paul the peddler-第7章

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robbery　which　entailed　upon　him　a　loss　he　could　ill　sustain。



〃I'll　give　you　all　you　want；〃　he　said；　resolutely；　eyeing　Mike

warily；　and　watching　a　chance　to　give　him　another　blow。



The　contest　was　brief；　being　terminated　by　the　sudden　and

unwelcome　arrival　of　a　policeman。



〃What's　this？〃　he　asked　authoritatively；　surveying　the

combatants；　Paul；　with　his　flushed　face；　and　Mike；　whose　nose　was

bleeding　freely　from　a　successful　blow　of　his　adversary。



〃He　pitched　into　me　for　nothin'；〃　said　Mike；　glaring　at　Paul；　and

rubbing　his　bloody　nose　on　the　sleeve　of　his　ragged　coat。



〃That　isn't　true；〃　said　Paul；　excitedly。　　〃He　came　up　while　I　was

selling　prize　packages　of　candy　in　front　of　the　post　office；　and

pulled　my　hat　over　my　eyes；　while　another　boy　grabbed　my　basket。〃



〃You　lie！〃　　said　Mike。　　〃I　don't　know　nothin'　of　your　basket。〃



〃Why　did　you　pull　his　hat　over　his　eyes？〃　asked　the　policeman。



〃Because　he　insulted　me。〃



〃How　did　he　insult　you？〃



〃He　wouldn't　trust　me　till　to…morrow。〃



〃I　don't　blame　him　much　for　that；〃　said　the　policeman；　who　was

aware　of　Mike's　shady　reputation；　having　on　a　former　occasion

been　under　the　necessity　of　arresting　him。　　Even　without　such

acquaintance；　Mike's　general　appearance　would　hardly　have

recommended　him　to　Officer　Jones。



〃I'll　let　you　go　this　time；〃　he　said；　〃but　if　I　catch　you

fighting　again　on　my　beat　I'll　march　you　off　to　the

station…house。〃



Mike　was　glad　to　escape；　though　he　would　almost　have　been　willing

to　be　arrested　if　Paul　could　have　been　arrested　also。



The　officer　walked　away；　and　Mike　started　down　the　street。



Paul　followed　him。



That　didn't　suit　Mike's　ideas；　as　he　was　anxious　to　meet　Jim　and

divide　the　spoils　with　him。



〃What　are　you　follerin'　me　for？〃　he　demanded；　angrily。



〃I　have　my　reasons；〃　said　Paul。



〃Then　you'd　better　stay　where　you　are。　　Your　company　ain't

wanted。〃



〃I　know　that；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　I'm　going　to　follow　you　till　I

find　my　basket。〃



〃What　do　I　know　of　your　basket？〃



〃That's　what　I　want　to　find　out。〃



Mike　saw；　by　Paul's　resolute　tone；　that　he　meant　what　he　said。　

Desirous　of　shaking　him　of；　he　started　on　a　run。







CHAPTER　VI



PAUL　AS　AN　ARTIST



Paul　was　not　slow　in　following　Mike。　　He　was　a　good　runner；　and

would　have　had　no　difficulty　in　keeping　up　with　his　enemy　if　the

streets　had　been　empty。　　But　to　thread　his　way　in　and　out　among

the　numerous　foot　passengers　that　thronged　the　sidewalks　was　not

so　easy。　　He　kept　up　pretty　well；　however；　until；　in　turning　a

street　corner；　he　ran　at　full　speed　into　a　very　stout　gentleman；

whose　scanty　wind　was　quite　knocked　out　of　him　by　the　collision。　

He　glared　in　anger　at　Paul；　but　could　not　at　first　obtain　breath

enough　to　speak。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Paul；　who；　in　spite　of　his　desire

to　overtake　Mike；　felt　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　stop　and　offer　an

apology。



〃What　do　you　mean；　sir；〃　exploded　the　fat　man；　at　last；　〃by

tearing　through　the　streets　like　a　locomotive？　　You've　nearly

killed　me。〃



〃I　am　very　sorry；　sir。〃



〃You　ought　to　be。　　Don't　you　know　better　than　to　run　at　such

speed？　　You　ought　to　be　indicted　as　a　public　nuisance。



〃I　was　trying　to　catch　a　thief；〃　said　Paul。



〃Trying　to　catch　a　thief？　　How's　that？〃　asked　the　stout

gentleman；　his　indignation　giving　way　to　curiosity。



〃I　was　selling　packages　in　front　of　the　post　office　when　he　and

another　boy　came　up　and　stole　my　basket。〃



〃Indeed！　　What　were　you　selling？〃



〃Prize　packages；　sir。〃



〃What　was　in　them？〃



〃Candy。〃



〃Could　you　make　much　that　way？〃



〃About　a　dollar　a　day。〃



〃I'd　rather　have　given　you　a　dollar　than　had　you　run　against　me

with　such　violence。　　I　feel　it　yet。〃



〃Indeed；　sir；　I'm　very　sorry。〃



〃Well；　I'll　forgive　you；　under　the　circumstances。　　What's　your

name？〃



〃Paul　Hoffman。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　you'll　get　back　your　basket。　　Some　time；　if　you　see

me　in　the　street；　come　up　and　let　me　know。　　Would　you　know　me

again？〃



〃I　think　I　should；　sir。〃



〃Well；　good…morning。　　I　hope　you'll　catch　the　thief。〃



〃I　thank　you；　sir。〃



They　parted　company；　but　Paul　did　not　continue　the　pursuit。　　The

conversation　in　which　he　had　taken　part　had　lasted　so　long　that

Mike　had　had　plenty　of　time　to　find　a　refuge；　and　there　would　be

no　use　in　following　him。



So　Paul　went　home。



〃You　are　home　early；　Paul；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃Surely　you　haven't

sold　out　by　this　time。〃



〃No；　but　all　my　packages　are　gone。〃



〃How　is　that？〃



〃They　were　stolen。〃



〃Tell　me　about　it。〃



So　Paul　told　the　story。



〃That　Mike　was　awful　mean；〃　said　Jimmy；　indignantly。　　〃I'd　like

to　hit　him。〃



〃I　don't　think　you　would　hurt　him　much；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul；　amused

at　his　little　brother's　vehemence。



〃Then　I　wish　I　was　a　big；　strong　boy；〃　said　Jimmy。



〃I　hope　you　will　be；　some　time。〃



〃How　much　was　your　loss；　Paul？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃There　were　nearly　forty　packages。　　They　cost　me　about　a　dollar；

but　if　I　had　sold　them　all　they　would　have　brought　me　in　twice　as

much。　　I　had　only　sold　ten　packages。〃



〃Shall　you　make　some　more？〃



〃No；　I　think　not；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I've　got　tired　of　the　business。　

It's　getting　poorer　every　day。　　I'll　go　out　after　dinner；　and　see

if　I　can't　find　something　else　to　do。〃



〃You　ain't　going　out　now；　Paul？〃　said　Jimmy。



〃No；　I'll　stop　and　see　you　draw　a　little　while。〃



〃That's　bully。　　I'm　going　to　try　these　oxen。〃



〃That's　a　hard　picture。　　I　don't　think　you　can　draw　it；　Jimmy。〃



〃Yes；　I　can；〃　said　the　little　boy；　confidently。　　〃Just　see　if　I

don't。〃



〃Jimmy　has　improved　a　good　deal；〃　said　his　mother。



〃You'll　be　a　great　artist　one　of　these　days；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul。



〃I'm　going　to　try；　Paul；〃　said　the　little　boy。　　〃I　like　it　so

much。〃



Little　Jimmy　had　indeed　made　surprising　progress　in　drawing。　

With　no　instruction　whatever；　he　had　succeeded　in　a　very　close

and　accurate　imitation　of　the　sketches　in　the　drawing　books　Paul

had　purchased　for　him。　　It　was　a　great　delight　to　the　little　boy

to　draw；　and　hour　after　hour；　as　his　mother　sat　at　her　work；　he

sat　up　to　the　table；　and　worked　at　his　drawing；　scarcely　speaking

a　word　unless　spoken　to；　so　absorbed　was　he　in　his　fascinating

employment。



Paul　watched　him　attentively。



〃You'll　make　a　bully　artist；　Jimmy；〃　he　said；　at　length；　really

surprised　at　his　little　brother's　proficiency。　　〃If　you　keep　on　a

little　longer；　you'll　beat　me。〃



〃I　wish　you'd　draw　something；　Paul；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃I　never　saw

any　of　your　drawings。〃



〃I　am　afraid；　if　you　saw　mine；　it　would　discourage　you；〃　said

Paul。　　〃You　know；　I'm　older　and　ought　to　draw　better。〃



His　face　was　serious；　but　there　was　a　merry　twinkle　of　fun　in　his

eyes。



〃Of　course；　I　know　you　draw　better；〃　said　Jimmy；　seriously。



〃What　shall　I　draw？〃　asked　Paul。



〃Try　this　horse；　Paul。〃



〃All　right！〃　　said　Paul。　　〃But　you　must　go　away；　I　don't　want　you

to　see　it　till　it　is　done。〃



Jimmy　left　the　table；　and　Paul　commenced　his　attempt。　　Now；

though　Paul　is　the　hero　of　my　story；　I　am　bound　to　confess　that

he　had　not　the　slightest　talent　for　drawing；　though　Jimmy　did　not

know　it。　　It　was　only　to　afford　his　little　brother　amusement　that

he　now　undertook　the　task。



Paul　worked　away　for　about　five　minutes。



〃It's　done；〃　he　said。



〃So　quick？〃　exclaimed　Jimmy；　in　surprise。　　〃How　fast　you　work！〃



He　drew　near　and　inspected　Paul's　drawing。　　He　had　no　sooner

inspected　it　than　he　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter。　　Paul's

drawing　was　a　very　rough　one；　and　such　a　horse　as　he　had　drawn

will　never　probably　be　seen　until　the　race　has　greatly

degenerated。



〃What's　the　matter；　Jimmy？〃　asked　Paul。　　〃Don't　you　like　it？〃



〃It's　awful；　Paul；〃　said　the　little　boy；　almost　choking　with

mirth。



〃I　see　h