t how hard, how cruelly hard, it is
to find a half-crown when you most want it!

He forgot all his pride, all his sensitiveness, all his own weariness--
everything but the sick boy, and left no stone unturned to procure even
a copper. He even begged, when nothing else succeeded.

Nobody seemed to want anything done. There were scores of hungry
applicants at the riverside and dozens outside the printing-office.
There were no horses that wanted holding, no boxes or bags that wanted
carrying, no messages or errands that wanted running. No shop or
factory window that he saw had a notice of "Boys Wanted" posted in it;
no junior clerk was advertised for in any paper he caught sight of; not
even a scavenger boy was wanted to clean the road.

At last he was giving it up in despair, and coming to the conclusion he
might just as well hasten back to his little charge and share his fate
with him, when he caught sight of a stout elderly lady standing in a
state of flurry and trepidation on the kerb of one of the most crowded
crossings in the city.

With the instinct of desperation he rushed towards her, and, lifting his
hat, said,--

"Can I help you across, ma'am?"

The lady started to hear words so polite and in so well-bred a tone,
coming from a boy of Reginald's poor appearance, for he was still
without his coat.

But she jumped at his offer, and allowed him to pilot her and her
parcels over the dangerous crossing.

"It may be worth twopence to me," said Reginald to himself as he landed
her safe on the other side.

How circumstances change us! At another time Reginald would have
flushed crimson at the bare idea of being paid for an act of politeness.
Now his heart beat high with hope as he saw the lady's hand feel for
her pocket.

"You're a very civil young man," said she, "and--dear me, how ill you
look."

"I'm not ill," said Reginald, with a boldness he himself marvelled at,
"but a little boy I love is--very ill--and I have no money to get him
either food or lodging. I know you'll think I'm an impostor, ma'am, but
could you, for pity's sake, give me a shilling? I couldn't pay you
back, but I'd bless you always."

"Dear, dear!" said the lady, "it's very sad--just at Christmas-time,
too. Poor little fellow! Here's something for him. I think you look
honest, young man; I hope you are, and trust in God."

And to Reginald's unbounded delight she slipped two half-crowns into his
hand and walked away.

He