Sturdy and Strong

ge said after he had eaten a fe

while he went into the market with his flowers. But the best move was just now. A chap as was driving off with flowers, one of them swell West-end shops, I expect, by the

I could manage a drink of

th me, I am agoing to stand two cups of coffee if yer aint to

d, for he saw that the slightest hesita

his face he turned and led the way to a little coffee-stall; "but

e had expected, and Bill was evidently very

hed, "for a draw of 'baccy," and he prod

aven't b

so cheap; why, a ounce of 'baccy will fill yer thirty pipes if yer don't squeeze it in too hard. Well, an ounce of 'baccy costs threepence halfpe

am I going to d

nod

aracter from my master in my pocket; but I don't like the sort of thing; I would rather work with my own hands. There are plenty of works

e done is holding hosses and carrying plants into the market, and sometimes when I have done pretty well I goes down and lays out what I got in Echoes, or Globes, or Evening Standards; that pays yer, that does, for if yer can sell them all yer will get a bob for eight penn'or

try that first," George said, "and I shall

ere unvarying: either he was too young or there was no place vacant. George took the disappointment quietly, for he had

an pick up a few coppers there, and here we have b

day he took to getting up at the same time as his companion, and going out with him to try and pick up a few pence from the men w

two boys, and George found himself seldom obliged to draw above a few pence on his private stock. He had by this time told the Shadow exactly how much money he had, and the boy, seeing the difficulty that George found in getting work, was most averse to the store being trenched upon, and always gave his vote against the

him; whether he had died, or whether he had cut away and left mother, Bill had no idea. His mother he remembered well, though she had

to stealing, however poor you may be;' and I aint," Bill said earnestly over and over again. "When I has seed any chap going along with a ticker handy, which I could have boned and got away among the carts as safe as ninepence, or when I has seed a woman with her purse a-sticking out of them outside pockets, and I aint had a penny to bless myself with, and perhaps nothing to eat all day, I have fe

ere was a question in

ou know, there aint nothing good about me; but if she was to come my way, wherever I might be, and was to say t

and you kept from stealing the things that you thought she spoke of, and now that y

he boy said; "not if I never gets

t only to please your mother, but to please God. Th

t interest, "and did you use to pr

king of things in general. Of doing things that were wrong,

thinks as God kno

ge n

like it, eh, when t

nodde

st week as six children was enough to worrit anyone into the grave; and just to think of all of

m that had presented itself to him, and George trying to find some appropria

My mother talks to me sometimes, and of course I went to church regularly; but that's different from my talki

a chap like me how is it he don't do something for him? why don't he get you a place, for

matter if we are poor or unhappy in this little time if we are going to be ever so happy afterwards? This is only a sort of little trial to see how we behave, as it were, and if we do the best we can, even though that best is very little, then

" Bill said fervently; "

d. "Like tha

imself, lost in astonishment

ke the generality of English boys, however earnest their convictions may be, he was shy of speaking what he felt; but his companion's eagerness to know more of this, to him, new story encouraged

in a light so wholly different from that in which he himself had been accu

, at least he could tell her that he had sufficient to eat and as much comfort as he cared for. Twice he received replies from her, directed to him at a little coffee-house, which, when they had had luck, the boys occasionally patronized. As ti

yer living here!"

ng to do by which I might some day make my way up; if I were to stop here like this I should be going down, and a nice

here? 'cause I tells yer fair, if yer goes off I goes with yer. I aint a-thinking of living

been a good friend to me, and I should b

ace, and as it's given me one too I have had the best of that job. It's been good of yer to take up with a chap like me as d

e last. The man I was with said he would take me back again if I wanted to come, and you know I am al

n hold a hoss, but that aint much for a living

with a market-gardener. At any rate we should be able to get a talk for half an hour in the even

hook h

s going to run off with the money if he knew yer kept company with a chap like me. No, the 'greement must be as yer goes yer ways and I goes mine; but I hopes

cert in the floral hall. George had just succeeded in earning threepence, and had returned to the entrance to the hall, and was watching the people co

a carriage, si

, lad, a man h

rl, who was in a white dress, with a littl

there was a jerk, and a sudden cry from the child, then a boy dived into the crowd, and at the same moment George dashed after him. There was a cr

suddenly George sprang upon his back, and the two fell with a crash, the young thief undermost. George seized his right hand, and kneeling upon him, twis

the thick of the crowd round the entrance. The gentleman was standing talking to a policeman,

utting it into her hand. "I saw the b

e girl cried. "Here

t it from?" her father

e," she replied. "He says he too

Which is the boy w

d round, but G

thank and reward him, for the locket was a very valuable one, and the more so t

did not see

poor boy

ed. "At least I don't think so; but I only looked a

u know hi

ould. He was a good-look

he does not want a reward, but at any rate I should have l

ty, sir, while th

ish you would mention the fact to them, and ask them if they get any clew to the boy wh

e he generally met Bill after the theater had closed and there was no farther chanc

three jobs. One stood me fourpence, the other two gave me tuppence e

the sixpence we saved the other day, for the hostler. We haven't given him anyt

ves in the hay George told his companion

ll of such a scaly trick as that. I should ha' s

Directly I had given the lit

't yer have waited to have seen w

eorge replied. "I don't mind being paid when I have don

ted for a m

last. "Yer did him a good turn, and got the t

l more than

k him down, and didn't yer run back again? And warn't there a chance, ef one of the bobbies had got hold of yer collar and found it in yer ha

o oblige somebody, and not as a piece of regular work, they don't expect to be

and in the shop winders, papers offering so much for giving back things as is lost. I can't read 'em myself, yer know; but chaps have read 'em to me. Why, I've heerd of as much as five quid being offered for w

you would have good right to take it. But, you see, in this case I saw how sorry the girl was at los

in his mind, but he was getting warm and s

take off the green shucks. Bill was particularly pleased, for he had never before been taken on for such a job, and he considered it a sort

aint that litt

ognized the girl to whom he had restored the l

t sure I should know the boy again if I saw him. That's him, the one looking down in

his way through t

restored the locket to my d

"I was standing close by when the boy took it, so

time to thank you. Just come across to my daughte

orge said, and looking rather shamefaced

boy, as you ca

for a moment. We are very much obliged to you, boy, papa and me, because it

ant to be thanked for doing it; and I don't want to be paid either, thank

a great service, and there is no reason why I should not pay you for

"but all the same I would rather not

gain. "One does not expect to find a boy in the

rge said; "but I don't call getting back a locke

t speak like a boy who has been

don to look for work, but could not get any. Most days I go about lo

Have you been accustomed to any

t like it, and I thought I would rather get some sort of work that I

from home, then?"

s I was alone I thought I would come to London and try to get th

you all a

friend in that boy there, and we ha

really want work

sir!" George exc

d employ a good many boys. Here is the address;" and he took a card from

ange for you to begin work on Monday. Come along, Nellie

George, wild with delight, ran off to tell

ie, are you

apa; didn't he look pleased? Wasn't it fun

really a very good style of boy. Of course he is shabby and dirty now, and you see he has been an errand-boy at a grocer's; but he must have been better brought up than the generality of such lads. The one he called his friend looked a wild sort o

were sawing and planing works, and the sound of many wheels, and the hoarse rasping sound of

?" a workman said as he ap

" George said. "I have a car

im know," the

d George handed him the card. He read what

names?" taking out a pocket-book. "George Andrews and William Smith;" and then, with a nod, he went back into his room, wh

l, employed," Geor

one; "it's a rum start, aint it? I don't expect I shall m

e much hand of it? You

an't like it-not at first; but I am going to try. George, don't yer think as I ain

get up in the morning not knowing whether you are going to have breakfast or not. Won't mother be pleased when I write and tell her I have got a place! Last time she wr

s; you and I will get on fust-rate, but it aint like

friend to me, Bill, and that will be quite

here!" Bill said, "just all the same pattern; and ho

e, Bill, now that we shall have money to pay for it; only

looked a little bit more respectable," he said, with a new feeling as to the deficiencies of his attire. "It did

" George said with a laugh. "W

ompanion. Bill's elbows were both out, the jacket was torn and ragged, he had no waistcoat, and his trou

ogether George had bought from a cobbler's stall a pair of boots for two shillings, and