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you're a rale lady； and ain't used to it。 It's only a thrifle；
but if you want to pay me； you could do a bit of sewin' for me。
I ain't very good with the needle。 My fingers is too coarse；
belike。〃
〃Thank you； Mrs。 Donovan； on those terms I will agree to your
kind offer。 Washing is a little hard for me。〃
Mrs。 Hoffman collected a few pieces； and； wrapping them up in a
handkerchief； handed them to her guest。
〃And now what have you been doin'； Jimmy darlint？〃 said Mrs。
Donovan； turning her broad； good…humored face toward the younger
boy。
〃I've been drawing a picture；〃 said Jimmy。 〃Would you like to
see it？〃
〃Now； isn't that illigant？〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Donovan； admiringly；
taking the picture and gazing at it with rapt admiration。 〃Who
showed you how to do it？〃
〃Paul bought me a book； and I copied it out of that。〃
〃You're a rale genius。 Maybe you'll make pictures some time like
them we have in the church； of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints。
Do you think you could draw me； now？〃 she asked； with curiosity。
〃I haven't got a piece of paper big enough；〃 said Jimmy； slyly。
〃Ah； it's pokin' fun at me； ye are；〃 said Mrs。 Donovan；
good…humoredly。 〃Just like my Pat； he run into the room
yesterday sayin'； 'Mother； there's great news。 Barnum's fat
woman is dead； and he's comin' afther you this afternoon。 He'll
pay you ten dollars a week and board。' 'Whist； ye spalpeen！' said
I； 'is it makin' fun of your poor mother； ye are？' but I couldn't
help laughing at the impertinence of the boy。 But I must be
goin'。〃
〃Thank you for your kind offer； Mrs。 Donovan。 Jimmy shall go to
your room for the sewing。〃
〃There's no hurry about that；〃 said Mrs。 Donovan。 〃I'll jist
bring it in meself when it's ready。〃
〃She is very kind；〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman； when Bridget Donovan had
gone。 〃I shall be glad to have her wash。 I am apt to feel weak
after it。 What are you going to do this afternoon； Paul？〃
〃I'll try to sell out the rest of my stock of packages。 Perhaps
I shan't succeed； but I'll do my best。 Shall you have another
picture to show me when I come back tonight； Jimmy？〃
〃Yes； Paul； I love to draw。 I'm going to try this castle。〃
〃It's rather hard； isn't it？〃
〃I can do it；〃 said Jimmy； confidently。
Paul left the room with his basket on his arm。
He was drawn by curiosity to the spot where he had met with his
first success； as well as his first failurethe front of the
post office。 Here he became witness to an unexpectedly lively
scene； in other words； a fight； in which Teddy O'Brien and his
confederate； Mike； were the contestants。 To explain the cause of
the quarrel； it must be stated that it related to a division of
the spoils。
Teddy had sold out his last package； seventy…five in number。 For
these he had received five cents apiece； making in all three
dollars and seventy…five cents； of which all but a dollar and
seventy…five cents； representing the value of the prizes and the
original cost of the packages and their contents； was profit。
Now； according to the arrangement entered into between him and
Mike； the latter； for his services； was to receive one cent on
every package sold。 This； however； seemed to Teddy too much to
pay； so； when the time of reckoning came； he stoutly asseverated
that there were but sixty packages。
〃That don't go down；〃 said Mike； indignantly； 〃it's nearer a
hundred。〃
〃No； it isn't。 It's only sixty。 You've got the fifty cents； and
I'll give you ten more。〃
〃You must give me the whole sixty； then；〃 said Mike； changing his
ground。 〃I drawed the fifty as a prize。〃
Teddy was struck with astonishment at the impudence of this
assumption。
〃It wasn't no prize；〃 he said。
〃Yes； it was；〃 said Mike。 〃You said so yourself。 Didn't he；
Jim？〃
Jim； who was also a confederate； but had agreed to accept
twenty…five cents in full for services rendered； promptly
answered：
〃Shure； Mike's right。 It was a prize he drew。〃
〃You want to chate me！〃 said Teddy； angrily。
〃What have you been doin' all the mornin'？〃 demanded Mike。
〃You're the chap to talk about chatin'； ain't you？〃
〃I'll give you twenty…five cents；〃 said Teddy； 〃and that's all I
will give you。〃
〃Then you've got to fight；〃 said Mike； squaring off。
〃Yes； you've got to fight！〃 chimed in Jim； who thought he saw a
chance for more money。
Teddy looked at his two enemies； each of whom was probably more
than a match for himself； and was not long in deciding that his
best course was to avoid a fight by running。 Accordingly； he
tucked all the money into his pocket； and； turning incontinently；
fled down Liberty street； closely pursued by his late
confederates。 Paul came up just in time to hear the termination
of the dispute and watch the flight of his late business rival。
〃I guess Teddy won't go into the business again；〃 he reflected。
〃I may as well take my old stand。〃
Accordingly he once more installed himself on the post office
steps； and began to cry； 〃Prize packages。 Only five cents！〃
Having no competitor now to interfere with his trade； he met with
fair success； and by four o'clock was able to start for home with
his empty basket； having disposed of all his stock in trade。
His profits； though not so great as the day before； amounted to a
dollar。
〃If I could only make a dollar every day；〃 thought Paul； 〃I would
be satisfied。〃
CHAPTER V
PAUL LOSES HIS BASKET
Paul continued in the prize…package business for three weeks。
His success varied； but he never made less than seventy…five
cents a day； and sometimes as much as a dollar and a quarter。 He
was not without competitors。 More than once； on reaching his
accustomed stand； he found a rival occupying it before him。 In
such cases he quietly passed on； and set up his business
elsewhere； preferring to monopolize the trade； though the
location might not be so good。
Teddy O'Brien did not again enter the field。 We left him； at the
end of the last chapter； trying to escape from Mike and Jim； who
demanded a larger sum than he was willing to pay for their
services。 He succeeded in escaping with his money； but the next
day the two confederates caught him； and Teddy received a black
eye as a receipt in full of all demands。 So； on the whole； he
decided that some other business would suit him better； and
resumed the blacking…box； which he had abandoned on embarking in
commercial pursuits。
Mike Donovan and Jim Parker were two notoriously bad boys；
preferring to make a living in any other way than by honest
industry。 As some of these ways were not regarded as honest in
the sight of the law； each had more than once been sentenced to a
term at Blackwell's Island。 They made a proposition to Paul to
act as decoy ducks for him in the same way as for Teddy。 He
liked neither of the boys； and did not ca