Billy To-morrow's Chums

Sydney Bremmer moves through the darkened nursery of Mrs. Schmitz’s house, guided by a lantern‑lit furnace that throws a ghostly glow across rows of shrubs and glass panes. The modest rooms – pine‑painted furniture, a cheap cotton carpet, a tin stove that hums like a friendly spirit – feel like a sanctuary after his hard years as a newsboy in fire‑scarred San Francisco. Even the small night‑light in Mrs. Schmitz’s bedroom offers a steady beacon as he climbs the creaking stairs toward his modest bedroom, where a rocking chair and a ticking nickel clock wait.

In the hush of night, Sydney’s thoughts turn to a puzzling injustice at school: the girls ignore Ida Jones, the board‑room girl, while the boys treat him with easy camaraderie. He recalls his childhood friends – Reginald, Hec, “Sis,” and the ever‑optimistic Billy To‑Tomorrow – hinting that a new adventure may be stirring in the quiet town.