Willie the Waif | Page 5

put fresh water into her tea or coffee-pot and gave them a hot drink. She was a very poor woman herself and it was as much as she could do for the little ones. But she did it gladly.
CHAPTER III
THE MISSION SCHOOL
The children were not always so successful as on the day when Willie first began to sell his matches. Sometimes, indeed, they took scarcely anything, and poor little Willie would get tired and faint through having to go all day with nothing eat.
One day Bob saw a gentleman jump off his horse and look for some one to hold it while he went into a shops. He darted up to him and asked to be allowed to do it.
"You don't look very big, my lad," said the gentleman; "but you may try. Don't let him run away."
Bob found it hard work, for the gentleman was a long time, and the pony was restive, but he was a plucky little chap and would not give in. The gentleman had been keeping his eye on him through the shop-window, and when he came out he said--"Well done, my boy! You'll make a fine man some day," and he thrust a shilling into the boy's hand.
Bob was overjoyed with his good fortune as he showed it to Willie. "See 'ere, Willie," he said. "We'll 'ave a tuck-in to-night." And on the way to Mrs. Blair's they stood some time before a pastrycook's, trying to make up their minds which of the good things they should buy. First they thought they would like one thing and then another, but at last decided upon some meat pies, which, nicely arranged in the window, looked very tempting to the hungry boys.
Mrs. Blair was delighted to hear of their success. Handing her the change, Bob said---
"Please'm, will yer mind this money for me?" He had long before paid her the remaining three-pence that he owed.
"'Course I will," she said. "Are you saving up?"
"Yes'm; you see it's gettin' cold now, and Willie's clothes is awful thin. I want to git 'im some more."
"So they are," she answered. "Yours too, I think."
"Oh, them don't matter," he replied. "But Willie's on'y a little chap; I must take care on 'im."
Mrs. Blair was often touched when she noticed this boy's devotion to his little brother. He never seemed to care what hardships he went through himself, but Willie must be shielded at all costs.
It took a long time to save up the required sum, but at length Bob managed it, and one night the boy came in with an old coat and a pair of shoes tucked under his arm. Of course the coat was not a very good fit, and the shoes were too large: but Bob had picked up the two at an old clothes-shop for two shillings, and they were the best he could do. At any rate, they were whole, and they would keep Willie warm.
It was a miserably foggy evening in November. The roads were frightfully dirty, and Bob worked with all his might to keep the crossing clean; but the people all seemed in too much of a hurry to take any notice of the little sweeper, and Willie fared no better with his matches. Fairly worn out and tired, the little fellow began to cry.
"Let's go 'ome, Bob," he sobbed. "I'm so cold."
"All right," returned the other. "Seems no use to stop 'ere. Folks ain't got nothin' for us to-night."
Bob shouldered his broom, and they turned off down a side street. They had not gone far when Willie suddenly stopped.
"'Ark, Bob! Wot's that?" he whispered.
"Sounds like as if some one was a-singin'," was he answer. "P'raps we shall come to 'em in a minute. Come on!"
Buoyed up by this suggestion Willie quickened his footsteps, and presently they came to a small hall, which was brilliantly lighted. [The children stopped, and Bob peeped in at the door.] The place seemed to be almost full of children, some of whom were quite as ragged as himself. They were all singing lustily, and the two boys could hear the words---
"Suffer little children to come unto Me."
"Don't it sound prime, Willie?" said Bob. Shall we go in?"
"Yes, do; it'll be warm in there."
So Bob pushed open the door, and trying to make as little noise as possible, so as not to attract attention, the two boys shuffled in. In his anxiety, however, he managed to drop his broom, which fell with a thud on the floor, the noise of which caused all the children to stop their singing and turn round to look at him. This was too much for the poor little fellow, and he tried to get out again as quickly as he came in. Just as he was turning to go, however, a lady