ouldn't do it."

"Well, who cares, anyway? It's only four cents. Let me have two."

The bananas were handed over and Sammy looked for his change. But he
only had two cents and a one-dollar bill.

"Can you change that?" he asked, holding out the bill.

"Certainly," answered the standkeeper, and promptly gave the youth a
fifty-cent piece and a lot of small change. With his bananas in one
hand and his money in another Sammy retired to a distance, to count his
change and make sure it was right.

While he was buying the fruit a boy in tatters watched him eagerly. Now
the boy came up to the country lad.

"Please, mister, won't you give me some money to buy bread with?" he
asked, in a quivering voice.

"To buy bread with?" asked Sammy, in astonishment.

"Yes, please--I'm awful hungry."

"Ain't you had nuthin' to eat to-day?"

"Not a mouthful."

Sammy's compassion was aroused and he began to look over his change.

"Look out for that!" cried the tattered boy, looking upward suddenly.

Sammy's gaze traveled in the same direction. As his eyes went up the
boy in rags grabbed the money in his hand and in an instant was making
off through the crowd.

The movement was so quick, and the surprise so great, that for the
moment Sammy was bereft of speech.

At length he recovered sufficiently to shout the single word at the top
of his lungs:

"Constable!"

"What's the matter?" asked a policeman, running up.

"Thief! Robbery!"

"Where is the thief?"

"He ran off."

"Where? In what direction?"

"I--er--I don't know," stammered Sammy.

"What did he take?"

"Took all my money."

"How much?"

"Ninety-six cents. It ain't all--I've got two cents left."

"Well, if you can point out the thief I'll arrest him," said the
policeman. "Come, we'll take a look around."

This was done, but the boy in rags could not be found.

"Drat the luck! I suppose the money is gone fer good!" groaned Sammy,
and he was right. For he never saw either the boy or his cash again.

Sammy had expected to remain in the evening and see the fire-works, but
now his interest in the celebration was gone.

"Hain't got but two cents left!" he groaned. "Thet won't buy no supper
nor nuthin! It's lucky I've got a train ticket back. But I'll have to
walk to hum from the station, unless they'll tick me fer the stage
ride."

He walked around, still hoping to meet the lad who had robbed him. His
perambulations presently brought him to a spot wher