"And what can I do for you, sir? Toys? Pots? Pans? Brushes?" "Ain’t Mrs. Jelks in?" gasped the urchin; "’ere, none o’ that," recovering with Cockney speed. "You’re a gent, you are." "A distant relative of Mrs.—er—Jelks. I’m taking charge of the shop during her absence. Well, miss," turning to Nell, "have you chosen a doll yet?" "I think I’ll have this one." She seized recklessly upon a particularly ugly specimen. "That’s not such good valley for your money as this lady with the golden locks, madam." "I’ll look about a little longer," she declared demurely. "Certainly, madam!" He turned again to the bewildered but now convinced urchin. "Is it something for yourself you want?" he inquired blandly. The boy shook his head with an air of deep mystery. "Whom for, then? If you will tell me, I can help you to choose, you know." He hesitated, glanced sharply at Denis’s face, and suddenly blurted out excitedly:— "It’s for Liz, sir! She’s my sister what can’t walk, you know. I’ve got it—look!" opening out a grimy little palm with a penny, six halfpennies, and two farthings on it. "Ain’t it fine? And I put ’er off—she thinks I only got a penny! She do, true as I stand ’ere! It’ll ’ave to be a secret till Christmas, too!" "Did you save it all up?" asked Nell. "Yes, miss! Every fardin’! And she don’t know!" "You will have to choose very carefully, won’t you? A doll, do you think?" He shook his head. "Gals are so funny," with a puzzled little frown; "she’s got a ole wooden thing, ’as Liz, with no arms nor legs, and she ’ugs it like anythink, and I ses to ’er t’other day, ’Liz,’ I ses, that artful she’d never guess what I was up to,—’Liz,’ I ses, ’wouldn’t it be fine if Sandy Claws was to come and give you a fine new doll with arms and legs now?’ And she up with ’er face all red, and she ses quite angry like, ’I wouldn’t ’ave it,’ she ses, ’ugging ’er old wooden doll, ’I’d throw it in the fire,’ she ses, ’my _sweet_ Lily Vilet!’" "Well, then," Nell suggested, "something _for_ the doll?" "Yes, miss, that’s it!" He was studying the treasures around him with solemn gaze. "This little doll’s house?" suggested Denis. "Or this Noah’s ark—it seems to be filled chiefly with brown paper, by the way. Or this beautiful cradle? All good valley," twinkling at Nell, "excellent valley." The urchin looked from one thing to another. "It’s differcult to know which, ain’t it?" "Take your time, take your time. I’ll be serving my other customers." He eyed Molly concernedly. "Don’t you feel well, miss? You look sort of hysterical. Twenty-four year ’ave me and Jelks kep’ this shop and never ’ad our goods laughed at before!" He turned his attention to Sheila Pat, who was rummaging earnestly for broken toys. "That’s a splendid ball you’re looking at, miss. Let me show you how it bounces."