CHAP. I1.] A Fruitless Search. 55 
that he could obtain very little shelter for the night. He 
was barefooted, and his clothes were thin and raggy. The 
wind blew through the logs, and he soon became very cold. 
He shivered till his teeth chattered. The squeaking and 
jumping of the rats, of whom there seemed to be myriads, 
kept him awake. It was so different from being snug in 
his warm bed, that he once thought of getting out of his 
hole and running home. But he was terrified to do that, 
and thus encounter his father’s strap—his back being still 
so sore from the effects of his flogging at school. The cold 
continued to increase, especially toward the small hours of 
the morning. Indeed, he never experienced so bitterly cold 
a night in the whole course of his life. 
At length morning began to dawn. ‘The first streaks of 
light were tinging the eastern sky, when Tom prepared to 
get out of his hole and have a run in the open ground to 
warm himself. He was creeping out of the logs for the 
purpose, when in the dim morning light he thought he saw 
the figure of aman. Yes! it was his father. He saw him 
moving about among the saw-pits, the logs, and the piles of 
wood. Tom crept farther into his hole among the logs; 
and, on looking out again, he found his father had disap- 
peared. Half an hour later he appeared again; and after 
going over the former ground, he proceeded in the direc- 
tion of the Inches. In a few minutes he descended to the 
channel, doubtless with the intention of crossing, as the tide 
was out at the time. 
Now, thought Tom, is my opportunity. He crept out of 
his hole, went round the farther end of the logs, up Lower 
Dee Street, past the carpet-weaver’s, up Carmelite Street, 
and then home. Just as he reached the top of the stair, 
Mrs. Kelmar, the kindly “ neibour,” who had been kept up 
all night by the troubles of the Edward family, took him 
by the collar, and said, “‘ Hh, laddie, ye hae gien yer folk a 
sair nicht o’t! But bide a wee, I'll gang in wi’ ye!” As 
she entered the door, she exclaimed, “ Here he’s again, 
