.

"Shure he is. It's likely he's gone to Brooklyn or up to Harlem, wid a
bundle. He'll be comin' in soon."

"I hope he will be well paid for the errand, since it keeps him so
long."

"I hope so, too, Florence, for he's a good boy, is Dodger. Did I tell
you how he served the rapscallion that tried to stale my apples the
other day?"

"No; I would like to hear it."

"A big, black-bearded man came along, and asked me for an apple.

"'You can have one for two pennies,' says I.

"'But I haven't got them,' says he.

"'Then you must go widout it,' says I.

"'We'll see about that,' says he.

"And what do you think?--the fellow picked out one of my biggest
apples, and was walkin' away! That made me mad.

"'Come back, you thafe of the worruld!' says I.

"'Silence, you old hag!' says he.

"Actilly he called me an old hag! I wanted to go after him, but there
was two hoodlums hangin' round, and I knew they'd carry off some of my
apples, when, just as I was at my wits' end, Dodger came round the
corner.

"'Dodger,' I screamed, 'go after that man! He's taken one of my
apples, widout lave or license!'

"Upon that, Dodger, brave as a lion, walked up to the man, and, says
he:

"'Give back that apple, or pay for it!'

"'What's that to you, you impudent young rascal?' says the man,
raisin' the apple to his mouth. But he didn't get a chance to bite it,
for Dodger, with a flip of his hand, knocked it on the sidewalk, and
picked it up.

"Wasn't the man mad just?"

"'I'll smash you, boy,' he growled.

"'I'm a baggage-smasher myself,' says Dodger, 'and I can smash as
well as you.'

"Wid that the man up with his fist and struck at Dodger, but he dodged
the blow, and gave him one for himself wid his right. Just then up
came a cop.

"'What's all this?' says he.

"'That man tried to run off wid one of my apples,' says I.

"'Come along,' says the cop. 'You're wanted at the station-house.'

"'It's a lie,' says the man. 'I paid the woman for the apple, and
that young rascal knocked it out of my hand.'

"'I know the boy,' says the cop, 'and he ain't one of that kind. I'll
let you go if you buy five apples from the lady, and pay for 'em.'

"The man made up an ugly face, but he didn't want to be locked up, and
so he paid me a dime for five apples."

"Dodger is very brave," said Florence. "Sometimes I think he is too
daring. He is liable to get into trouble."

"If he does he'll get himself out of it, never you fear