Susie, of course, could do nothing herself; but she played the part of superintendent, and ordered the boys about, especially Dick, who good-humouredly obeyed all her commands. He looked on it all as great fun, and announced his intention of worrying his mother until they had a move on their own account. Mrs. Hartland had faced her trouble bravely, but before long Jim recognized that things were much worse than he had guessed. Beyond his father’s wages and the donation of a few pounds from the "Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society," they had absolutely no money, and there seemed little prospect of his mother being able to earn sufficient to keep them. Already they had to deny themselves everything in the shape of luxury, and even Susie had to go without various little delicacies which they had been in the habit of providing for her. "I ought to give up school and go to work," he said; but to this his mother was strongly opposed. "If you leave school now you can only be an errand boy," she said; "and without education, you will have no chance of doing anything in the world." Now I have no desire to put James Hartland forward as an uncommonly good boy, because, as you will find for yourselves, he was nothing of the sort; but in this particular case he certainly deserved some credit. One evening he arrived home very late, which was such an unusual thing that his mother wondered what had kept him. "Awfully sorry, mother," he cried, looking at the clock; "but I’ve been up in the town on business." "For the master?" "No," replied the boy, with rather a forced smile; "on my own account. I’ve got a place. Don’t be vexed. I shan’t have to leave school; it’s only mornings and evenings." "What have you to do?" "To take the papers to Mr. Broad’s customers; and if I help on Saturdays too, he’ll give me five shillings a week. What do you think of that? Isn’t it splendid?" "But you will have no time to study for the ’Gayton.’" "I must work harder at school, and put in an hour extra in the morning. I’ll manage, never fear, and the money will just pay the rent. Wasn’t it lucky I saw the card in the window? Of course I shan’t be able to play in the rest of the cricket matches, but they can easily get some one to take my place." He spoke cheerfully, but his mother knew what a sacrifice he had made, and hoped, for his sake, that good might come of it. "Jim," said Susie, plucking his sleeve nervously, "will you have to call out ’Paper!’ like the boys who come round here at night?" "No, you little goose," he laughed—"only to leave them at the different houses. And now, let me finish my tea. I must have a good grind at geography this evening." *CHAPTER V.* *JIM STARTS WORK.*