poor billy! after all, tom had told him a story, for there was no cab whatever waiting in the long and dreary street, into which he ran so eagerly. he ran up and down its entire length, and even stopped at the very number tom had indicated. a little girl was coming slowly down the steps, and billy could not help saying to her, "oh, missy, am i too late, and have all the boxes been stowed away afore i come?"
"there have been no boxes stowed away," said the little girl, stopping and staring in astonishment at the ragged boy.
"oh, but, missy, out of the two cabs, yer knows."
"there have been no cabs here for many a day," replied the child in a sorrowful, dull kind[pg 238] of tone, which seemed to say that she only wished anything half so nice and interesting would arrive.
billy saw then that the whole thing had been a hoax, and he flew back down the long street, with a great terror in his heart. oh! what did tom mean, and was the baby safe?
there was no tom anywhere in sight when the poor little boy returned to the more crowded thoroughfare; but a policeman was stooping down and looking curiously at something on the pavement, and one or two people were beginning to collect round him.
billy arrived just in time to see the policeman pick up a little shivering, crying, half-naked baby. yes, this baby was his own sarah ann, but her woolen comforter, and mother's old paisley shawl, and even a little brown winsey frock had all disappeared.
"oh! give her to me, give her to me," sobbed poor billy; "oh, sairey ann, sairey ann, yer'll have brownchitis and hinflammation now, sure and certain; oh, wot a wicked boy tom jones is."[pg 239]
the policeman asked a few leading questions, and then finding that the baby was billy's undoubted property, he was only too glad to deliver her into his arms. the poor baby was quiet at once, and laid her little head caressingly against billy's cheek. billy tore off his own ragged jacket and wrapped it round her, and then flew home, with the energy and terror of despair. a pitiless sleet shower overtook him, however, and the two were wet to the skin when they arrived at their attic.
