"Naw, I don't!" said the boy.

"Where does he live?" continued Douglas.

"I don't know," answered Jimmy.

"If you have a charge to prefer, I'll take that youngster in for you,"
offered a policeman passing on his beat.

"He was imposing on a smaller newsboy. I made him quit," Douglas
explained. "That's all."

"Oh!" said the officer, withdrawing his hand. Away sped Jimmy; with him
went all chance of identifying Mickey, but Bruce thought he would watch
for him. He was such an attractive little fellow.

Mickey raced through the first alley, down a street, then looked behind.
Jimmy was not in sight.

"Got _him_ to dodge now," he muttered. "If he ever gets a grip on me he'll
hammer me meller! I'm going to have a bulldog if I half starve to buy it.
Maybe the pound would give me one. I'll see to-morrow."

He looked long, then started homeward, which meant to jump on a car and
ride for miles, then follow streets and alleys again. Finally he entered a
last alley that faced due east. A compass could not have pointed more
directly toward the rising sun; while there was at least half an hour each
clear morning when rickety stairs, wavering fire-escapes, flapping washes,
and unkept children were submerged in golden light. Long ago it had been