as acting, you see, and all children love acting.

Mr. Beale went more and more slowly, and as the lady and the little girl
drew near he stopped altogether and touched his cap. Dickie, quick to
imitate, touched his.

"Could you spare a trifle, mum," said Beale, very gently and humbly, "to
'elp us along the road? My little chap, 'e's lame like wot you see. It's
a 'ard life for the likes of 'im, mum."

"He ought to be at home with his mother," said the lady.

Beale drew his coat sleeve across his eyes.

"'E ain't got no mother," he said; "she was took bad sudden--a chill it
was, and struck to her innards. She died in the infirmary. Three months
ago it was, mum. And us not able even to get a bit of black for her."

Dickie sniffed.

"Poor little man!" said the lady; "you miss your mother, don't you?"

"Yuss," said Dickie sadly; "but farver, 'e's very good to me. I couldn't
get on if it wasn't for farver."

"Oh, well done, little 'un!" said Mr. Beale to himself.

"We lay under a 'aystack last night," he said aloud, "and where we'll
lie to-night gracious only knows, without some kind soul lends us a
'elping 'and."

The lady fumbled in her pocket, and the little girl said to Dickie--

"Where are all your toys?"

"I ain't got but two," said Dickie, "and they're at 'ome; one of them's
silver--real silver--my grandfarver 'ad it when 'e was a little boy."

"But if you've got silver you oughtn't to be begging," said the lady,
shutting up her purse. Beale frowned.

"It only pawns for a shilling," said Dickie, "and farver knows what
store I sets by it."

"A shillin's a lot, I grant you that," said Beale eagerly; "but I
wouldn't go to take away the nipper's little bit o' pleasure, not for
no shilling I wouldn't," he ended nobly, with a fond look at Dickie.

[Illustration: "'IT ONLY PAWNS FOR A SHILLIN',' SAID DICKIE"

[_Page 37_]

"You're a kind father," said the lady.

"Yes, isn't he, mother?" said the little girl. "May I give the little
boy my penny?"

The two travellers were left facing each other, the richer by a penny,
and oh--wonderful good fortune--a whole half-crown. They exchanged such
glances as might pass between two actors as the curtain goes down on a
successful dramatic performance.

"You did that bit fine," said Beale--"fine, you did. You been there
before, ain't ye?"

"No, I never," said Dickie; "'ere's the steever."

"You stick to that," said Beale, radiant with delight; "you're a fair
m