but I'm ready to hustle, an' it wouldn't suit me nohow. You
don't earn more'n fifteen or twenty cents a day."

"Not a great deal more," Master Plummer replied, in a tone of content,
and a probable customer approaching just at that moment, he succeeded in
making sufficient exertion to offer his wares for sale.

"That's jest about the way of it!" he exclaimed, as the gentleman passed
into the building without giving heed to the paper held invitingly
towards him. "There's no use to hustle 'round here, 'cause it don't pay.
If they want to buy papers they buy 'em, an' if they don't, you can't
give 'em away. There's one good thing about doin' business here, though,
an' that is, the other fellers won't try to drive you out. It's mighty
tough on you, droppin' all that money. If I'd had most eight dollars you
can bet I wouldn't take the chances of losin' it. I'd sooner spend the
whole pile buyin' swell dinners down on the Avenue."

"Yes, it's tough," Joe replied, musingly; "but I'd a good deal rather
get rid of the money tryin' to make more, than spend it fillin' myself
up with hash. When do you knock off work?"

"Oh, somewhere 'bout dark, 'less I've sold out before. Say, I know of a
place where you can get the biggest bowl of stew in this city, for five
cents,--'most all meat. Of course there'll be a bone now an' then,--you
expect that; but it's rich! We'll go there to-night, eh?"

"I ain't so certain whether a feller with only sixteen c