"I bees not a girl,--I bees a boy, I be."

Then passing my hand down over a little coat covered with buttons, I
said,--

"Surely, so you are a little boy; but what is your name?"

"My name bees Little Jakey; dot is my name."

"Little Jakey! Indeed! and pray, when did you come here?"

Quick as thought his little foot struck out against the post again, and
the gate went flying to and fro, as before; then coming to a sudden halt,
he said,--

"Vell, I tink I tell you. I bees here von Sunday and von Sunday and
_von_ Sunday; so long I bees here."

"How old are you, Jakey?"

"I bees seving; dot is my old,--dot is how old I bees."

"And can you not see?"

"No, I not see. Ven Gott make my eyes, my moder say he not put ze light
in zem."

"And are you going to school here, Jakey?"