Something big, burly, and
blue loomed up on his sight,--something that was doing its best to crush
Sallie bodily, and to devour what was not crushed; something that could
say nothing by reason of its lips being so much more pleasantly engaged,
and whose face was invisible through its extraordinary proximity to
somebody else's face and hair.
Frankie, finding he could gain neither sight nor sound of notice, began
to howl. But as neither of the hard-hearted creatures seemed to care for
the poor little chap's howling, he fell upon the coat-tails of the big
blue obstruction, and pulled at them lustily,--not to say
viciously,--till their owner turned, and beheld him panting and fiery.
"Helloa, youngster! what's to pay now?"
"Wow! if 'tain't Jim. Hooray!" screeched the youngster, first embracing
the blue legs, and then proceeding to execute a dance upon his head.
"Te, te, di di, idde i-dum," he sang, coming feet down, finally.
Evidently the bad boy's language had been corrupted by his street
_confreres_; it was a missionary ground upon which Sallie entered, more
or less faithfully, every day to hoe and weed; but of this last
specimen-plant she took no notice, save to laugh as Jim, catching him
up, first kissed him, then gave him a shake and a small spank, and,
thrusting a piece of currency into his hand, whisked him outside the
door with a "Come, shaver, decamp, and treat yourself to-day," and had
it shut and fastened in a twinkling.
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