ouse at night with the required sum of money.
But woe to him if he were caught holding back any of the money for his
own use. In that case, he would be beaten, and sent to bed without his
supper, while the padrone, according to the terms of his contract with
the distant parent would withhold from the amount due the latter ten
times the sum kept by the boy. In the middle of the day he was allowed
to spend three cents for bread, which was the only dinner allowed him.
Of course, the boys were tempted to regale themselves more luxuriously,
but they incurred a great risk in doing so. Sometimes the padrone
followed them secretly, or employed others to do so, and so was able to
detect them. Besides, they traveled, in general, by twos and threes,
and the system of espionage was encouraged by the padrone. So mutual
distrust was inspired, and the fear of being reported made the boys
honest.

Phil left the house of Mr. Leigh in good spirits. Though he had earned
nothing before, the fifty cents he had just received made a good
beginning, and inspired in him the hope of getting together enough to
save him a beating, for one night at least.

He walked down toward Sixth Avenue, and turning the corner walked down
town. At length he paused in front of a tobacconist's shop, and began to
play. But he had chosen an unfortunate time and place. The tobacconist
had just discovered a deficiency in his money account, which he
suspected to be occasioned by the dishonesty of his assistant. In
addition to this he had risen with a headache, so that he was in a
decidedly bad humor. Music had no charms for him at that moment, and he
no sooner heard the first strains of Phil's violin than he rushed from
the shop bareheaded, and dashed impetuously at the young fiddler.

"Get away from my shop, you little vagabond!" he cried. "If I had my
way, you should all be sent out of the country."

Phil was quick to take a hint. He saw the menace in the shopkeeper's
eyes, and, stopping abruptly, ran farther down the street, hugging his
fiddle, which he was afraid the angry tobacconist might seize and break.
This, to him, would be an irreparable misfortune and subject him to a
severe punishment, though the fault would not be his.

Next he strolled into a side street, and began to play in front of some
dwelling-houses. Two or three young children, who had been playing in
the street, gathered about him, and one of them gave him a penny. They
were clamorous for a