s arm around
his neck told that she was frightened.

"How much of this street do you own? Why don't you mind your--Hello, Joe
Potter, is that you?" and the ruined merchant recognised the voice as
that of his friend with whom he had spoken a short time before in front
of the fruit store.

"'Course it's me. You ought'er look out how you run 'round here, when
folks has got babies in their arms."

"I didn't see you, Joe, an' that's a fact. Where'd you get the kid?"

"She's lost, I reckon, an' I'm takin' her home for to-night," Joe
replied, and, without waiting to make further explanation, hastened on,
leaving his friend, the clerk, staring after him in open-mouthed
astonishment.

"Don't you be afraid, little one," Joe said, as Essie clung yet more
tightly to him. "They sha'n't hurt you, an' if there's any more funny
business of runnin' into us tried, I'll break the feller's jaw what does
it."

The child seemed reassured by the sound of his voice, and at once began
to tell him something which was evidently interesting to herself.

"If I could understand what you say, things would be all right," Joe
said, with a laugh, and then, as he emerged from the shadows cast by the
overhead railway structure, he came face to face with Master Plummer.

"Well, I'd begun to think you never was comin'," that young gentleman
began, but ceased speaking very suddenly, as he observed the burden in
Joe's arms. "What you got there?"

"Can't you see for yourself?" and Joe lowered the little maid gently to
the sidewalk, that Master Plummer might have a full view of his
treasure.

"Well, I'll be blowed! Where'd you get it?"

"She's lost, 'cordin' to my way of thinkin', an' I've been tryin' to
find her folks, but it's no use huntin' 'round in the night, an' I'll
tell you what it is, Plums, we've got to take care of her till mornin'."

"Take care of her! What's creepin' on you, Joe Potter? How do you think
we're goin' to look after a kid like that?"

"I don't know why we can't," Joe replied, sharply. "It'll be pretty
tough if a couple of fellers ain't able to tend out on a mite of a thing
such as her. Say, Plums, don't she look like somethin' you see in the
store windows?"

"She's fine as silk, there's no gettin' over that," and Master Plummer
would have touched one pink-and-white cheek but that his friend
prevented him.

"Now don't go to hurtin' her! She's in hard luck enough as it is,
without your mussin' her all up."

"Who's a