164 BRAGGADOCIO.

excepting Howard, who walked up to Tom
and relieved him by shaking him cordially
by the hand.

Mr. Cramer and the others seated themselves,
but he did not ask the poor children to
sit on those damask-covered seats. Mr. Starr
handed Bessie a chair, and Howard motioned
Tom to a seat beside him, on a sofa.

Bessie, not daunted in the least by the
stateliness of Mr. Cramer, which, by the way,
he generally assumed in the drawing-room,
said :

“My brother has some business with you,
sir. He has come to pay his rent.”

“The rent of Bessie’s Island, I suppose,”
replied Mr. Cramer, without relaxing from his
pompous, drawing-room manner.

Tom now recovered self-possession ; putting
his hand into his pocket, he drew out his
twelve-and-a-half-cent piece, and stepping up
to Mr. Cramer, placed it in that gentleman’s
hand, saying:

“There’s my first quarter’s rent.”

“Shall I give you a receipt ?”

“ Yes, sir.”