Clarence regarded Ben in amazement, and turned away his head in a disgust which he did not attempt to conceal. "He will tell Uncle Nicholas," thought our unfortunate hero, "and he will think I have been doing something disgraceful." "Come along, ye young rapscallion!" said the policeman, roughly, "I'll soon attind to your case." CHAPTER VII. A STRANGE ADVENTURE. Under different circumstances Ben might have been interested in his first view of a police station. But, standing before the bar in the custody of a policeman, he felt too much troubled in mind to notice his surroundings. As another prisoner was under examination, fifteen minutes elapsed before Ben's turn came. "What is the charge against this boy?" asked the sergeant. "I caught him fightin' in the streets," said the officer. "He was hittin' that b'ye yonder," indicating Mike Rafferty. Mike, who looked emphatically like a hard case, tried to appear like a respectable, well-behaved boy, who had been set upon by a young ruffian. "What's your name?" asked the sergeant, addressing Mike. "Mike Rafferty, yer honor," answered Mike, thinking it best to be as respectable as possible. "Did this boy strike you?" "Yes, and he did, your honor, and if you don't believe me just ax any of them b'yes," indicating his companions. "Tommy Burke, didn't you see him hit me?" "That will do. What did he hit you for?" "Faith, and I don't know," said Mike, shrugging his shoulders. "Did you hit him first?" "No, I didn't do nothing to him," answered Mike, virtuously. "I think you have been here before," said the sergeant, whose memory was good. "I don't remember it," said Mike, cautiously, not thinking it politic to contradict the sergeant. "Officer, do you know anything of the boy you have brought in?" "Oh, yes, I've known him a long time. He's wan of the gang," answered the policeman, glibly. Just then a gentleman came forward, whom, much to Ben's delight, he remembered as the keeper of a dry-goods store in Sunderland. Bowing to the sergeant, he said, respectfully: "I know this boy, and I know that the policeman is under a great mistake. Will you allow me to say what I know about him?" "Go on, sir." "So far from his being a member of any city gang, he lives in the country, and it is extremely doubtful if the policeman ever saw him before. He only came to the city yesterday." "He's wan of the gang," persisted the officer, sullenly. "I've seen him ivery day for the last three months." "Mr. Sergeant," said the former speaker, "this officer is guilty of willful falsehood. I know the boy as well as I know my own son, and I know that he has passed the last three months in the country."