this 'ere 'buss. My wife's got the carridge hout in the Park; so I'm
druv to takin' busses--same as you, Sir." He took the seat next to
mine, and added seriously, "I expecks as you ain't likely to be buyin'
no more matches from me."

"Why, WILLIAM?"

"My name is REGGERNULD, Sir. Yer see, I'm movin' inter other premises,
as yer might say. I've give up my stand at yon corner." He jerked his
thumb in the direction of it.

"What's that for?"

"Oh--well--nothin'. Some of 'em think I'm a fool for doin' it. The
fac' was--I couldn't quite git on with my comp'ny there?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that other boy what come last Toosday, and started sellin'
pipers at my corner. You don't know 'oo 'e is, p'r'aps, nor 'oo I
am." I did not know, and I was very willing to get the story out of
REGINALD.

"Well, I come o' pretty mod'rately 'spectable folks, I do; and I ain't
goin' to chum up with no thieves' sons an' as like as not thieves
theirselves. No thankyer. Them Board Schools is a deal too mixed.
Thet's 'ow I come to know about thet boy. 'Is father 'ad a barrer,
thet were what _'is_ father did for a livelihood, an' 'is mother were
up afore the beaks for poppin' shirts what she'd took in to wash.
Well, I ain't one to brag, but my father were a 'air-dresser's