"The copp! the copp!" passed from mouth to mouth.
The officer saw that the odds were against him, and he must summon help. He went up the ladder, therefore, and went in search of assistance. The boys scrambled up after him. Some were caught, and ultimately sentenced to the Island, on a charge of stealing the articles which were found; but others escaped. Among these was Ben, who was lucky enough to glide off in the darkness. He took the little German boy under his protection, and managed to get him safely away also. In this case the ends of justice were not interfered with, as neither of the two had been guilty of dishonesty, or anything else rendering them amenable to the law.
"Well, Dutchey, we're safe," said Ben, when they had got some blocks away from the wharf. "How do you feel?"
"I lose mine breath," said the little boy, panting with the effort he had made.
"That's better than losin' your liberty," said Ben. "You'll get your breath back again. Now we must look about and see where we can sleep. I wonder if Jim Bagley's took."
"Jerry, is it you? I'm glad you're safe."
"The copp got a grip of me, but I left my jacket in his hands. He can carry that to the station-house if he wants to."
Jerry's appearance corresponded to his statement, his jacket being gone, leaving a dilapidated vest and ragged shirt alone to protect the upper part of his body. He shivered with the cold, for it was now November.
"Here, Jerry," said Ben, "just take my vest an' put over yours. I'll button up my coat."
"If I was as fat as Dutchey, I wouldn't mind the cold," said Jerry.
The three boys finally found an old wagon, in which all three huddled up together, by this means keeping warmer than they otherwise could. Being turned out of their beds into the street might have been considered a hardship by boys differently reared, but it was not enough to disturb the philosophy of our young vagrants.
Ben worked away steadily at his double occupation, saving money as well as he could; but he met with no more profitable adventures. His earnings were gradual. Some weeks he laid by as much as a dollar and a half, or even two dollars, but other weeks he barely reached a dollar. So the end of March came before he was able to carry out the object which he had in view.