You invest ten cents and an hour's time on a gamble. Now look what you
get, lady. A nice restful ride on the cars. Your ten cents back, a whole,
big, shining, round, lady-liberty bird, if you trust in God, as the coin
says the bird does, and more'n that, dearest lady, you go to bed feeling
your pinfeathers sprouting, 'cause you've done a kind deed to a poor
crippled orphing."

"If I thought you really had the money--" she said.

"Honest, lady, I got the money," said Mickey, "and 'sides, I got a
surprise party for you. When you get back you may go to that room and take
every scrap that's in it. Now come on; you're going to be enough of a
sporting lady to try a chance like that, ain't you? May be a gold mine up
there, for all I know. Put something soft in the bottom of the basket
while I fetch the kid."

Mickey ran up the stairs.

"Now Peaches," he said, "I guess I got it fixed. I'm going to carry you
down; a nice lady is going to put you in a big basket, then we'll take you
to the cars and so get you to my house; but you got to promise, 'cross
your heart, you won't squeal, nor say a word, 'cause the police will 'get'
you sure, if you do. They'll think the woman is your ma, so it will be all
right. See?"

Peaches nodded. Mickey wrapped her in the remnants of a blanket, carried
her downstairs and laid her in the basket. By turning on her side and
drawing up her feet, she had more room than she needed.

"They won't let us on the cars," said the woman.