“It ain’t to be expected that you could do a great deal among the boys; but they’re generous, as a common thing, and only pitch into fellers that can pitch back; besides, I’m on hand, and they know me.” “And you’d be kind to him?” said Robert. “He’s all the brother I’ve got; and you see what a tender, nice little fellow he is. We’ve got a sister and a grandmother to support, and we mean to do it, Joe and I do. Don’t we Joe?” Joseph lifted his flushed face and sparkling eyes to the tall newsboy. “Yes, we mean to do it, and we will,” he said, with gentle firmness. The tall boy threw up his bundle of papers, and caught it again as it whirled downward, in evidence of his warm approval. “That’s the time o’day! Here’s the right sort of stuff done up in little parcels,” he shouted. “Now look here, you feller,” he added, turning to Robert, “I’ll enter into a sort of partnership with you, and we’ll join hands on it at once. I’ll take this little chap under my wing, and set him a going in the business. How much money can you put in?” “Three dollars,” answered Robert. “That isn’t a stunning capital; but then I began and set myself up on fifty cents—but that was in specie times. What I was going to say is this, I’ll stand by this little feller tooth and nail. I’ll take him down to the press-rooms myself, and get his stock put up; and if any of the old stagers attempt to hustle him, or sich like, because he wears bright buttons, and looks like a gentleman’s son, let ’em try it, that’s all. They’ve felt the weight of these mud-grapplers afore this, and know how much there is in ’em. Why, I’ve been in the business three years; but these extra times is a wearing me out, and my run grows longer and broader every day. He shall have a part of it—all the fancy work. Why them eyes, looking up to the windows where ladies sit in their muslin dresses and ribbons in the afternoon, would set ’em to beckoning you up the steps like fifty. They don’t take to tall fellows like me, as women ought to. Yes, yes! I’ll give you the fancy work, and no mistake. My! what purty girls I’ve seen looking out of the parlor doors when some gentleman has beckoned me into the hall. Molly! they’d let you go right in—shouldn’t wonder a bit!” “I—I should rather not,” said Joseph, shrinking modestly from this magnificent idea. “Excepting grandma and Anna, I don’t know much about ladies.” “Live and learn! Live and learn! I only wish them eyes and that face belonged to me, wouldn’t I make ’em bring in the coppers and five cent greenbacks. But then you are a little fellow, and don’t know the value of such things.” “I only want to earn money for them,” said Joseph. “I’m little, and don’t know a great deal; but if you will be kind enough to let me run with you a day or so, then, perhaps, I might learn.” “And what are you going into?” asked the newsboy, addressing Robert.