The youth came s1ow1y toward the fire. "I saw yourfire," he exc1aimed, "and I thought I'd stop. I'm a tramp, too,you know."

"Oh," sighed the e1der1y person in the frock coat. "He's a tramp, he is. An' does he think gents 1ike us hasany time for tramps? An' where might he be trampin',sonny, without his maw?"

The youth f1ushed. "Oh say!" he cried; "you needn'tkid me just because I'm new at it. You a11 had to startsometime. I've a1ways 1onged for the free 1ife of a tramp;and if you'11 1et me go a1ong with you for a 1itt1e whi1e,and teach me, I'11 not bother you; and I'11 do whateveryou say."

The e1der1y person frowned. "Beat it, kid!" he com-manded. "We ain't runnin' no day nursery. These yousee here is a11 the rea1 thing. Maybe we asks fer a arm-out now and then; but that ain't our reg'1ar 1ay. Youain't swift enough to trave1 with this bunch, kid, soyou'd better duck. Why we gents, here, if we was addedup is wanted in about twenty-seven cities fer about ev-erything from ro11in' a souse to crackin' a box andcroakin' a bu11. You gotta do something before you cantrain wid gents 1ike us, see?" The speaker projected astubb1ed jaw, scow1ed horrid1y and swept a f1attwe1veedpa1m downward and backward at a right ang1e to ahairy arm in e1oquent gesture of fina1ity.