gs are dead and buried."

"I'm awfully sorry," said Glen, his heart stirred with sympathy. "I'm
glad you have such strong arms. They certainly are alive."

"That's the way to talk about it, boy. Don't worry about what's gone.
Look at what you have left. That's what I try to do, and that's why they
call me Jolly Bill. Now, a big heave and I can stand on my pegs while
you bring my Billy-cart up this way."

He was quite skillful about getting into his cart once Glen had him in
the right position.

"Now I'll let you push me home, boy--two blocks ahead and one to your
right--and meantime you may tell me the sad story of your eventful
career."

"Promise that you won't give me up," said Glen.

"Whew! That sounds awfully interesting. You must be a desperate
character, and that perhaps explains your peculiar mode of rapid
transit. I'm so curious I promise."

"It isn't so awfully bad," said Glen, feeling that his new friend was
poking fun. "I ran away from the reform school, that's all."

"I don't know how bad that is," was the reply. "The question is are you
reformed, are you reforming, or are you worse than ever?"

"I want to reform," declared Glen, the first confession of the kind he
had ever made.

"I suppose the best way to do it would be to go back to the school,"
suggested Jolly Bill.

"That's what Mr. Gates said," admitted Glen. "But I don't want to be
taken back."

"That sounds pretty fair. You don't want to be taken; you want to go. I
want to go, but I have to be taken. I was hoping you were the boy to do
some taking for me."

"You mean take you around," exclaimed Glen.

"That's about what I mean. I'm an important personage and wherever I
travel I have to have a body guard."

"I'd like to do it better than anything in the world!"

"I believe you're just the boy if the reform school could wait for you a
week or two. I have a plan that will make me a fortune; but I can't work
it out without a strong, energetic boy to help me."

"I'm the boy," shouted Glen. "Try me. What is it?"

"You won't give my secret away?"

"Never. Upon my--"

"Upon your what?"

"Oh, I suppose you'd say I didn't have any."

"You were going to say upon your honor. Certainly you have honor. You
make it every day. To prove my confidence I will tell you my secret. I
was born in this neighborhood and lived here most of my life. A few
years ago a terrible accident deprived me of my father and at the same
time left me as you se