the night fell early, for a thick fog came on in the afternoon. tony cowered down upon his broom under the wall where dolly had sat in the sunshine all the morning to watch him sweep his crossing. it was all over now. she was lost to him; for he should never dare to go back to old oliver's house, and face that terrible old woman again. there was nothing for him but to return to his old life and his old haunts; and a chill ran through him, body and spirit, as he thought of it. his heap of paper shavings under the counter, where the biting winds could not reach him, came to his mind, and the tears rushed to his eyes. but to-night, at least, there would be no need to sleep out of doors, for he had some money in the safest corner of his ragged pocket, tied up in it securely with a bit of string. he could afford to pay for a night's lodging, and he knew very well where he could get one.
about nine o'clock tony turned his weary feet towards a slum he knew of in westminster, where there was a cellar open to everybody who could pay two-pence for a night's shelter. his heart was very full and heavy with resentment against his enemy; and a great longing to see dolly. he loitered about the door of the cellar, reluctant and almost afraid to venture in; for it was so long since he had been driven to any of these places that he felt nearly like a stranger among them. besides, in former times he had been kicked, and beaten, and driven from the fire, and fought with by the bigger boys; and he had become unaccustomed to such treatment of late. how different this lodging-house was to the quiet peaceful home where dolly knelt down every evening at her grandfather's knee, and prayed for him; for now she always put tony's name into her childish prayers! he should never, never hear her again, nor see old oliver seated in his arm-chair, smoking his long pipe, while he talked with that strange friend and master of his. ah! he would never hear or know any more of that unseen christ, who was so willing to be his master and friend, for the lord jesus christ could never come into such a wicked place as this, which was the only home he had. he had given him the crossing and the broom, and that was the end of it. he must take care of himself now, and keep out of gaol if he could, and if not, why then he had better make a business of thieving, and become as good a pickpocket as "clever dog tom," who had once stolen a watch from a policeman himself.
clever dog tom was the first to greet tony when he slipped in at last, and he seemed inclined to make much of him; but tony was too troubled for receiving any consolation from tom's friendly advances. he crept away into the darkest corner, and stretched himself on the thin straw which covered the damp and dirty floor, but he could not fall asleep. there was a good deal of quarrelling among the boys, and the men who wished to sleep swore long and loudly at them. then there followed a fight, which grew so exciting at last that every person in the place, except tony, gathered about the boys in a ring, encouraging and cheering them. it was long after midnight before silence and rest came, and then he fell into a broken slumber, dreaming of dolly and old oliver, until he awoke and found his face wet with tears. he got up before any of his bed-fellows were aroused, and made his way out into the fresh keen air of a december morning.
day after day went by, and night after night. tony was growing more indifferent again to the swearing and fighting of his old comrades. he began to listen with delight to the tales of clever dog tom, who told him that hands like his would work well in his line, and his innocent-looking face would go a long way towards softening any judge and jury, or would bring him favour with the chaplain, and easy times in gaol. he kept his crossing still, and did tolerably well, earning enough to keep himself in food, and to pay for his night's shelter; but he was beginning to hanker after something more. if he could not be good, and be on the same side as old oliver and dolly, he thought it would be better to be altogether on the other side, like tom, who dressed well, and lived well, and was looked up to by other boys. it was a week after he had left old oliver's house, and he was about to leave his crossing for the night, when a gentleman stopped him suddenly, and looked keenly into his face.
"hollo, my lad!" he said, "you're the boy i gave fourpence to a week ago for holding my horse, i told you to lay it out well. what did you do with it?"
"me and dolly bought this broom," he answered, "and i've kept this crossing ever since."
"well done!" said the gentleman. "and who is dolly?"
"it's a little girl as i was very fond of," replied tony, with a deep sigh. it seemed so long ago that he spoke of his love for her as if it was a thing altogether passed away and dead, yet his heart still ached at the memory of it.
"well, here's another fourpenny-bit for you," said his friend, "quite a new one. see how bright it is; no one has ever bought anything with it yet. dolly will like to see it."
tony held it in the palm of his hand long after the gentleman was out of sight, gazing at it in the lamplight. it was very beautiful and shining; and oh! how dolly's eyes would shine and sparkle if she could only see it! and she ought to see it. by right it belonged to her; for had he not given her his first fourpenny-piece freely, and had twenty kisses for it, and then had she not given it him back to buy a broom with? she had never had a single farthing of all his earnings. how he would like to show her this beautiful piece of silver, and feel her soft little arms round his neck, when he said it was to be her very own! he felt that he dare not pass the night in the cellar with such a treasure about him, for tom, who was so clever, would be sure to find out that his pocket was worth the picking, and tony had not found that there was much honour among thieves. what was he to do? where was he to go?
