"Well, not _all_ of them," laughed Mickey, "but they are starting in on _some_ of them, and all would be a good thing. The other kids who can't read don't know those words, so I study them out and use them; it catches the crowd for they laugh, and then pay me for making them. See? This world down on the streets is in such a mix a laugh is the scarcest thing there is; so they _pay_ for it. No grouchy, sad-cat-working-on-your-sympathy kid sells many. I can beat one with a laugh every inning." "What's 'inning,' Mickey?" came the next question. "Playin' a side at a ball game. Now Ty Cobb----" "Go on with what you say about the papers," interrupted Peaches. "All right!" said Mickey. "'Here's your nice, clean morning paper! Sterilized! Deodorized! Vulcanized! I _like_ to sell them. You _like_ to buy them! _Sometimes_ I sell them! Sometimes I _don't!_ Latest war news! Japan takes England! England takes France! France takes Germany! Germany takes Belgium! Belgium takes the cake! Here's your paper! Nice clean paper! Rush this way! Change your change for a paper! Yes, I _like_ to sell them----' and on and on that way all day, 'til they're gone and every one I pick up and smooth out is gone, and if they're torn and dirty, I carry them back on the cars and sell them for pennies to the poor folks walking home." "Mickey, will we be slum kids always?" she asked. "Not on your tin type!" cried Mickey. "If this is slum kids, I like it!" protested Peaches. "Well, Sunrise Alley ain't so slummy as where you was, Lily," explained the boy. "This is grand," said Peaches "Fine an' grand! No lady needn't have better!" "She wouldn't say so," said Mickey. "But Lily, you got something most of the millyingaire ladies hasn't." "What Mickey?" she asked interestedly. "One man all to yourself, who will do what you want, if you ask pretty, and he ain't going to drag you 'round and make you do things you don't like to, and hit you, and swear at you, and get drunk. Gee, I bet the worst you ever had didn't hurt more than I've seen some of the swell dames hurt sometimes. It'd make you sick Lily." "I guess 'at it would," said the girl, "'cause granny told me the same thing. Lots of times she said 'at she couldn't see so much in bein' rich if you had to be treated like she saw rich ladies. She said all they got out of it was nice dresses an' struttin' when their men wasn't 'round; nelse the money was theirn, an' nen they made the men pay. She said it was 'bout half and half." "So 'tis!" cried Mickey. "Tell you Lily, don't let's ever _be_ rich! Let's just have enough." "Mickey, what is 'enough?'" asked Peaches. "Why plenty, but not too much!" explained Mickey judicially. "Not enough to fight over! Just enough to be comfortable." "Mickey, I'm comf'rable as nangel now." "Gee, I'm glad, Lily," said Mickey in deep satisfaction. "Maybe He heard my S.O.S. after all, and you just being _comfortable_ is the answer." CHAPTER IV "_Bearer of Morning_"