y ready to put in another hit with that
terrible cudgel, and the whole situation was so unpleasantly suggestive
of further difficulty, that the youngster's advice was taken without a
word. That is, if a shambling kind of double limp can be described as a
"run for it."

"Here it is: I've found my pocket-book," said Annie, as her enemy made
the best of his way off.

"He did not hurt you?"

"No: he only scared me, except that I suppose my arm will be
black-and-blue where he caught hold of it. Thank you ever so much,
Dabney: you're a brave boy. Why, he's almost twice your size."

"Yes; but the butt of my rod is twice as hard as his head," said Dabney.
"I was almost afraid to strike him with it. I might have broken his
skull."

"You didn't even break your rod."

"No; and now I must run back for the other pieces and the tip. I dropped
them in the road."

"Please, Dabney, see me home first," said Annie. "I know it's foolish,
and there isn't a bit of danger; but I must confess to being a good deal
frightened."

Dab Kinzer was a little the proudest boy on Long Island, as he walked
along at Annie's side, in compliance with her request. He went no
farther than the gate, to be sure, and then he returned for the rest of
his rod: but before he got back with it, Keziah Kinzer hurried home from
a call on Mrs. Foster, bringing a tremendous account of Dab's heroism;
and then his own pride over what he had done was only a mere drop in the
bucket, compared to that of his mother.

"Dabney is growing wonderfully," she remarked to Samantha, "He'll be a
man before any of us know it."

If Dab had been a man, however, or if Ham Morris or Mr. Foster had been
at home, the matter would not have been permitted to drop there. That
tramp ought to have been followed, arrested, and shut up where his
vicious propensities would have been under wholesome restraint for a
while. As it was, after hurrying on for a short distance, and making
sure he was not pursued, he clambered over the fence, and sneaked into
the nearest clump of bushes. From this safe covert he watched Dab
Kinzer's return after the lighter pieces of his rod; and then he even
dared to crouch along the fence, and see which house his young conqueror
went into.

"That's where he lives, is it?" he muttered, with a scowl of the most
ferocious vengeance. "Well, they'll have some fun there before they git
to bed to-night, or I'll know the reason why."

It could not have occurred to