or anxiety, while he was not overworked. Here there was constant
anxiety, and he never knew, when he rose in the morning, where his
dinner was to come from, or whether he would be able to buy one. Still
there was a fascination in the free, lawless life, and if he could
only be sure of making even fifty cents a day he would probably have
preferred it.

It is not necessary to describe Sam's life in detail for the next
month. He and Tim were constant companions; and under Tim's
instruction he was rapidly acquiring the peculiar education of a
street vagabond. Of his employments in that brief period it would be
difficult to give a complete list. At one time he blacked boots for
another boy, to whom he paid half his receipts, in return for the use
of the box and blacking. But Sam was detected by his employer in
rendering a false account, and was thrown upon his own resources
again. It would have been much more to his interest to have a
blacking-brush and box of his own; but whenever Sam had capital enough
he preferred to spend it for a good dinner, so there did not seem much
chance of his getting ahead. He had, before this time, been introduced
to the Newsboys' Lodging House, where he was interrogated about his
past life by the superintendent. Sam was obliged to have recourse to
his imagination in reply, feeling that if he spoke the truth he would
be liable to be returned to his country home.

"Are your parents living?" inquired Mr. O'Connor.

"No," said Sam, telling the truth this time.

"When did they die?"

"Two years ago."

"Did they die in New York?"

"Yes, sir. They died of small-pox," volunteered Sam.

"And have you been supporting yourself since then?"

"Yes, sir."

"How does it happen that you have not been round here before?"

"I was living with my uncle," answered Sam, hesitating.

"Why have you left him?"

"He didn't treat me well."

"Perhaps you didn't behave well."

"Oh, yes, I did."

"What is your uncle's name?"

"James Cooper."

"Where does he live,--in what street?"

"He's moved away from the city now," said Sam, feeling that he must
put a stop to these inconvenient inquiries.

So Sam was admitted to the privileges of the lodging-house. Now, he
found it much easier to get along. For eighteen cents a day he was
provided with lodging, breakfast and supper, and it was not often that
he could not obtain as much as that. When he could earn enough more to
buy a "square meal" in the midd