CHAPTER VIII[ToC]
A BUNK-HOUSE AND SOME BUNK-HOUSE MEN
I made my headquarters, while a lodging-house missionary, in the Mulberry Street bunk-house. It was only a block from Chatham Square, and central. The first thing I did was to clean it. I proceeded with soap and water to scrub it out, dressed in a pair of overalls. While performing this operation, a tall gaunt figure lurched into the room with his hands in his pockets—a slit for a mouth, shaggy eyebrows, rather small eyes. He looked at me for a moment as if in astonishment, and then he said:
"Hello, bub, what's de game?"
"I'm a missionary," I answered.
"Ye are, eh?"
"Yes. When I finish cleaning the floor, I am going to attempt to clean up some other things around here."
"Me too, hey?"
"Yes; don't you think you need it?"
He laughed a hoarse, gutteral laugh, and said: