ennies at the bottom of his pocket.

Thinking if Christmas was ever to come to him, and the children's Santa
Claus to find his alley where the baby slept within reach of her
father's cruel hand. As for him, he had never known anything but blows
and curses. He could take care of himself. But his mother and the
baby----. And then it came to him with shuddering cold that it was
getting late, and that he must find a place to sleep.

He weighed in his mind the merits of two or three places where he was in
the habit of hiding from the "cops" when the alley got to be too hot for
him.

There was the hay-barge down by the dock, with the watchman who got
drunk sometimes, and so gave the boys a chance. The chances were at
least even of its being available on Christmas-eve, and of Santa Claus
having thus done him a good turn after all.

Then there was the snug berth in the sandbox you could curl all up in.
Nibsy thought with regret of its being, like the hay-barge, so far away
and to windward too.

Down by the printing-offices there were the steam-gratings, and a chance
corner in the cellars, stories and stories underground, where the big
presses keep up such a clatter from midnight till far into the day.

As he passed them in review, Nibsy made up his mind with sudden
determination, and, setting his face toward the south, made off down
town.

* * * * *

The rumble of the last departing news-wagon over the pavement, now
buried deep in snow, had died away in the distance, when, from out of
the bowels of the earth there issued a cry, a cry of mortal terror and
pain that was echoed by a hundred throats.

From one of the deep cellar-ways a man ran out, his clothes and hair and
beard afire; on his heels a breathless throng of men and boys; following
them, close behind, a rush of smoke and fire.

The clatter of the presses ceased suddenly, to be followed quickly by
the clangor of hurrying fire-bells. With hook and axes the firemen
rushed in; hose was let down through the manholes, and down there in the
depths the battle was fought and won.

The building was saved; but in the midst of the rejoicing over the
victory there fell a sudden silence. From the cellar-way a grimy,
helmeted figure arose, with something black and scorched in his arms. A
tarpaulin was spread upon the snow and upon it he laid his burden, while
the silent crowd made room and word went over to the hospital for the
doctor to c