After this conversation he played another tune. Mrs. Leigh drew
out her purse, and gave him fifty cents. Phil took his fiddle
under his arm, and, following the servant, who now reappeared,
emerged into the street, and moved onward.
CHAPTER II
PHIL AND HIS PROTECTOR
To a certain extent Phil was his own master; that is, he was at
liberty to wander where he liked, provided he did not neglect his
business, and returned to the lodging-house at night with the
required sum of money. But woe to him if he were caught holding
back any of the money for his own use. In that case, he would be
beaten, and sent to bed without his supper, while the padrone,
according to the terms of his contract with the distant parent
would withhold from the amount due the latter ten times the sum
kept by the boy. In the middle of the day he was allowed to
spend three cents for bread, which was the only dinner allowed
him. Of course, the boys were tempted to regale themselves more
luxuriously, but they incurred a great risk in doing so.
Sometimes the padrone followed them secretly, or employed others
to do so, and so was able to detect them. Besides, they
traveled, in general, by twos and threes, and the system of
espionage was encouraged by the padrone.
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