at Barnum's
Museum. But for that we might have saved some of our clothing."

"Well, have you got a new place?" "No, sir; we are stopping at the
rooms of some friends. I am looking out for some furnished rooms, as I
don't want to buy any new furniture. As all our clothes are burned, I
may have to draw fifty dollars of the money in your hands."

"How much rent do you expect to pay?"

"I suppose we must pay as much as twenty dollars a month for
comfortable furnished rooms."

"Can you afford that?"

"My business brings me in as much as fifty dollars a month."

"You haven't engaged rooms yet?"

"No, sir; my mother and I went out to look at some this morning. We
only saw one place that suited us. That we could have got for
twenty-two dollars and a half rent, but when they heard of my little
brother they wouldn't take us."

"I see. Some persons object to young children. I am glad you have not
engaged a place yet."

Paul looked at Mr. Preston inquiringly.

"A gentleman of my acquaintance," proceeded the merchant, "is about
sailing to Europe with his family. He is unwilling to let his house,
fearing that his furniture would be injured. Besides, the length of
his stay is uncertain, and he would want to go into it at once if he
should return suddenly. What I am coming to is this. He wants some
small family to go in and take care of the house while he is away.
They would be allowed to live in the basement and use the chambers on
the upper floor. In return they would receive the rent free. How would
your mother like to make such an arrangement?"

"Very much," answered Paul promptly. He saw at a glance that it would
be a great thing to save their rent, amounting, at the sum they
expected to pay, to more than two hundred and fifty dollars a year.
"Where is the house?"

"It is in Madison avenue, between Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth
streets."

This was a considerable distance uptown, about three miles away from
his place of business; but then Paul reflected that even if he rode up
and down daily in the cars the expense would be trifling, compared
with what they would save in house-rent. Besides, it would be rather
agreeable to live in so fashionable a street.

"Do you think my mother can get the chance?" he asked.

"I think so. The gentleman of whom I spoke, Mr. Talbot, expects to
sail for Europe next Wednesday, by the Cunard Line. So the matter must
be decided soon."

"Shall I call upon Mr. Talbot," asked Paul,