, tall gemman. I had my fingers in his pocket,
and he clapped his hand on 'em, and catched me!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Billy, with eyes and mouth wide open, in alarm. "And
did he not call the beaks, and have you up?"

"No; he spoke to me; he spoke so kind-like. He told me that I was about
a sin-- a great sin. Nobody never spoke so to me afore!" Again the boy's
feelings seemed ready to burst forth. "And he took me to a baker's, and
got me this; and to a shop, and bought me that; and says he, "Has no one
taught you to know right from wrong?" And says I, "Nobody never taught
me nothing!" Then he takes me a good way round, down a little lane,
right into a Ragged School."

"What's that?" inquired Billy curiously.

"A place where a great many poor boys were together in a big room, where
there were wooden benches, and pictures and other things hung on the
walls. I should never have dared to go in; but that good gemman took me,
and led me right up to a man who was standing with a row of little chaps
afore him. And the gemman put his hand on my shoulder, and spoke for me,
and said a many things that I can't remember; but one thing I remember
quite well: "You come here every evening," says he, "and you'll be
taught your duty, and how to do it. I am leaving London soon; but I will
be back in a few weeks, and I'll come and ask the master how you have
been behaving; and if I find that you've been trying to become a better
boy, I will not lose sight of you, my friend."

"Did the gemman say all that?" exclaimed Billy.

"And a great deal more. Such beautiful talking! And to see how gentle
and kind he looked, as if he didn't think me such a bad un after all!"

"Did you tell him of me?" asked Billy anxiously.

"Yes; I told him that I had one little brother, and he was lame; and
that mother was dead and father in jail, and that we had no one to care
for us, and that we were often hungry, and always cold; and he looked
quite sorry to hear it."

"Did he though?" cried Billy, much surprised. "And will you go to the
Ragged School, Bobby?"

"Won't I!" cried the boy, with a little more energy than I had seen in
him before; "why, if I don't, I won't see that good gemman again!"

"And won't you take me with you too?" said little Billy.

CHAPTER VI.

HOW I VISITED THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.

That night I set out with Whiskerandos on more extended travels than any
which I had yet attempted. Oddity might have accompanied us, but he
p