.

"Of course I does."

"Well, then, they're two a penny."

"Two a penny!" cried the small boy, with a look of surprise; "why, I'd
'a said they was a penny apiece. Good evenin', missus; I never buys
cheap fruit--cheap and nasty--no, no; good evenin'."

It seemed as if the current of the small boy's thoughts had been
diverted by this conversation, for he walked for some time with his eyes
cast on the ground, and without whistling, but whatever the feelings
were that might have been working in his mind, they were speedily put to
flight by a facetious butcher, who pulled his hat over his eyes as he
passed him.

"Now then, pig-sticker, what d'ye mean by that?" he shouted, but as the
butcher walked on without deigning to reply, he let off his indignation
by yelling in at the open door of a tobacco-shop and making off at a
brisk run.

From this point in his progress, he became still more hilarious and
daring in his freaks, and turned aside once or twice into narrow
streets, where sounds of shouting or of music promised him fresh
excitement.

On turning the corner of one of those streets, he passed a wide doorway,
by the side of which was a knob with the word FIRE in conspicuous
letters above it, and the word BELL below it. The small boy paused,
caught his breath as if a sudden thought had struck him, and glanced
round. The street was comparatively quiet; his heart beat high; he
seized the bell with both hands, pulled it full out, and bolted!

Now it chanced that one of the firemen of the station happened to be
standing close to the door, inside, at the time. He, guessing the
meaning of the ring at once, darted out and gave chase.

The small boy fled on the wings of terror, with his blue eyes starting
from their sockets. The fireman was tall and heavy, but he was also
strong and in his prime, so that a short run brought him up with the
fugitive, whom he seized with a grip of iron.

"Now, then, young bottle-imp, what did you mean by that?"

"Oh! please, sir," gasped the small boy, with a beseeching look, "I
_couldn't_ help it."

There was such a tone of truthfulness in this "_couldn't_" that it
tickled the fireman. His mouth relaxed in a quiet smile, and, releasing
his intended victim, he returned to the station, while the small boy
darted away in the direction of Oxford Street.

He had scarcely reached the end of the street, however, when a man
turned the corner at full speed and ran him down--ran him do