them spoken of with contempt and suspicion. Just now, however, any
sympathy appeared valuable, and he smiled back at the twinkling black
eyes, and answered:

"There's nowt the matter with me. I'm wantin' work."

The boy seemed to think this an amusing idea, for he grinned widely,
showing an even row of very white teeth. Then he sat down on the
doorstep, put his cage of mice on the ground, and began to whistle; his
bright eyes keenly observing Frank from top to toe meanwhile, and
finally resting on his thick hobnailed boots. Then he asked briefly:

"Farm-work?"

"I'd ratherly get any other," answered Frank. And feeling it his turn
to make some inquiries, he said:

"What do yer carry them mice fur?"

The boy looked at him for a minute in silence; then he chuckled, and
gave a long low whistle.

"I say, little chap," he said confidentially, "_ain't_ you a flat! Just
rather."

Seeing on Frank's face no sign of comprehension he continued:

"Without them little mice I should be what they calls a wagrant. Many a
time they've saved me from the beak, and from being run in. Them's my
business; and a nice easy trade it is. Lots of change and wariety. No
one to wallop yer. Live like a jintleman."

He waved his hand at his last words with a gesture expressive of large
and easy circumstances. Frank glanced at his bare feet and generally
dishevelled appearance.

"I don't want to live like a jintleman," he said; "I want to work
honest, and git wage."

"Why did yer cut and run then?" said his companion suddenly and sharply.
"Did they wallop yer?"

Frank started. How could this strange boy possibly know that he had run
away? His alarmed face seemed to afford the tramp the keenest
amusement; he laughed long and loud, leaning back on the steps in an
ecstasy, and said at breathless intervals:

"You're just the innocentest, greenest little chap. How old are yer?"

Frank did not answer; he was considering the best means of getting away
from this undesirable acquaintance, who presently, wiping his eyes with
the cuff of his jacket, remarked with recovered gravity:

"In course, yer know, no one 'ull take a boy what's run away."

This was a new and alarming idea to Frank.

"_Won't_ they?" he said earnestly.

"Certingly not," continued the tramp. "Where's yer carikter? You
'ain't got none."

Frank hung his head. He wondered he had not thought of this before.

"This is where it lies," pursued his compan