"My friends come live by us, Mother," he said finally.
"It is this way, Mrs. Brodsky; we have to find a new boarding place," Steve explained. "We were asking Ignatz if he knew of a place, and he said he thought you might be willing to take us. We shall not be much trouble to you, as we don't throw things about in our rooms. We can sleep in one bed and we will make that up if you do not have the time to do so."
Mrs. Brodsky was rather dazed. She never had taken boarders before, and she hardly knew what to say. She looked from the now eager face of Ignatz to the expectant ones of the Iron Boys.
"They come by us to-morrow," urged Ignatz.
"Thank you very much. Now, what will you charge us?"
After reflection, Mrs. Brodsky said she thought about two dollars a week would be right. If that was too much she would charge them less.
"No; that is too cheap," said Rush. "We will give you two dollars and a half, gladly."
Ignatz was very happy. He began talking joyously, until sternly reproved by his mother. It was arranged that the boys were to move into their new quarters early on the following morning. The room assigned to them was small, but the perfection of neatness. There was a clean, white spread on the bed, a wash stand with a clean towel laid over it, though, as Bob observed, the pitcher and wash bowl had seen better days. There was no carpet on the floor, but this they did not mind. After making final arrangements and paying over one week's board, the Iron Boys took their departure, very well content with what had been accomplished.
"We could just as well have gotten it for two," said Jarvis after they had left the house.
"Yes, but I am not quite so mean as that. That extra fifty cents apiece means a lot to us, and I shall be glad to be there. We shall have a happy day to-morrow, and perhaps we will take that long-deferred picnic trip."
Ignatz had gone when the Iron Boys made their appearance at the Brodsky home next morning, carrying a trunk between them.
"Good morning, Mrs. Brodsky and all the little Brodskys," greeted Steve, with a winning smile, as the family met him at the door. The coming of the boys was an event in that household. The children were bashful, and not a word could he get out of them. They hid behind their mother's skirts, peering out at the newcomers suspiciously.