sentimental; and he soon bethought him that Master Murphy might
catch cold after his excitement, so we wrapped him up in my
greatcoat. 'Tobauga (Tobago) Street' was the address he gave us;
and we deposited him in a little grocer's shop and went through all
the houses in the street without being able to find any one of the
name of Murphy. Then I set off to the head police office, leaving
my greatcoat in pawn about Master Murphy's person. As I went down
one of the lowest streets in the town, I saw a little bit of life
that struck me. It was now half-past twelve, a little shop stood
still half-open, and a boy of four or five years old was walking up
and down before it imitating cockcrow. He was the only living
creature within sight.

At the police offices no word of Master Murphy's parents; so I went
back empty-handed. The good groceress, who had kept her shop open
all this time, could keep the child no longer; her father, bad with
bronchitis, said he must forth. So I got a large scone with
currants in it, wrapped my coat about Tommy, got him up on my arm,
and away to the police office with him: not very easy in my mind,
for the poor child, young as he was - he could scarce speak - was
full of terror for the 'office,' as he called it. He was now very
grave and quiet and communicative with me; told me how his father
thrashed him, and divers household matters. Whenever he saw a
woman on our way he looked after her over my shoulder and then gave
his judgment: 'That's no HER,' adding sometimes, 'She has a wean
wi' her.' Meantime I was telling him how I was going to take him
to a gentleman who would find out his mother for him quicker than
ever I could, and how he must not be afraid of him, but be brave,
as he had been with me. We had just arrived at our destination -
we were just under the lamp - when he looked me in the face and