is new boots. I warned him of the punishment
that would follow if he were caught. He gloried in the risk he ran. I
told him it was wicked to steal--even for other persons. He retorted,
"It wasn't no concern of mine."

Altogether it seemed hopeless to disenchant him with his exploit, and I
therefore left him, wholly at a loss to make out this strange puzzle of
a boy.

I was still more perplexed when, next morning, Jack Smith appeared at
the office wearing the identical new pair of boots which had been the
cause of all my horror!

I waited impatiently for the hours to pass, when I should be at liberty
to pay my usual visit to Billy.

He was sitting there grimly, unlike his usual manner, evidently
expecting me.

"Well," said I, "what have you done with those boots?"

"'Tain't no concern of yourn!"

"But he was wearing them to-day."

"In course he was!" said Billy, brightening a little.

"Did you tell him you had--had stolen them?"

"Yaas," replied the boy, gruffly.

"And he took them?" said I, in astonishment.

"Ain't you saw them on 'im?" demanded he, evidently disliking this
catechism.

"Billy," said I, "I can't understand it."

"You ain't no call to!" was the polite reply; "'tain't no concern or
yourn."

"It is my concern if other people are robbed," I said. "Don't you know,
if I chose, I could fetch a policeman and get you locked up?"

"In course you could! Why don't yer?"

Was there ever such a hopeless young scamp?

"Whose shop did you take them from?" I asked.

"Trotter's, aside of our court. Go and tell him!" replied he,
scornfully.

"How would you like any one to steal away one of your brushes?"

"I'd give 'em a topper!"

"But that's just what you've done to Trotter," I argued.

"Well, why don't you fetch him to give me a topper?" he replied.

I gave it up. There was no arguing with a boy like this. If there had
been, there would have been no further opportunity that night, for as I
stood by, puzzling in my mind what to say to bring home to the graceless
youth a sense of his iniquity, he began picking up his brushes and
shouldering his box.

"Where are you going so early?" I asked.

"Don't you like to know?" retorted he.

"Yes, I would."

"Well, if you must know, I'm a-going to the racket school!"

"The what?" I exclaimed.

"Racket school."

"Oh! ragged school, you mean. Where is it? I didn't know you went.
They ought to teach you better there than to steal,