d Norton, seizing upon a diversion, "how came you,
Davy, to take Pink to such a place? I just want to know."

"Not a place for a Pink, I acknowledge," said David. "I didn't know
myself, Norton, till I got there, what sort of a place it was; or she
would not have gone."

"Upon my word!" said Norton. "This is what your goodness is up to.
Mamma--"

"Hush," said David good-humouredly; "she is not going there again, I
tell you. Come here and sit down, and tell us what you think ought to
be done about such a case."

"The city ought to manage it," said Norton grumly, sitting down however.

"How shall we get the city to manage it?"

"I don't know. Davy Bartholomew! you'll never make me understand that
it is our business to look up all the people that want something or
other and give them all they want until our own hands are empty."

"You are dealing in generals," said David smiling. "Come back to the
particular case. What ought we to do about this?"

"How came you to know of it?"

"We were told."

"Well--there must be poor people in the world," said Norton; "there
always were and there always will be."

"I suppose so. And the question is, what ought we to do for them?"

"You can't do much," said Norton. "You can make yourself poor, easy
enough. Then you'll expect Judy and me to take care of _you_."

"Are you afraid of that, Norton?" said Matilda laughingly.

"No, Pink, I am not," said Norton; "but you and Davy are just in the
way to get into trouble. There's no bottom to New York mud."

"Norton," said David, "will you grant that we ought to do in this
matter as the word of God says?"

"It don't say we are to make fools of ourselves," Norton responded.

"Yes it does," said Matilda quickly. Both her hearers looked at her.

"I don't believe it," said Norton.

"Where?" asked David.

"I can't tell,--but I know it's there. If I had that little reference
Bible, Davy;--it's up in your room--"

"Yes, I can get it," said David; "but wouldn't a Concordance be better
for you? I'll fetch one."

"What are you talking about, children?" said Mrs. Bartholomew, as David
went out of the room.

"We have got into a knot, aunt Judith," said Norton. "Don't _you_ get
in, or we shall never get out."

"_Do_ get in, mamma," urged Judy, "or David will be tied up. Matilda
holding one end of the string, and Norton the other, between them
they'll fix him."

"David is able to cut his own knots, or other people's," said Mrs.
B