Sam followed them wondering, listening, interested, as they went out into the hall to see the little dark hole which might with ingenuity be converted into a bath-room, and while he leaned back against the door-jamb, hands in his pockets, he studied the face of the newcomer. “Guess dat guy’s all right,” he reassured Michael as he helped him turn the lights out a little later, while Will waited on the doorstep whistling a new tune to his admiring following. Will had caught “de kids.” “I say, Endicott,” he said as they walked up the noisy midnight street and turned into the avenue, “why don’t you get Hester to go down there and sing sometime? Sunday afternoon. She’d go. Ask her.” And that night was the beginning of outside help for Michael’s mission. Hester fell into the habit of going down Sunday afternoons, and soon she had an eager following of sad-eyed women, and eager little children; and Will French spent his leisure hours in hunting up tricks and games and puzzles, for “the kids.” Meantime, the account he had given to Holt and Holt of the way Michael spent his evenings, was not without fruit. About a week after French’s first visit to the alley, the senior Mr. Holt paused beside Michael’s desk one afternoon just before going out of the office and laid a bit of paper in his hand. “French tells me you’re interested in work in the slums,” he said in the same tone he used to give Michael an order for his daily routine. “I’d like to help a little if you can use that.” He passed on out of the office before Michael had fully comprehended what had been said. The young man looked down at the paper and saw it was a check made out to himself for one hundred dollars! With a quick exclamation of gratitude he was on his feet and out into the hall after his employer. “That’s all right, Endicott. I don’t get as much time as I’d like to look after the charities, and when I see a good thing I like to give it a boost. Call on me if you need money for any special scheme. And I’ll mention it to some of my clients occasionally,” said the old lawyer, well pleased with Michael’s gratitude. He did, and right royally did the clients respond. Every little while a ten-dollar bill or a five, and now and then a check for fifty would find its way to Michael’s desk; for Will French, thoroughly interested, kept Holt and Holt well supplied with information concerning what was needed. Chapter XVI Before the winter was over Michael was able to put in the bath-room and had bought a plow and a number of necessary farm implements, and secured the services of a man who lived near Old Orchard to do some early plowing and planting. He was able also to buy seeds and fertilizer, enough at least to start his experiment; and toward spring, he took advantage of a holiday, and with Sam and a carpenter went down to the farm and patched up the old house to keep out the rain.