ss to give away than I should
like to have, for the sake of the poor people round us. I cannot pay
for a bet and school-fines while the children of our neighbours want
clothes and fire."

"No, sir, certainly," said both the boys.

"What do people do, all the world over, when they want money?" asked Mr
Tooke. Holt looked puzzled. Hugh smiled. Holt was hesitating whether
to guess that they put into the lottery, or dig for treasure, or borrow
from their friends, or what. Having always till lately lived in India,
where Europeans are rather lazy, and life altogether is very languid, he
did not see, as Hugh did, what Mr Tooke could mean.

"When men come begging to our doors," said Mr Tooke, "what is the first
question we ask them?"

Holt still looked puzzled, and Hugh laughed, saying,--

"Why, Holt, you must know very well. We ask them whether they cannot
get work."

"Work!" cried Holt.

"Yes," said Mr Tooke. "The fathers and uncles of both of you work for
what money they have; and so do I; and so does every man among our
neighbours who is satisfied with his condition. As far as I see, you
must get the money you want in the same way."

"Work!" exclaimed Holt again.

"How is he to get work?" asked Hugh.

"That is where I hope to assist him," replied Mr Tooke. "Are you
willing to earn your half-crown, Holt?"

"I don't know how, sir."

"Widow Murray thinks she should have a better chance for a new lodger if
her little parlour was fresh papered; but she is too rheumatic to do it
herself, and cannot afford to engage a workman. If you like to try,
under her directions, I will pay you as your work deserves."

"But, sir, I never papered a room in my life."

"No more had the best paper-hanger in London when he first tried. But
if you do not like that work, what do you think of doing some writing
for me? Our tables of rules are dirty. If you will make good copies of
our rules for all the rooms in which they hang, in the course of the
holidays, I will pay you half-a-crown. But the copies must be quite
correct, and the writing good. I can offer you one other choice. Our
school library wants looking to. If you will put fresh paper covers to
all the books that want covering, write the titles on the backs, compare
the whole with the catalogue, and arrange them properly on the shelves,
I will pay you half-a-crown."

Holt's pleasure in the prospect of being out of debt was swallowed up in
the anxiety of un