the lamp and went to his couch.

Presently Paul started up, smitten by a pang straight through his
heart. He sprang to his feet. "Mister," he cried in the darkness,
not knowing how else to address his protector. "I mun go whoam."

"Wot?" exclaimed the other. "Thought better of it already? Well, go,
then, yer little 'eathen 'ippocrite!"

"I'll coom back," said Paul.

"Yer afeared, yer little rat," said Barney Bill, out of the
blackness.

"I'm not," retorted Paul indignantly. "I'm freeten'd of nowt."

"Then what d'yer want to go for? If you've made up yer mind to come
along of me, just stay where you are. If you go home they'll nab you
and whack you for staying out late, and lock you up, and you'll not
be able to get out in time in the morning. And I ain't a-going to
wait for yer, I tell yer straight."

"I'll be back," said Paul.

"Don't believe it. Good mind not to let yer go."

The touch of genius suddenly brushed the boy's forehead. He drew
from his pockets the handful of silver and copper that was his
week's wages, and, groping in the darkness, poured it over Barney
Bill. "Then keep that for me till I coom back."