"But you earn near that," said the newsboy, "don't you?"
"When I work steadily, I earn about three shillings," said Miss Manning.
I must here remind my New England reader, who is accustomed to consider a shilling about seventeen cents, that in New York eight shillings are reckoned to the dollar, and a shilling, therefore, only represents twelve and a half cents; Miss Manning's day's work thus brought her thirty-seven and a half cents.
"Three shillings!" repeated Rough and Ready, in surprise. "That's very poor pay. I think I do very poorly if I don't make as much as a dollar. Won't they pay you any more?"
"No, they find plenty who are ready to take their work at the price they are willing to pay. If anybody complains, they take away their work and employ somebody else."
"How much do you think I made to day?" asked the newsboy.
"A dollar and a quarter?"
"I made a dollar and seventy-five cents," said Rough and Ready, with satisfaction.
"Rufie's real smart," said Rose, who was proud of her brother, in whom she felt implicit confidence.
"You mustn't believe all she says, Miss Manning," said the newsboy, laughing. "Rose thinks more of me than anybody else does. But what were we talking about? Oh, about going out for a walk every day. If you think you can spare the time to go out with Rose, I think it will do you both good."