It was hardly probable the establishment would be open at such an early hour; and, knowing they had plenty of time at their disposal, Tom proposed to go around Broadway to Printing House Square, where he had agreed to meet Billy Foss, who was to accompany them to Coney Island.
Master Foss was a small merchant, both in point of stature and his transactions in the newspaper line; an industrious one also, as could be told from the fact that, although intending to take a day’s vacation, he was devoting the earlier hours of the morning to business.
“It’s all right,” he said when Tom explained that they were going up Broadway before starting on the excursion. “I wanted to sell a few papers so’s all the day wouldn’t be wasted, an’ I’ll jest about be through when you get back. Meet me down to the Herald office.”
Then Tom led the way up Chatham Street, and Josiah saw the girl of whom he was at that moment thinking.
“Hello, Sadie, how’s trade?” Bob shouted.
“I haven’t sold a box this mornin’. It seems as if nobody needed matches; an’ I reckon I’ll have to go into the newspaper business, even if the boys are rough.”
“Does she ever make very much?” Josiah asked in a whisper, as they were approaching the child.
“No, an’ I don’t know what she’s goin’ to do when cold weather comes. Tom an’ me help her out as much as we can, an’ some of the other fellers chip in a little; but it’s tough for her just the same. I don’t reckon she’s had anything to eat this mornin’, ’cause most likely Mother Hunter took all her money before she left the house.”
At that moment Sadie found a customer for her wares, and the boys walked away, Tom shouting when they were a few paces distant, that he would see her as they came back.
Josiah immediately became very thoughtful.