"Oh, that poor child! Will that cop put him in jail, Mayor Gadsby?" At which His Honor instantly thought of a plan long in his mind. Branton Hills had a court room, a child's court, in fact, at which a kindly man looks out for just such young waifs--trying to find out why such tots commit unlawful acts. So Gadsby said:-- "I don't know, Marian, but I want you young folks to go on a visit, tonight, to our night court, to find out about just such wild boys. How many want to go?" To his satisfaction, all did; and so, that night that court room had rows of young folks, all agog with curiosity which a first visit to a court stirs up in a child. Just by luck, our young vagrant in rags was brought in first, shaking with childish doubt as to what was going to occur. But that kindly man sitting back of that big mahogany railing had no thought of scaring a child, and said calmly:-- "Now, boy, what did you do that you ought not to do; and why did you do it?" As our boys sat nudging and winking, but with our girls growing sad from sympathy, our young culprit said:-- "Aw! I grabs a bun, and dis big cop grabs my collar!" "But why did you grab that bun? It wasn't yours, you know." "_Gosh_, man!! I was _hungry!!_" "Hungry? Don't your folks look out for you?" "Naw; I do my own looking. And that's what I _was_ doing, too!" "What had you for food all day?" "Just that bun. And _say!!_ I only got _half_ of it! That big cop was so rough!" "Did that cop, as you call him, hurt you?" "_Hurt!!_ I should say _not!!_ I put up a good stiff scrap! I paid him back, blow for blow! No big gas-bag of a cop is going to wallop _this_ kid and not pay for it!" "But, boy, don't your folks bring you up to know that it is wrong to rob anybody?" "Naw! My Dad robs folks, and just got six months for it. So why shouldn't I? It's all right to do what your Dad will do, isn't it?" "Not always, boy," and our girls in row two and our boys in row four sat sad and glum at this portrayal of youthful sin. Finally that big kindly man, thoughtfully rubbing his chin, said:-- "Whom did your Dad rob?" "I dunno. It was a Ford car. Nobody wasn't in it, so why not grab it? That's what Dad said. You can pick up a bit of cash for a car, you know, boss. And say, if a car brung only six months, how long will I squat in jail for swiping this half bun? Aw! Go slow, boss! I ain't no bad kid! Only just a hungry mutt. Gosh!! _How_ I wish I had a glass of milk!" From row two a young, vigorous girlish form shot out, dashing for a doorway; and as that big kindly man was still rubbing his chin, Marian burst in again, rushing, sobbingly, to that sad bunch of rags, holding out a pint of milk and two hot biscuits. A quick snatch by two horribly dirty young hands, a limp flop on a mat at that big mahogany railing, and a truly hungry child was oblivious to all around him. And I'll say that our boys, in row four, had lumpy throats. But finally that big kindly man said:--