afford
t' borrow any fer a bed. Me credit ain't any too good."

This was a new thought. Jimmy knew he must have some capital to start
him in business the next day or he would fare badly indeed. However,
this did not worry him, as the newsboys were frequently in the habit of
borrowing from each other enough to "stake" them, or enable them to buy
a supply of papers from the publication office. But though nearly any
newsboy would lend a companion money for this cause, lending it for a
bed was another matter.

"I'll find a bunk some place," thought Jimmy as he plodded on. "It
ain't so cold, an' it'll be warmer by mornin'. I know what I'll do,
I'll go down t' dat alley where all de big empty boxes is. One of
dem'll make a fine bed, an' it'll be warm. Crimps! I'm glad dat
entered my head. It's almost as good as de bunk house. Well, anyway,
I had a swell time, an' I kin go widout eatin' till I make somethin' in
de mornin'. But it's tough luck; it sure is tough luck."

Having thus made the best of his ill-fortune, Jimmy started off toward
the alley of which he had spoken. It was in the factory district, on
what is known as the "East Side," among the tenements of New York,
where the poor lived. Jimmy knew his way about the big city, and he
was soon at the place.

It was an alley at the side of a big clothing factory, and piled up in
it along the driveway were tiers of big packing boxes from which the
contents had been taken and stored in the factory.

Jimmy first took a careful survey of the street before entering the
alley, for he had two enemies for whom he must look out--the policeman
on the beat and the night watchman of the factory. Both of these
individuals objected to boys staying in the packing boxes, and Jimmy
more than once had been detected and driven out just as he was ready to
go to sleep.

But to-night neither the policeman nor the watchman was in sight.
Still Jimmy proceeded cautiously. With a cat-like tread he entered the
alley, peering about for a possible sight of the watchman.

"Guess he's inside," thought the boy. "Now if I kin find de box wid de
old sacks in it I'll be all to de merry."

The box he referred to was one he had slept in on several other
occasions when his funds were gone. He had discovered some old bags,
and had piled them up in the packing case, making a rude bed. This box
was near an angle of the alley, and the open side of it was up against
the building, so that