really be the boys names? Were they not rather some unfortunate street
names that had been fastened upon them?

Thus brought back to his senses, Policeman Duffer laughed, and admitted
that he supposed Sneaking Billy was properly named Sneyder; but he was
once caught in a mean trick, from which he tried in so many ways to
squirm out, that the boys had themselves named him Sneaking Billy, and
the name had stuck.

As for "Scrawley," his real name was Stephen Crowley. How it became
contracted into "Scrawley" the boys could tell better than anybody else.
They always called him that, and so did other people; and Policeman
Duffer was inclined to doubt whether the fellow remembered that he had
any other name.

"You can see yourself, ma'am," he added, "how Black Dirk came by his
name. He is the blackest white fellow as ever I saw, and I've seen
crowds of 'em."

The streets were full, and Policeman Duffer was being interviewed by a
great many people in regard to all the questions that policemen are
expected to answer. But by dint of patient waiting, one foot poised on a
curbstone to keep it out of the mud, making hurried little memoranda
while Policeman Duffer was engaged, and earnestly plying her questions
when he was at leisure, Mrs. Roberts learned the names of her seven
boys, and where several of them lived.