ooked down at the fragile little figure at his side and a great lump
seemed to rise in his throat, almost choking him, as he thought how thin
Willie was; and he wished that he could make haste and grow up to be a man,
so that he could earn a lot of money and buy nice things for him to eat.
"But s'pose Willie should die before then!" The thought was too dreadful,
and he put it away directly it came.

"See, Willie," he said, "what I've got for yer!" and he held up a large
penny bun before the child.

Willie clapped his hands. "Oh, Bob, is that for me, really?
Let's sit down 'ere and eat it."

The child sat down on the kerbstone, pulled his brother down beside him,
and broke the bun in halves. One half he handed to Bob, and would take no
refusal. So the two children soon devoured it between them.

"I say, Bob," said Willie, when they had finished, "'ave yer 'ad a good day
to-day?"

"No," said Bob sadly. "Yer see there's no mud about and when there's no
mud the people don't take any notice of yer----"

"Oh, dear!" said Willie. "Father'll whack yer. I wish yer 'adn't bought
me the bun."

"I don't, care," responded the other wearily "He may whack me if 'e likes,
it don't matter, you shan't be 'ungry if I can 'elp it.
Is father indoors?"

"Yes," said Willie, beginning to cry, "and I'm so frightened.
'E 'it me this morning. I dunno what's the matter. 'E's been awful angry
all day, and now 'e'll beat you. Oh, dear! oh, dear!"

Bob's face flushed, and he clenched his hands. For himself he didn't care,
but he did care when anything hurt Willie. He couldn't stand that, and he
wouldn't. He sat still for a moment lost in thought. At last he sprang
up, saying:---"Come on, Willie, we won't go 'ome to-night, we'll find
somewhere to sleep. Father shan't 'it yer again. We'll go right away."

Willie got up willingly. He had implicit faith in his brother.
Whatever Bob said or did was sure to be right. He followed him without a
word as Bob led the way up one street and down another, till his little
legs began to ache. But it didn't seem as though they could stop,
for every time they sat down on a doorstep the policeman came and told them
to "Move on!" At last Bob turned into the park, and they sat down under a
tree, when Willie soon fell fast asleep. Bob laid the tired little head
against his shoulder, and although he became cramped with sitting so long
in one position, he would not move for fear of waking him.