Ben quickly commenced the descent. Barney was waiting for him, and held out his hand to help him off. Our hero stepped from the ladder upon the lower flooring of the wharf, and looked about him with some curiosity. It was certainly a singular spectacle that met his view. About a dozen boys were congregated in the room under the wharf, and had evidently taken some pains to make themselves comfortable. A carpet of good size was spread over a portion of the flooring. Upon this three beds were spread, each occupied by three boys. Those who could not be accommodated in this way laid on the carpet. Some of the boys were already asleep; two were smoking, and conversing in a low voice. Looking about him Ben recognized acquaintances in several of them.[A] "Is that you, Mike Sweeny?" he asked of a boy stretched out on the nearest bed. "Yes," said Mike; "come and lay alongside of me." There was no room on the bed, but Ben found space beside it on the carpet, and accordingly stretched himself out. [A] The description of the room under the wharf, and the circumstances of its occupation by a company of street boys, are not imaginary. It was finally discovered, and broken up by the police, the details being given, at the time, in the daily papers, as some of my New York readers will remember. Discovery did not take place, however, until it had been occupied some time. "How do you like it?" asked Mike. "Tip-top," said Ben. "How'd you get the carpet and beds? Did you buy 'em?" "Yes," said Mike, with a wink; "but the man wasn't in, and we didn't pay for 'em." "You stole them, then?" "We took 'em," said Mike, who had an objection to the word stole. "How did you get them down here without the copp seein' you?" "We hid 'em away in the daytime, and didn't bring 'em here till night. We came near gettin' caught." "How long have you been down here?" "Most a month." "It's a good place." "Yes," said Mike, "and the rent is very reasonable. We don't have to pay nothin' for lodgin'. It's cheaper'n the Lodge." "That's so," said Ben. "I'm sleepy," he said, gaping. "I've been to the Old Bowery to-night. Good-night!" "Good-night!" In five minutes Ben was fast asleep. Half an hour later, and not a sound was heard in the room under the wharf except the occasional deep breathing of some of the boys. The policeman who trod his beat near by little suspected that just at hand, and almost under his feet, was a rendezvous of street vagrants and juvenile thieves, for such I am sorry to say was the character of some of the boys who frequented these cheap lodgings. In addition to the articles already described there were two or three chairs, which had been contributed by different members of the organization.