The president could do nothing but back Bluster up. He had given him full authority. At this juncture, Swipsey made his appearance. His hair disheveled, face and hands dirty, and clothes in a terrible condition. Swipsey listened to Bluster’s story with a great deal of patience. He looked guilty. “All we want to know,” said the leader of the gang, “is whether we can punish a boy for violating the rules, even if we are not officers.” That was a leading question, and experience had taught the president that it was a very wise thing to have any boy punish a member, and in his own way. The only provision made was that no badge must be taken away from a boy by a non-officer. Where a boy cannot be corrected by a fellow member, he must submit the case to an officer. This was agreed to and the boys were satisfied with the method used by Bluster. The two boys were made a little present, and they all left in their usual happy mood. CHAPTER XIV. The more experience the president had with the street-boys, boys who spent most of their time in selling papers or shining shoes, the greater his desire to keep in close personal touch with each boy. He had learned that it was not wise to censure a bad boy, to punish a boy who had violated any of the rules. That belonged entirely to the officers. Some of the best suggestions for gaining the most good came from the boys, and boys whom the general public would ignore, pay no attention to. The boys were working out their own salvation. Solving the boy problem themselves. The strongest argument for self-government, among boys, was solved by the boys, the sellers. This was when they began to bring to the president money and valuable articles they found on the streets, and the sincere, earnest request, in every case, “to please find the owner—it doesn’t belong to me.” [Illustration: “PRESIDENT, I HAVE ALREADY LICKED DE KID.” _See Page 77_ ] It was through the honesty of one of the hustling sellers that this new work was started, which became part of the great work and was carried on so successfully, and to such an extent that hundreds of valuable articles, from fifty cents in pennies to a diamond necklace, were found and returned to the owners. The following incident was the starting point. A stranger gave a little seller, what he supposed was a new bright penny, for an evening paper, and passed on. The boy renewed his work, and a few moments later another gentleman purchased a paper, giving the boy a dime. In counting out nine cents, as change, the seller handed the man the new penny he had just received from a stranger. The customer said: “My dear son, this is not a penny; it is a five dollar goldpiece.” “I didn’t know it, sir”, replied the boy. “If you will please to hold my papers I will run after the man and try to find him—this isn’t mine.” Around the corner the lad went at full speed. Up and down the street he looked but failed to see his man. He returned very much disappointed.