"Teacher, on the curb. Over yesterday on the night," Morris began,
seeing that explanation was inevitable. "I lays on mine bed, und I
thinks how mine mamma has got a sickness, und how mine papa is by
Harlem, und how I ain't got nobody beside of me. Und, Teacher, it makes
me cold in mine heart. So I couldn't to lay no more, so I puts me on mit
mine clothes some more, und I goes by the street the while peoples is
there, und I needs I shall see peoples. So I sets by the curb, und mine
heart it go und it go so I couldn't to feel how it go in mine inside.
Und I thinks on my mamma, how I seen her mit bangages on the face, und
mine heart it goes some more. Und, Teacher, Missis Bailey, I cries over
it."

"Of course you did, honey," said Teacher, putting her arm about him.
"Poor, little, lonely chap! Of course you cried."

"Teacher, yiss, ma'am; it ain't fer boys they shall cry, but I cries
over it. Und soon something touches me by mine side, und I turns und
mine friend he was sittin' by side of me. Und he don't say _nothings_,
Teacher; no, ma'am; he don't say nothings, only he looks on me, und in
his eyes stands tears. So that makes me better in mine heart, und I
don't cries no more. I sets und looks on mine friend, und mine friend he
sets und looks on me mit smilin' looks. So I goes by mine house, und
mine friend he comes by mine house, too, und I lays by mine bed, und
mine friend he lays by mine side. Und all times in that night sooner I
open mine eyes und thinks on how mine mamma is got a sickness, und mine
papa is by Harlem, mine friend he is by mine side, und I don't cries. I
don't cries never no more the whiles mine friend is by me. Und I
couldn't to go on your house to-morrow the whiles I don't know if mine
friend likes Rover."

"Of course he'd like him," cried Miss Bailey. "Rover would play with him
just as he plays with you."

"No, ma'am," Morris maintained; "mine friend is too little for play mit
Rover."

"Is he such a little fellow?"

"Yiss, ma'am; awful little."

"And has he been with you ever since the day before yesterday?"

"Teacher, yiss, ma'am."

"Does he seem to be happy and all right?"

"Teacher, yiss, ma'am."

"But," asked Miss Bailey, suddenly practical, "what does the poor little
fellow eat? Of course ten cents would buy a _lot_ of food for one boy,
but not so very much for two."

"Teacher, no, ma'am," says Morris; "it ain't so very much."

"Well, then," said Miss Bailey, "suppose I gi