When the evening came they made their way back to the lodging-house, buying, on their way, half a loaf and some cheese to take in for their supper. Bob had a good day himself so that he had managed to save threepence towards paying back the sixpence their kind friend had lent them in the morning, and it was with a face flushed with pride that he offered it to her. "No, laddie," she said; "wait until you can afford it better." "Please take it," he urged. "We've done well to-day, Willie and me." So Mrs. Blair took the money, but she insisted on their lying down in a corner of her room, instead of going into the common kitchen. "And you must come every night," she said. "I've been thinking to-day that if I had a little boy of my own I should like one with a face like Willie's. Bless him!" And the kind woman kissed the child tenderly. "That was nice," said the child. "Nobody ever did that afore." So the two children were always sure of a shelter for the night. Sometimes they were gone in the morning before Mrs. Blair was about, but if not, she always put fresh water into her tea or coffee-pot and gave them a hot drink. She was a very poor woman herself and it was as much as she could do for the little ones. But she did it gladly. CHAPTER III THE MISSION SCHOOL The children were not always so successful as on the day when Willie first began to sell his matches. Sometimes, indeed, they took scarcely anything, and poor little Willie would get tired and faint through having to go all day with nothing eat. One day Bob saw a gentleman jump off his horse and look for some one to hold it while he went into a shops. He darted up to him and asked to be allowed to do it. "You don't look very big, my lad," said the gentleman; "but you may try. Don't let him run away." Bob found it hard work, for the gentleman was a long time, and the pony was restive, but he was a plucky little chap and would not give in. The gentleman had been keeping his eye on him through the shop-window, and when he came out he said--"Well done, my boy! You'll make a fine man some day," and he thrust a shilling into the boy's hand. Bob was overjoyed with his good fortune as he showed it to Willie. "See 'ere, Willie," he said. "We'll 'ave a tuck-in to-night." And on the way to Mrs. Blair's they stood some time before a pastrycook's, trying to make up their minds which of the good things they should buy. First they thought they would like one thing and then another, but at last decided upon some meat pies, which, nicely arranged in the window, looked very tempting to the hungry boys. Mrs. Blair was delighted to hear of their success. Handing her the change, Bob said--- "Please'm, will yer mind this money for me?" He had long before paid her the remaining three-pence that he owed. "'Course I will," she said. "Are you saving up?" "Yes'm; you see it's gettin' cold now, and Willie's clothes is awful thin. I want to git 'im some more."