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Do you think you could draw me； now？〃 she asked； with curiosity。
〃I haven't got a piece of paper big enough；〃 said Jimmy； slyly。
〃Ah； it's pokin' fun at me； ye are；〃 said Mrs。 Donovan；
good…humoredly。 〃Just like my Pat； he run into the room
yesterday sayin'； 'Mother； there's great news。 Barnum's fat
woman is dead； and he's comin' afther you this afternoon。 He'll
pay you ten dollars a week and board。' 'Whist； ye spalpeen！' said
I； 'is it makin' fun of your poor mother； ye are？' but I couldn't
help laughing at the impertinence of the boy。 But I must be
goin'。〃
〃Thank you for your kind offer； Mrs。 Donovan。 Jimmy shall go to
your room for the sewing。〃
〃There's no hurry about that；〃 said Mrs。 Donovan。 〃I'll jist
bring it in meself when it's ready。〃
〃She is very kind；〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman； when Bridget Donovan had
gone。 〃I shall be glad to have her wash。 I am apt to feel weak
after it。 What are you going to do this afternoon； Paul？〃
〃I'll try to sell out the rest of my stock of packages。 Perhaps
I shan't succeed； but I'll do my best。 Shall you have another
picture to show me when I come back tonight； Jimmy？〃
〃Yes； Paul； I love to draw。 I'm going to try this castle。〃
〃It's rather hard； isn't it？〃
〃I can do it；〃 said Jimmy； confidently。
Paul left the room with his basket on his arm。
He was drawn by curiosity to the spot where he had met with his
first success； as well as his first failurethe front of the
post office。 Here he became witness to an unexpectedly lively
scene； in other words； a fight； in which Teddy O'Brien and his
confederate； Mike； were the contestants。 To explain the cause of
the quarrel； it must be stated that it related to a division of
the spoils。
Teddy had sold out his last package； seventy…five in number。 For
these he had received five cents apiece； making in all three
dollars and seventy…five cents； of which all but a dollar and
seventy…five cents； representing the value of the prizes and the
original cost of the packages and their contents； was profit。
Now； according to the arrangement entered into between him and
Mike； the latter； for his services； was to receive one cent on
every package sold。 This； however； seemed to Teddy too much to
pay； so； when the time of reckoning came； he stoutly asseverated
that there were but sixty packages。
〃That don't go down；〃 said Mike； indignantly； 〃it's nearer a
hundred。〃
〃No； it isn't。 It's only sixty。 You've got the fifty cents； and
I'll give you ten more。〃
〃You must give me the whole sixty； then；〃 said Mike； changing his
ground。 〃I drawed the fifty as a prize。〃
Teddy was struck with astonishment at the impudence of this
assumption。
〃It wasn't no prize；〃 he said。
〃Yes； it was；〃 said Mike。 〃You said so yourself。 Didn't he；
Jim？〃
Jim； who was also a confederate； but had agreed to accept
twenty…five cents in full for services rendered； promptly
answered：
〃Shure； Mike's right。 It was a prize he drew。〃
〃You want to chate me！〃 said Teddy； angrily。
〃What have you been doin' all the mornin'？〃 demanded Mike。
〃You're the chap to talk about chatin'； ain't you？〃
〃I'll give you twenty…five cents；〃 said Teddy； 〃and that's all I
will give you。〃
〃Then you've got to fight；〃 said Mike； squaring off。
〃Yes； you've got to fight！〃 chimed in Jim； who thought he saw a
chance for more money。
Teddy looked at his two enemies； each of whom was probably more
than a match for himself； and was not long in deciding that his
best course was to avoid a fight by running。 Accordingly； he
tucked all the money into his pocket； and； turning incontinently；
fled down Liberty street； closely pursued by his late
confederates。 Paul came up just in time to hear the termination
of the dispute and watch the flight of his late business rival。
〃I guess Teddy won't go into the business again；〃 he reflected。
〃I may as well take my old stand。〃
Accordingly he once more installed himself on the post office
steps； and began to cry； 〃Prize packages。 Only five cents！〃
Having no competitor now to interfere with his trade； he met with
fair success； and by four o'clock was able to start for home with
his empty basket； having disposed of all his stock in trade。
His profits； though not so great as the day before； amounted to a
dollar。
〃If I could only make a dollar every day；〃 thought Paul； 〃I would
be satisfied。〃
CHAPTER V
PAUL LOSES HIS BASKET
Paul continued in the prize…package business for three weeks。
His success varied； but he never made less than seventy…five
cents a day； and sometimes as much as a dollar and a quarter。 He
was not without competitors。 More than once； on reaching his
accustomed stand； he found a rival occupying it before him。 In
such cases he quietly passed on； and set up his business
elsewhere； preferring to monopolize the trade； though the
location might not be so good。
Teddy O'Brien did not again enter the field。 We left him； at the
end of the last chapter； trying to escape from Mike and Jim； who
demanded a larger sum than he was willing to pay for their
services。 He succeeded in escaping with his money； but the next
day the two confederates caught him； and Teddy received a black
eye as a receipt in full of all demands。 So； on the whole； he
decided that some other business would suit him better； and
resumed the blacking…box； which he had abandoned on embarking in
commercial pursuits。
Mike Donovan and Jim Parker were two notoriously bad boys；
preferring to make a living in any other way than by honest
industry。 As some of these ways were not regarded as honest in
the sight of the law； each had more than once been sentenced to a
term at Blackwell's Island。 They made a proposition to Paul to
act as decoy ducks for him in the same way as for Teddy。 He
liked neither of the boys； and did not care to be associated with
them。 This refusal Mike and Jim resented； and determined to 〃pay
of〃 Paul if they ever got a chance。 Our hero from time to time
saw them hovering about him； but took very little notice of them。
He knew that he was a match for either； though Mike exceeded him
in size； and he felt quite capable of taking care of himself。
One day Mike and Jim； whose kindred tastes led them to keep
company； met at the corner of Liberty and William streets。 Mike
looked unusually dilapidated。 He had had a scuffle the day
before with another boy； and his clothes； always well ventilated；
got torn in several extra places。 As it was very uncertain when
he would be in a financial condition to provide himself with
another suit； the prospect was rather alarming。 Jim Parker
looked a shade more respectable in attire； but his face and hands
were streaked with blacking。 To this； however； Jim had become so
accustomed that he would probably have felt uncomfortable with a
clean face
〃How are you off for stamps； Jim？〃 asked Mike。
〃Dead broke；〃 was the reply。
〃So am I。 I ain't had no breakfast。〃
〃Nor I 'cept an apple。 Couldn't I eat； though？〃
〃Suppose we borrow a quarter of Paul Hoffman。〃
〃He wouldn't lend a feller。〃
〃Not if he knowed it；〃 said Mike； significantly。
〃What do you mean； Mike？〃 asked Jim； with some curiosity。
〃We'll borrow without leave。〃
〃How'll we do it？〃
〃I'll tell you；〃 said Mike。
He proceeded to unfold his plan； which was briefly this。 The two
were to saunter up to where Paul was standing； and remain until
the group； if there were any around him should be dispersed。
Then one was to pull his hat over his eyes； while the other would
snatch the basket containing his prize packages； and run down
Liberty street； never stopping until he landed in a certain alley
known to both boys。 The other would run in a different
direction； and both would meet as soon as practicable for the
division of the spoils。 It was yet so early that Paul could not
have sold many from his stock。 As each contained a prize；
varying from one penny to ten； they would probably realize enough
to buy a good breakfast； besides the candy contained in the
packages。 More money might be obtained by selling packages； but
there was risk in this。 Besides； it would take time； and they
decided that a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush。
〃That's a good idea；〃 said Jim； approvingly。 〃Who'll knock his
hat over his head？〃
〃You can；〃 said Mike； 〃and I'll grab the basket。〃 But to this
Jim demurred； for two reasons： first； he was rather afraid of
Paul； whose strength of arm he had tested on a previous occasion；
and； again； he was afraid that if Mike got off with the basket he
would appropriate the lion's share。
〃I'll grab the basket；〃 he said。
〃What for？〃 said Mike； suspiciously； for he； too； felt some
distrust of his confederate。