was doing right or wrong, she entered with her new acquaintance. After a short silence the latter said,―

"I suppose you're wretchedly poor; father overworked, and mother ill with bother and bad food?"

This seemed very impertinent, and a painful silence followed. Jessie could not deny the statement, but felt sure she ought not to affirm it.

"Never mind, you can't help their follies!" was the next shock to Jessie's feelings. Her parents' follies! How dared a stranger say such thing!

"I'm sure papa and mamma don't know you. Why do you speak so of them?" she asked, hastily brushing away tears of over excitement that sprung to her eyes.

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There, there! think no more about it; just a queer old woman's way!" replied the other, and at this moment they were turning a corner, and the light of a street lamp fell on a tall policeman who was leading by the hand a worn out, tearful, hatless little boy.

"Stop, stop!" shrieked Jessie, and leaning out of the window she called, "Eddie,-wait please, it's Eddie!"

The old lady rattled her umbrella on the cab windows, the policeman waited till the cab stopped, and in another minute Jessie stood on the pavement frantically hugging and scolding the sobbing urchin.

"Do 'e belong to you?" asked the policeman, stoically looking on.

"To be sure he does, little torment!" said the old lady briskly, as she got out after Jessie. "There, children, get in both of you; and the cabman is paid, remember. Give me your

ticket, cabman, and drive these children safe to 7, New Morley Street."

And before Jessie could well realize what had happened, she and Eddie were being vigorously driven homewards, and the eccentric old lady was lost in the darkness.

At home the consternation was great, the poor mother inconsolable; for in addition to Eddie's loss, which was obliged to be told her by Milly, she began to fear the worst for Jessie also. Mr. Clayton had just put on his hat, having that minute returned home and been told the sad news, to go in search of his children as the cab rattled up to the door, and he was relieved of his intense anxiety.

K

That night Eddie and Milly were very subdued, and I am sure the former had lost all taste for roaming.

"Where did you go?" whispered Milly.
"I don't know," replied Eddie.
"Who found you?"

"A bobby!"

"A what?" asked Milly amazed.

"That's what a boy called the man with silver buttons that took hold of my hand, and walked away with me."

Then mother called for her little boy, and held him tight for the twentieth time that night; and again and again made him promise never to go outside the door alone again.

Mr. Clayton was compelled to go out as usual next morning, and carried with him the sorrowful recollection of the cold, cheerless room, and the scolding woman who bounced up at every movement made by the children when they were left alone. Jessie was terribly overcome, poor girl; her fright of the day before had unhinged her, and it was with great difficulty she performed the necessary offices for her mother, and soothed the wondering little ones, who huddled together in a corner by one

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