ut, especially
drawing and hard sums. I want them because they'll help me to be a
fitter by and by."

But Teddy whistled in a very unbelieving way, and presently went off to
the kitchen, as he explained, to give the poor dog a bone.

And when the others moved a few minutes afterwards, they were startled
by a cry from Nellie, who had gone after Teddy.

All her family of five cherished dolls were hanging by their back hair
from the hooks on the kitchen dresser, while Pat marched about with her
Sunday doll's best velvet hat set rakishly on his head, and a Red
Riding Hood cloak on his back!

CHAPTER IX.

STOPPING A BURGLARY.

It was Saturday afternoon and the great machine shops at Lisle & Co.'s
were closing for the weekly half holiday. There was to be an important
football match at the Marshes outside the town, and the boys and men
had talked of little else all the week.

"Art coming, Dick, to see the match?" asked one of the lads, who had
seemed inclined to be friendly during the last week or two. "Yon's a
grand team ours are going to play."

"To the match? Not he," sneered Hal Smith, who stood near. "He
couldn't spare a tanner for gate money, and he's going to stop at home
and say his prayers, little dear, because football's wicked, and he's
got to get ready for the Sabbath day."

"Nonsense! There's no harm in football. Own up now, Dick, wouldn't
you like to see the match?"

"Maybe I should, especially if I could be in it," said Dick, good
humouredly.

"Hear him?" shouted Hal in derision, "he wants to be captain of our
team, no doubt, the little upstart! Come on, lads, we don't want his
company. See, all the others are going."

Soon the tramp of many feet died away, and the yards were left to
Saturday's quiet and loneliness.

The throb of the machinery and all the stir and clatter of toil had
ceased till midnight on Sunday, when the first shift of workers would
begin again.

But Dick felt entirely happy as he took a huge "doorstep" of bread and
cheese and a rosy apple from his bag, and began to munch it in the
shadow of a great locomotive that stood on the lines, not far from the
manager's office.

A few days before this engine had been brought in smoking hot for
repairs, and on Monday the work would be finished.

Dick's quick eyes had seen new features in the make of this visitor,
and he resolved to use part of his holiday in investigations. Mrs.
Garth would be busy with her cleani