pearance as if
covered with cloth at the sides. The figure of the policeman was very
erect, and his air and bearing very gentlemanly, and he answered all Mr.
George's inquiries in the most affable manner.

Every part of London is provided with policemen of this character, whose
business it is to preserve order in the streets, to arrest criminals, to
take care of lost children, to guide strangers, and to answer any
inquiries that any person may wish to make in respect to the streets,
squares, public buildings, and other objects of interest in the
metropolis. The whole number of these policemen is very great, there
being near six thousand of them in all. They are all young and active
men; and in order that they may perform their duties in an efficient
manner, they are clothed with a great deal of authority; but they
exercise their power with so much gentleness and discretion that they
are universal favorites with all the people who traverse the streets,
except, perhaps, the beggar boys and vagabonds. _They_ stand in
perpetual awe of them.

Each policeman has his own district, which is called his _beat_; and he
walks to and fro in this beat all the time while he is on duty. There is
a station near this beat, to which he takes any delinquents or criminals
that he may have occasion to arrest, in order that they may be examined,
and, if found guilty, sent to prison.

One day Rollo saw a policeman taking a prisoner to the station. It was a
boy about thirteen years old. The policeman walked very fast, and the
boy ran along by his side. The policeman took hold of the collar of the
boy's jacket behind with his hand, and so conducted him along. There was
a crowd of young men and boys following, some walking fast and some
running, to see what would become of the prisoner.

Rollo was at first inclined to join this party, in order that he might
see too; but Mr. George thought it would be better not to do so. Rollo
then began to pity the poor prisoner boy very much, in view of the
expression of dreadful terror and distress which his countenance had
worn when he passed by him, and he was very anxious to know what he had
been doing. He accordingly stopped to ask an orange woman, who stood
with a basket of oranges near a post at a corner.

[Illustration: THE ARREST.]

"He has been beating and abusing a little boy," said the woman, "and
spilling all his milk."

"Come, Rollo," said Mr. George, "we must go along."

Rollo would hav