appearing on her quiet face, she must just study it out with his help.

"There is immediate work for you," she said, "for of course I want to
know their names. Who are the two? This Dirk Colson, whom you
mentioned,--which was he?"

Alfred described him as well as his bewilderment would allow, and was
interrupted--

"Oh, the small dark one. I know,--he interested me. Where does he live?"

But to this question no clear answer could be given. Down in one of the
alleys towards the South End; but just which alley, or how far down it,
Alfred did not know. He knew it was a disreputable alley, and that there
wasn't a decent home anywhere about it, and that was all.

"What does Dirk do for a living?"

This question was quite as difficult to answer as the other. Nothing,
young Ried believed; at least nothing regular; odd jobs he doubtless
picked up occasionally, but as for regular employment, Alfred was sure
he had none.

"Is that his fault? I mean, doesn't he desire work, and make an effort
to secure it?"

But this young Ried could not even pretend to answer. Work, for such as
he, was scarce; boys with better habits, brought up to be industrious,
were at this present time out of work. Possibly the fellow was not to
blame for being an idler.