boys would have hesitated had they
not been incited by a double motive--the desire of gain and a feeling of
hostility.

They sauntered along, and Mike pressed in close by Paul.

"What do you want?" asked Paul, not liking the vicinity.

"What's that to you?" demanded Mike.

"Quit crowdin' me."

"I ain't crowdin'. I've got as much right to be here as you."

"Here's your prize packages!" exclaimed Paul, in a businesslike tone.

"Maybe I'll buy one if you'll give me credit till to-morrow," said Mike.

"Your credit isn't good with me," said Paul. "You must pay cash down."

"Then you won't trust me?" said Mike, pressing a little closer.

"No, I won't," said Paul, decidedly.

"Then, take that, you spalpeen!" said Mike, suddenly pulling Paul's hat
over his eyes.

At the same time Jim, to whom he had tipped a wink, snatched the basket,
which Paul held loosely in his hand, and disappeared round the corner.

The attack was so sudden and unexpected that Paul was at first
bewildered. But he quickly recovered his presence of mind, and saw into
the trick. He raised his hat, and darted in pursuit of Mike, not knowing
in what direction his basket had gone.

"That's a mean trick!" he exclaimed, indignantly. "Give me back my
basket, you thief!"

"I ain't got no basket," said Mike, facing round.

"Then you know where it is."

"I don't know nothin' of your basket."

"You pulled my hat over my eyes on purpose to steal my basket."

"No, I didn't. You insulted me, that's why I did it."

"Tell me where my basket is, or I'll lick you," said Paul, incensed.

"I ain't nothin' to do with your basket."

"Take that, then, for pulling my hat over my eyes," and Paul, suiting
the action to the word, dealt Mike a staggering blow in the face.

"I'll murder you!" shouted Mike, furiously, dashing at Paul with a blow
which might have leveled him, if he had not fended it off.

Paul was not quarrelsome, but he knew how to fight, and he was prepared
now to fight in earnest, indignant as he was at the 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 o