in his rear the usual mob of men and boys
who have nothing more to do apparently than to attend fires and scramble
with a morbid curiosity to behold the misery of some victim of accident,
ran in scuffling uproar.

With a pathetic realization of his own idleness, Dennis turned to join
the speeding throng, when suddenly he became aware of a desperate clutch
at his hand, heard the rattle of scattering change at his feet, and
felt the bills which he held slip away from his grasp and disappear in
the rush.

It was over in a second. Apparently no one noticed him or his loss. He
was as abandoned as the unfortunate marooned by rushing waters; as
unheeded as a lame lamb in the multitude of the flock.

Not a head turned, and by the time he realized precisely what had
happened and prepared to give chase to the thief, a score of other men
and boys formed an unconscious barricade between the unfortunate boy and
the rogue.

His suddenly created interest in the fire vanished and was replaced by
the despair of his own disaster.

The nap of his providence was developing into a sound slumber, and since
this deity never gets up before noon Dennis had still two hours of
despair before him.

And what despair!

Of his pitiful hoard of a few moments since only a few dimes and nickels
remained.

And just across the street was the Third National Bank with barrels of
them.

The whimsies of the contrast almost amused him; but there was not enough
of the Tapley about him to detect its humor.

Again he counted his resources.

Fifty-eight cents!

He could lodge to-night, at any rate, and dine on one of those sidewalk
pretzels.

"The darkest hour is just before the dawn." Dennis tried to cheer
himself with this reflection, but the only dawn upon which he could
calculate was five days off.

In vain the poor fellow adjured his brains for some homely suggestion,
some meager inspiration.

Nothing responded but his destitution, like the echo of a groan; and
through such mental straits he arrived, at last, at The Stag.

He decided that he would do nothing radical until the following day.

He could afford a night's rest, at least, and that might revive his
numbed faculties.

As he reached the office he glanced at the proprietor.

Could he persuade that cynical-visaged individual to trust him until he
received his first week's pay?

Would he be credited if he related his prospects?

As a measure in this assurance, would not the