"Well, Paul," she said inquiringly, "have you heard of any good rooms?"

 

"Here is an advertisement of some nicely furnished rooms in Bleecker street;" and Paul pointed¹ to the Herald².

 

"They may be above our means, Paul."

 

"At any rate we can go and look at them. We must expect to pay more if we take them furnished."

 

"Do you think we had better take furnished rooms?" asked Mrs. Hoffman doubtfully.

 

"I think so, mother, just now. All our furniture is burned, you know, and it would take too much of our capital to buy new. When we get richer we will buy some nice furniture."

 

"Perhaps you are right, Paul. At any rate we will go and look at these rooms."

 

"If they don't suit us, I have the paper with me, and we can look somewhere else."

 

"May I go, mother?" asked Jimmy.

 

"We might have to go about considerably³, Jimmy," said Paul. "I am afraid you would get tired."

 

"If Mrs. Norton will let you stay here, I think it will be better," said his mother. "Are you sure he won't be in your way, Mrs. Norton?"

 

"Bless his heart, no," returned the policeman's wife heartily⁴. "I shall be glad of his company. Mr. Norton and Sam are away most of the time, and I get lonely sometimes."

 

Jimmy felt rather flattered by the thought that his company was desired by Mrs. Norton, and readily resigned himself to stay at home. Paul and his mother went out, and got on board a Bleecker street car, which soon brought them to the desired number.

 

The house was quite respectable in appearance, far more so certainly than the burned tenement⁵ house. The time had been when Bleecker street was fashionable, and lined with the

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