This day's business was not so large as the previous one, owing to the fact that both in the bootblacking and news-selling departments of the concern there was active competition; but both considered they had earned very good wages, and were in the best of humor when they started home with a sufficient addition to their larder to provide a generous meal for all three.
"I'll tell you what I've been thinkin' of, Carrots," Teddy said, as they walked slowly along. "Ikey is in a pretty bad way, an' it seems to me we ought ter do somethin' more'n jest feed him up on lamb, if he ever expects to get out."
"Want to try the bread an' milk?"
"No, I don't know anythin' 'bout that business; but this is what I was kind er figgerin' on. It costs terrible to get a doctor, of course; but don't you s'pose we might make the same trade with one that we did with the lawyer? If we'd 'gree to give him a paper, an' black his boots, till the bill was paid, I don't reckon it would take long to fix Ikey in great shape."
"That's a good idee!" Carrots replied, enthusiastically. "Why, I'll bet you could get any quantity of 'em at that rate. Say, there's one up on Rivington Street. I used to black his boots last year, when I worked 'round that way; but haven't seen him since. He's awful nice; ain't so very old either, an' a good many times give me something extra when I got though with my job."
"Suppose we go there to-night?"
"All right; I'm with you! We'll fill Ikey up with this lamb, get him to bed, an' then take a sneak. We can be back in half an hour. Say, how would it do to carry him along with us?"
"I wouldn't like to do that, 'cause you see p'rhaps the doctor might not be willin', an' we'd have dragged the poor feller 'round for nothin'. Besides, if we should happen to meet Skip while he was along, it would be kind er hard lines to take care of a lame boy an' fight at the same time."
"I never thought of that. I reckon I'd better let you 'tend to things anyhow. You seem to know more'n I do."
The invalid welcomed them very cordially, as might have been expected from one who had been forced not only to remain inactive, but absolutely silent, during the many hours of their absence.