I told you to lay it out well. What did you
do with it?"

"Me and Dolly bought this broom," he answered, "and I've kept this
crossing ever since."

"Well done!" said the gentleman. "And who is Dolly?"

"It's a little girl as I was very fond of," replied Tony, with a deep
sigh. It seemed so long ago that he spoke of his love for her as if it
was a thing altogether passed away and dead, yet his heart still ached at
the memory of it.

"Well, here's another fourpenny-bit for you," said his friend, "quite a
new one. See how bright it is; no one has ever bought anything with it
yet. Dolly will like to see it."

Tony held it in the palm of his hand long after the gentleman was out of
sight, gazing at it in the lamplight. It was very beautiful and shining;
and oh! how Dolly's eyes would shine and sparkle if she could only see
it! And she ought to see it. By right it belonged to her; for had he not
given her his first fourpenny-piece freely, and had twenty kisses for it,
and then had she not given it him back to buy a broom with? she had never
had a single farthing of all his earnings. How he would like to show her
this beautiful piece of silver, and feel her soft little arms round his
neck, when he said it was to be her very own! He felt that he dare not
pass the night in the cellar with such a treasure about him, for Tom, who
was so clever, would be sure to find out that his pocket was worth the
picking, and Tony had not found that there was much honour among thieves.
What was he to do? Where was he to go?

CHAPTER XII.

TONY'S WELCOME.

Almost without knowing where his feet were carrying him, Tony sauntered
through the streets until he found himself at the turn into the alley
within a few yards of Oliver's home, and his beloved Dolly. At any rate
he could pass down it, and, if the shop-door was not shut, he would wrap
his beautiful silver coin in a rag, and throw it into the inside; they
would be sure to guess who had done it, and what it was for. It was dark
down the alley, only one lamp and the greengrocer's gas lighting it up,
and Tony stole along quietly in the shadow. It was nearly time for Dolly
to be going to bed, he thought, and old Oliver was sure to be with her in
the inner room; but just as he came into the revealing glare of the
greengrocer's stall, his ears rang and his heart throbbed violently at
the sound of a shrill little scream of gladness, and the next moment he
felt himself caught by Dol