"The what?" asked Constance.

"De rattler," repeated the questioner, "de ding-dong."

"No, you ain't in no ambulance," spoke up the officer. "You're in this
young lady's carriage."

The look of hope and pride faded out of the boy's face. "Ise oin't playin'
in no sorter luck dese days," he sighed. Suddenly the expression of alarm
reappeared in his face. "Wheer's me papes?"

"They're all right. Don't you work yourself up over them," said the
roundsman, heartily.

"Youse didn't let de udder newsies swipe dem, did youse?" the lad appealed
anxiously.

"I'll pay you for every one you lost," offered Constance. "How many did
you have?"

The ragamuffin stared at her for a moment, his face an essence of
disbelief.

"Ah, hell!" he ejaculated. "Wot's dis song an' dance youse givin' us?"

"Really, I will," insisted the girl. She reached back of her and took her
purse from the rack, and as well as she could with her one hand opened it.

The sight of the bills and coin brought doubt to the sceptic. "Say," he
demanded, his eyes burning with avidity, "does youse mean dat? Dere oin't