nd had lent them
in the morning, and it was with a face flushed with pride that he offered
it to her.

"No, laddie," she said; "wait until you can afford it better."

"Please take it," he urged. "We've done well to-day, Willie and me."

So Mrs. Blair took the money, but she insisted on their lying down in a
corner of her room, instead of going into the common kitchen.

"And you must come every night," she said. "I've been thinking to-day that
if I had a little boy of my own I should like one with a face like
Willie's. Bless him!" And the kind woman kissed the child tenderly.

"That was nice," said the child. "Nobody ever did that afore."

So the two children were always sure of a shelter for the night.
Sometimes they were gone in the morning before Mrs. Blair was about,
but if not, she always put fresh water into her tea or coffee-pot and gave
them a hot drink. She was a very poor woman herself and it was as much as
she could do for the little ones. But she did it gladly.

CHAPTER III

THE MISSION SCHOOL

The children were not always so successful as on the day when Willie first
began to sell his matches. Sometimes, indeed, they took scarcely anything,
and poor little Willie would get tired and faint through having to go all
day with nothing eat.

One day Bob saw a gentleman jump off his horse and look for some one to
hold it while he went into a shops. He darted up to him and asked to be
allowed to do it.

"You don't look very big, my lad," said the gentleman; "but you may try.
Don't let him run away."

Bob found it hard work, for the gentleman was a long time, and the pony was
restive, but he was a plucky little chap and would not give in. The
gentleman had been keeping his eye on him through the shop-window, and when
he came out he said--"Well done, my boy! You'll make a fine man some day,"
and he thrust a shilling into the boy's hand.

Bob was overjoyed with his good fortune as he showed it to Willie. "See
'ere, Willie," he said. "We'll 'ave a tuck-in to-night." And on the way
to Mrs. Blair's they stood some time before a pastrycook's, trying to make
up their minds which of the good things they should buy. First they
thought they would like one thing and then another, but at last decided
upon some meat pies, which, nicely arranged in the window, looked very
tempting to the hungry boys.

Mrs. Blair was delighted to hear of their success. Handing her the change,
Bob said---

"Plea