lick him," said Jimmy, belligerently.

"I never saw you so warlike before, Jimmy," said Paul.

To Phil this sympathy seemed pleasant. He felt that he was in the midst
of friends, and friends were not so plentiful as not to be valued.

"What are you going to have for dinner, mother?" asked Paul.

"I am sorry, Paul, that I have no warm meat. I have some cold roast
beef, some hot potatoes, and an apple pudding."

"You needn't apologize, mother. That's good enough for anybody. It's as
good as Phil gets at his boarding house, I am sure. He has got rather
tired of it, and isn't going to stay."

"Are you going to leave the padrone?" asked Mrs. Hoffman, with interest.

"Si, signora," said Phil.

"Will he let you go?"

"I shall run away," said Phil.

"You see, mother, Phil would be sure of a beating if he went home
without his fiddle. Now he doesn't like to be beaten, and the padrone
gives harder beatings than you do, mother."

"I presume so," said Mrs. Hoffman, smiling. "I do not think I am very
severe."

"No, you spoil the rod and spare the child."

"Is Phil going to stay in the city?"

"No; the padrone would get hold of him if he did. He is going to New
Jersey to make his fortune."

"But he will need a fiddle."

"I am going to lend him money enough to buy one. I know a pawnbroker who
has one for sale. I think I can get it for three or four dollars. When
Phil gets it he is going around giving concerts. How much can you make
in a day, Phil?"

"Sometimes I make two dollars," answered Phil.

"That is excellent, especially when you are your own padrone. You will
be able to save up money. You will have to buy a pocketbook, Phil."

"Where will you sleep, Phil?" asked Jimmy, interested.

Phil shrugged his shoulders. He had not thought of that question
particularly.

"I don't know," he said. "I can sleep anywhere."

"Of course he will stop at the first-class hotels, Jimmy," said Paul,
"like all men of distinction. I shouldn't wonder if he married an
heiress in six months, and went back to Italy on a bridal tour."

"He is too young to be married," said Jimmy, who, it will be perceived,
understood everything literally.

"I don't know but he is," said Paul, "but he isn't too old to be hungry.
So, mother, whenever dinner is ready we shall be."

"It is all ready except peeling the potatoes, Paul."

"We can do that ourselves. It is good exercise, and will sharpen our
appetites. You will have to eat fast or