of any
one finding it that night, and that I should go home. On getting on
shore I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, eager to give my
charitable friends an account of my good fortune, but with regard to the
ring I said not a word. The instinctive caution I possessed taught me
that it would be wiser to say nothing, even to them, about it. I told
them, as was the case, that the money had been given to me by the
gentlemen for repeating poetry to them.

We had a capital supper that night, the best I had ever enjoyed; and
giving my wealth to my friends to keep for me, I set off the next
morning, my heart beating high with satisfaction, to restore the ring to
Mr Wells.

I found his house without much difficulty, although I had never been in
that part of London before, but my wits were not at fault on this
occasion more than on any other. A domestic opened the door, whom I at
first took to be a very great lord, for I had seldom before seen a
livery servant; but when he told me that his master was not at home, and
he could not say when he would return, and without deigning any further
answer slammed the door in my face, I guessed who he was. I accordingly
sat down on the steps to wait patiently for the return of Mr Wells. As
I had been thinking all night long of my good fortune, I had not slept a
wink, and it was therefore not surprising that I fell very fast asleep
where I sat. How long I thus remained dreaming of the events of the
previous day I do not know, when I was awaked by the sound of a kind
voice in my ear, and opening my eyes I saw Mr Wells standing before me.

"Ah, my little poet!" he exclaimed; "you here already!"

"Yes, sir," I answered, jumping up; "and I have found your ring, and
brought it to you too."

"Have you indeed? That is more than I expected," he replied. "But come
in, and you can then give me the ring, and tell me something about
yourself."

So I went into his house, and he was evidently pleased when he saw the
ring, which I had washed and wrapped up carefully in a bit of rag, and
it looked clean and bright. He then took me into the parlour, where two
ladies were sitting at breakfast, where he made me join them, all untidy
as I was, at their meal; after which he desired me to give a full
account of myself, and to recite some more poetry, all of which I did,
apparently much to the satisfaction of the party present.

"'Twere a pity for the child to grow up neglected and uncared fo