What are you laughing at now, you miscellaneous assortment of
variegated pieces?"

"Oh! oh, dear! I was laughing to think how well I knew Rag Alley!"

"Humph! you do look as if you were born and bred there."

"But, sir, I wasn't!"

"Humph! How did you get into life, then?"

"I don't know, governor, unless I was raked up from the gutter by some
old woman in the rag-picking line!" said the newsboy, demurely.

"Humph. I think that quite likely! But now, do you say that you know
where that alley is?"

"Oh, don't set me off again! Oh, he! he! he! Yes, sir, I know."

"Well, then, show me the way and don't be a fool!"

"I'd scorn to be it, sir. This is the way!" said the lad, taking the
lead.

They walked on several squares, and then the boy stopped, and pointing
down a cross-street, said:

"There, governor; there you are."

"There! Where? Why that's a handsome street!" said Old Hurricane, gazing
up in admiration at the opposite blocks of stately brown-stone mansions.

"That's it, hows'ever! That's Rag Alley. 'Tain't called Rag Alley now,
though! It's called Hifalutin Terrace! Them tenements you talk of were
pulled down more'n a year ago and these houses put up in their place,"
said the newsboy.

"Dear! dear! dear! what changes! And what became of the poor tenants?"
asked Old Hurricane, gazing in dismay at the inroads of improvement.

"The tenants? poor wretches! how do I know? Carted away, blown away,
thrown away, with the other rubbish. What became of the tenants?

"'Ask of the winds that far around
With fragments strewed the sea-ty!'

I heard that spouted at a school exhibition once, governor!" said the
lad, demurely.

"Humph! well, well well! the trace is lost! What shall I do?--put
advertisements in all the daily papers--apply at the chief police
office? Yes, I'll do both," muttered Old Hurricane to himself; then,
speaking out, he called:

"Boy!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Call me a cab!"

"Yes, sir!" And the lad was off like an arrow to do his bidding.

In a few moments the cab drove up. The newsboy, who was sitting beside
the driver, jumped down and said:

"Here it is, sir!"

"Thank you, my son; here is your fee," said Old Hurricane, putting a
silver dollar into the lad's hand.

"What! Lor', it can't be I but it is! He must have made a mistake! What
if he did, I don't care! Yes, I do, too! 'Honor bright!'" exclaimed the
newsboy, looking in wonder and desire and sore temptation upon the
la