where, as is common in New York boarding-houses, the
dining-room was situated.

There were five ladies and children at the table, the gentlemen being
obliged, on account of the distance, to take their lunch down town,
somewhere near their places of business.

"You may take this seat, Miss Manning," said the landlady, indicating
one near herself. "Your little girl can sit between us, and Jennie and
Carrie on the other side. I will trouble you to take care of them. Their
mother seldom comes down to lunch."

The repast was plain but plentiful, the principal meal, dinner, being at
six, an hour more convenient for men of business. I state this for the
benefit of those of my readers who live in the country, and are
accustomed to take dinner in the middle of the day.

Miss Manning was introduced to Mrs. Pratt, a stout, elderly lady, with a
pleasant face, who sat opposite her; to Mrs. Florence, a young lady
recently married, who sat at her left; and to Mrs. Clifton, formerly
Miss Peyton, who, as well as her husband, will be remembered by the
readers of the second and third volumes of this series. Mr. Clifton kept
a dry goods store on Eighth Avenue.

In the afternoon, Miss Manning gave her first lesson, and succeeded in
interesting her young pupils, who proved quite docile, and seemed to
have taken a fancy to their new governess.

Meanwhile Rufus had succeeded in making an arrangement which promised to
add to his weekly income. Of this an account will be given in the next
chapter.

CHAPTER VII.

A NEW ENTERPRISE.

Rufus felt some doubts as to whether he had done wisely in agreeing to
board at Mrs. Clayton's. His own board, together with what he paid for
his sister's board and clothes, would just take up the whole of his
salary. However, he would have the interest on his five hundred dollars,
now deposited in a savings-bank, and yielding six per cent. interest
annually. Still this would amount only to thirty dollars, and this would
not be sufficient to pay for his clothes alone, not to mention
miscellaneous expenses, such as car-fares and other incidental expenses.
He felt that he should like now and then to go on an excursion with his
sister and Miss Manning, or perhaps to a place of amusement. For all
this, one hundred dollars a year would be needed, at a moderate
calculation. How should he make up this amount?

Two ways suggested themselves to Rufus. One was, draw upon his
principal. Probably he would not