e you at here? Ah! another miserable vagrant, I suppose. We'll
take care of such rascals as you; come with me. We'll larn ye to be
round stealing at this time o' night."

"No, sir! no, sir! I didn't do nothing"--

"Shut up! None of your lyin' to a policeman, you young rascal. I don't
want to hear, nor I won't stand your infernal lies."

"Oh do, mister, let me tell you all about it, and I know you won't hurt
me. I'm only going to the vessel, if you'll show me the way," said the
little fellow imploringly.

"Stop yer noise, ye lying young thief, you. Ye wouldn't be prowling
about at this time o' night if ye belonged to a vessel. 'Pon me soul,
I believe yer a nigger. Come to the light," said the guardman, dragging
him up to a lamp near by. "Well, you a'n't a nigger, I reckon, but yer a
strolling vagrant, and that's worse," he continued, after examining his
face very minutely. So, dragging him to the guardhouse as he would a
dog, and thrusting him into a sort of barrack-room, the captain of the
guard and several officials soon gathered around him to inquire the
difficulty. The officers listened to the guardman's story, with perfect
confidence in every thing he said, but refused to allow the little
fellow to reply in his own behalf. "I watched him for a long time, saw
him fumbling about people's doors, and then go to sleep in Mr. T--'s
recess. These boys are gettin' to be the very mischief-most dangerous
fellows we have to deal with," said the policeman.

"Oh, no! I was only goin' to the brig, and got turned round. I've been
more than two hours trying to find my way in the storm. I'm sure I a'n't
done no harm. If ye'll only let me tell my story," said Tommy.

"Shut up! We want no stories till morning. The mayor will settle your
hash to-morrow; and if you belong to a ship, you can tell him all about
it; but you'll have the costs to pay anyhow. Just lay down upon that
bench, and you can sleep there till morning; that's better than
loafing about the streets," said the captain of the guard, a large,
portly-looking man, as he pointed Tommy to a long bench similar to those
used in barrack-rooms.

The little fellow saw it was no use to attempt a hearing, and going
quietly to the bench, he pulled off his man-a-war hat, and laying it
upon a chair, stretched himself out upon it, putting his little hands
under his head to ease it from the hard boards.

But he was not destined to sleep long in this position, for a loud,
groaning