ld learn to read and
write, and he would pinch himself hard to buy some better clothing, lest
he should continue to be a disgrace to them; shoes he must have first of
all, as those were what the sharp but friendly old woman had particularly
mentioned. At any rate, he could never run away again from this home,
where he was so loved and cared for.

Oliver told him how sadly Dolly had fretted after him, and watched for
him at the door, hour after hour, to see him come home again. He said
that in the same way, only with a far greater longing and love, his
Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, was waiting for Tony to go to him. He
could not half understand it, but a vague feeling of a love passing all
understanding sank deeply into his heart. He fell asleep that night under
the counter with the tranquil peacefulness of one who has been tossed
about in a great storm and tempest, and has been brought safely to the
desired haven.

CHAPTER XIII.

NEW BOOTS.

It was several weeks before Tony could scrape together enough money for
his new boots, though he pinched and starved himself with heroic courage
and endurance. He did not mean to buy them at a shop; for he knew a place
in Whitechapel where boots quite good enough for him were to be had for
two or three shillings. He was neither ambitious nor fastidious; old
boots patched up would do very well to start with, if he could only
manage to get them before aunt Charlotte came up to town again. She had
sent word she was coming the last Saturday in January; and early in the
afternoon of that day, before the train could come in from Stratford,
Tony started off to the place where he intended to make his purchase.

It was a small open space in one of the streets of Whitechapel, where
there was an area of flags, lying off the pavement. Several traders held
possession of this square, sitting on low stools, or cross-legged on the
ground, with their stock in trade around them. One dealer bought and sold
all kinds of old and rusty pieces of iron; another, a woman, ill clad and
with red eyes, displayed before her a dingy assortment of ragged clothes,
which were cheapened by other spare and red-eyed women, who held almost
naked children by the hand. It was cold, and a bitter, keen east wind was
searching every corner of London streets. The salesman Tony was come to
deal with had a tolerable selection of old boots, very few of them pairs,
some with pretty good upper-leathers, but with no