He expressed this fear.
"I am afraid the padrone would catch me," he said.
"No, he won't. You can go out with me and buy the fiddle now,
and then come back and play to mother and Jimmy. To-morrow
morning I will go with you to the Jersey City Ferry myself, and
if we meet the padrone, I'll give him a hint to be off."
Phil still hesitated, but finally yielded to the united request.
But it was now one o'clock, and Paul must be back to his
business. Phil took his cap and went with him to purchase the
fiddle, promising to come back directly.
They went into Chatham Street, and soon halted before a small
shop, in front of which were three gilt balls, indicating that it
was a pawnbroker's shop.
Entering, they found themselves in a small apartment, about
twelve feet front by twenty in depth, completely filled with
pawnable articles in great variety a large part, however,
consisting of clothing; for when the poor have occasion to raise
money at a pawnbroker's, they generally find little in their
possession to pawn except their clothing. Here was a shawls
pawned for a few shillings by a poor woman whose intemperate
husband threw the burden of supporting two young children upon
her.
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