y, if he
docks yer a cent, he's a mean old Dago!"

"Well, ain't he a Dago, Billy Buttons? An' I put in that patch myself. I
sewed it a hour, with strings out the garbage boxes, a hull hour. Hi,
there! you leave them goobers be!" cried the girl, swooping down upon
the few youngsters who had returned to pilfer the scattered nuts and, at
once, the two larger boys came to her aid.

"We'll help yer, Glory. An' me an' Nick'll give ye a nickel a-piece, fer
new bags, won't we, Nick?" comforted Billy. But, receiving no reply from
his partner in the news trade, he looked up to learn the reason. Nick
was busily picking up nuts and replacing them in such bags as remained
unbroken but he wasn't eager to part with his money. Nickels were not
plentiful after one's food was paid for, and though lodgings cost
nothing, being any odd corner of floor or pavement adjoining the
press-rooms whence he obtained his papers, there were other things he
craved. It would have been easy to promise but there was a code in Elbow
Lane which enforced the keeping of promises. If one broke one's word
one's head was, also, promptly broken. There was danger of this even now
and there, because Billy's foot came swiftly up to encourage his mate's
generosity.

However, the kick was dexterously intercepted by Glory; Master Buttons
was thrown upon his back, and Nick escaped both hurt and promise. With a
burst of laughter all three fell to work gathering up the nuts and the
small peddler's face was as gay as ever, as she cried:

"Say, boys, 'tain't nigh so bad. Ain't more'n half of 'em busted. I
guess the grocer-man'll trust me to that many--he's real good-natured
to-day. His jumper's tore, too, so maybe he'll let me work it out."
Then, perceiving a peculiar action on the part of the too helpful Billy,
she sternly demanded, "What you doin' there, puttin' in them shells
that's been all chewed?"

"Huh! That's all right. I jams 'em down in the bottom. They don't show
an' fills up faster'n th' others. Gotter make yer losin's good, hain't
yer?"

"Yes, Billy Buttons, I have, but I ain't goin' to make 'em cheatin'
anybody. What'd grandpa think or say to that? Now you can just empty out
every single goober shell you've put in an' fill up square. I'll save
them shells by theirselves, so's to have 'em ready next time you
yourself want to buy off me."

The beautiful justice of this promise so impressed the newsboy that he
turned a somersault, whereby more peanuts we