business, for it happened to be market day. He leaned against one
of the columns of the piazza, eating the bread he had just bought.
Presently a sharp faced lad, a year or two younger than himself,
came up to him.

"Give us a hit," he said, "I ain't tasted nothing today."

Frank broke the bread in half and gave a portion to him.

"What a lot there is going on here!" Frank said.

"Law!" the boy answered, "that ain't nothing to what it is of a
morning. That's the time, 'special on the mornings of the flower
market. It's hard lines if a chap can't pick up a tanner or even
a bob then."

"How?" Frank asked eagerly.

"Why, by holding horses, helping to carry out plants, and such like.
You seems a green 'un, you do. Up from the country, eh? Don't seem
like one of our sort."

"Yes," Frank said, "I'm just up from the country. I thought it
would be easy to get a place in London, but I don't find it so."

"A place!" the boy repeated scornfully. "I should like any one
to see me in a place. It's better a hundred times to be your own
master."

"Even if you do want a piece of bread sometimes?" Frank put in.