Then the poor boy sank back upon the bed and gradually, urged on by Kansas Shorty’s assurance that sleep would heal all the quicker the bruises and marks the terrible beating had left on him, a reminder of his promise, and a warning of far worse punishment should he dare to break it, he fell asleep.

Then the other plingers sent down to the slum saloon for a new supply of beer and “whiskey”, and while they took care not to make noise enough to awaken the new recruit to the army of professional beggars, they drank to Kansas Shorty’s health and congratulated him upon the successful culmination of the first step necessary to make a good-for-nothing parasite of society out of a respectable boy.  This inhuman brutality is administered to every boy who falls into the clutches of a plinger, as it not only deadens the spirit of pride and honor, but makes the boy obedient to the least command of his jocker.

This cruel maltreatment is called amongst those hoboes who have boys tramping with them:  “Busting a Broncho”.

[Illustration:  Four tramps]

CHAPTER IX.

“The Abyss.”

The following law, if passed and enforced without mercy, would quickly put a stop to the common practice of degenerates spoiling the lives and futures of other people’s children by training them to become tramps, drunkards, professional beggars and even dangerous criminals, viz:  “Should any minor be found beyond the limits of his legal residence tramping, peddling, begging or stealing at the command or for the benefit of an adult person, who cannot prove that he had the legal consent of the minor’s guardian, then this adult person shall be sentenced to a long term at hard labor in the state penitentiary.”

* * * * *

(The actual experiences of the Author, who when a young boy was at one time a plinger’s road kid, are embodied into this chapter and have been even far more revolting than herein described.)

* * * * *

It was several days after the terrible thrashing before Jim recovered sufficiently to be able to show himself upon the streets.

On the morning of the fifth day after his arrival at Denver, he was told by Kansas Shorty to accompany Danny upon his day’s work and watch how this small, weak boy managed to earn a living for himself and his master, who under the pretense of “showing him the world”, had enticed him away from his home.

Danny had been trained by his jocker, an ugly ex-convict, who on account of his ape-like face had been dubbed “Jocko”, to peddle needle cases from house to house.  These needle cases are paper packages containing an assortment of needles and are always retailed in every store in the land for five cents.  These harmless packages have made more useless, if not dangerous men out of harmless youngsters than any other cause, as printed in bold type across their face are these words: