he second mate was washed overboard in a gale, so, as I was a
handy chap, the cap'en he promoted me, an' now I'm huntin' about for my
dear little one all over London. But it's a big place is London."

"Yes; an' I suspect that you'll find your little un raither a big un too
by this time."

"No doubt," returned the seaman with an absent air; then, looking with
sudden earnestness into his little companion's face, he added, "Well,
Tommy Splint, as I said just now, I've cruised about far an' near after
this old woman as took charge o' my babby without overhaulin' of her,
for she seems to have changed her quarters pretty often; but I keep up
my hopes, for I do feel as if I'd run her down at last--her name was
Lizbeth Morley--"

"Oho!" exclaimed Tommy Splint with a look of sharp intelligence; "so you
think that chimleypot Liz may be your Lizbeth and our Susy your babby!"

"I'm more than half inclined to think that, my boy," returned the
sailor, growing more excited.

"_Is_ the old woman's name Morley?"

"Dun know. Never heard nobody call her nothin' but Liz."

"And how about Susan?"

"That's the babby?" said the boy with a grin.

"Yes--yes," said Sam anxiously.

"Well, that babby's about five fut four now, without 'er boots. You see
'uman creeturs are apt to grow considerable in fifteen years--ain't
they?"

"But is her name Blake?" demanded the seaman. "Not as I knows of.
Susy's wot we all calls 'er--so chimley-pot Liz calls 'er, an' so she
calls 'erself, an' there ain't another Susy like her for five miles
round. But come up, Sam, an' I'll introduce ee--they're both over'ead."

So saying the lively urchin grasped his new friend by the hand and led
him by a rickety staircase to the "rookeries" above.

CHAPTER TWO.

FLOWERS IN THE DESERT.

Beauty and ugliness form a contrast which is presented to us every day
of our lives, though, perhaps, we may not be much impressed by the fact.
And this contrast is presented in ever-varying aspects.

We do not, however, draw the reader's attention to one of the striking
aspects of the contrast--such as is presented by the hippopotamus and
the gazelle, or the pug with the "bashed" nose and the Italian
greyhound. It is to one of the more delicate phases that we would
point--to that phase of the contrast wherein the fight between the two
qualities is seen progressing towards victory, and ugliness is not only
overborne but overwhelmed by beauty.

For this purpose