She bolted as if the bobbies were after her." "How long ago ?" asked Oliver, anxiously.
"The clocks had just gone eight," he answered; "I've been watching for you ever since." "Why! that's a full hour ago," said the old man, looking wistfully down the alley; "it's time she was come back again for her little girl." [Illustration: THE LITTLE STRANGER.] But there was no symptom of anybody coming to claim the little girl, who stood very quietly at his side, one hand holding the dog fast by his ear, and the other still lying in Oliver's grasp.

The boy hopped on one foot across the narrow alley, and looked up with bright, eager eyes into the old man's face.
"I say," he said, earnestly, "don't you go to give her up to the p'lice.
They'd take her to the house, and that's worse than the jail.

Bless yer! they'd never take up a little thing like that to jail for a wagrant.

You just give her to me, and I'll take care of her.

It 'ud be easy enough to find victuals for such a pretty little thing as her.