fus might like to take it."

"Oh, I wish he would," said Rose; "then we would all be together."

"We are speaking of her brother," said Miss Manning, turning to Mrs.
Clayton.

"How old is he?"

"Fifteen."

"Is he at school, or in a place?"

"He is in a broker's office in Wall Street."

"Then, as he is the little girl's brother, I will say only five dollars
a week for the room."

"Thank you, Mrs. Clayton. I will let you know what he decides upon
to-morrow."

They went out to walk, going as far as Union Square, where Miss Manning
sat down on a bench, and let the children sport at will. It is needless
to say that they very soon got well acquainted, and after an hour and a
half, which their bright eyes testified to their having enjoyed, Miss
Manning carried the little Colmans back to Waverley Place, and, with
Rose, took the horse-cars back to their old home.

"Won't Rufie be surprised when he hears about it?" said Rose.

"Yes, Rosy, I think he will," said Miss Manning.

CHAPTER III.

JAMES MARTIN'S VICISSITUDES.

While Miss Manning is seeking a new boarding-place for herself and Rose,
events are taking place in Brooklyn which claim our attention. It is
here that James Martin, the shiftless and drunken step-father of Rufus
and Rose, has made a temporary residence. He had engaged board at the
house of a widow, Mrs. Waters, and for two or three weeks paid his board
regularly, being employed at his trade of a carpenter on some houses
going up near by. But it was not in James Martin's nature to work
steadily at anything. His love of drink had spoiled a once good and
industrious workman, and there seemed to be little chance of any
permanent improvement in his character or habits. For a time Rufus used
to pay him over daily the most of his earnings as a newsboy, and with
this he managed to live miserably enough without doing much himself. But
after a while Rufus became tired of this arrangement, and withdrew
himself and his sister to another part of the town, thus throwing Martin
on his own resources. Out of spite Martin contrived to kidnap Rose, but,
as we have seen, her brother had now succeeded in recovering her.

After losing Rose, Martin took the way back to his boarding-house,
feeling rather doubtful of his reception from Mrs. Waters, to whom he
was owing a week's board, which he was quite unable to pay. He had told
her that he would pay the bill as soon as he could exchange a
fifty-dollar note, w