how does it happen that I find you here -- among the needy boys of the city?" "Because I am needy, too." "But you were not always poo

t a first class scholar, Mike?" "About fourth class, I guess, Rodney." "Then you shall study with me. Then when you know a little more you may get a chance to get out of your present business, and get into a store." "That will be bully!" said Mike with pleasure. "Now we'd better go to bed; I must be up bright and early in the morning. We'll engage a room before I go to work." There was no difficulty about rising early. It is one of the rules of the Lodging House for the boys to rise at six o'clock, and after a frugal breakfast of coffee and rolls they are expected to go out to their business whatever it may be. Mike and Rodney dispensed with the regulation breakfast and went out to a restaurant on Park Row where they fared better. "Now where shall we go for a room?" asked Rodney. "There's a feller I know has a good room on Bleecker Street," said Mike. "How far is that?" "A little more'n a mile." "All right! Let us go and see." Bleecker Street once stood in better repute than at present. It is said that A. T. Stewart once made his home there. Now it is given over to shops and cheap lodging houses. Finally the boys found a room decently fumished, about ten feet square, of which the rental was two dollars and a half per week. Mike succeeded in beating down the lodging house keeper to two dollars, and at that figure they engaged it. "When will you come?" asked Mrs. McCarty. "Right off," said Mike. "I'll need a little time to put it in order." "Me and my partner will be at our business till six o'clock," returned Mike. "You can send in your trunks during the day if you like." "My trunk is at the Windsor Hotel," said Mike. "I've lent it to a friend for a few days." Mrs. McCarty looked at Mike with a puzzled expression. She was one of those women who are slow to comprehend a joke, and she could not quite make it seem natural that her new lodger, who was in rather neglige costume, should be a guest at a fashionable hotel. "I will leave my valise," said Rodney, "and will send for my trunk. It is in the country." Mike looked at him, not feeling quite certain whether he was in earnest, but Rodney was perfectly serious. "You're better off than me," said Mike, when they reached the street. "If I had a trunk I wouldn't have anything to put into it." "I'll see if I can't rig you out, Mike. I've got a good many clothes, bought when I was rich. You and I are about the same size. I'll give you a suit of clothes to wear on Sundays." "Will you?" exclaimed Mike, his face showing pleasure. "I'd like to see how I look in good clo'es. I never wore any yet. It wouldn't do no good in my business." "You won't want to wear them when at wor