an," he commanded.

Johnnie darted to obey, and Cis made a joyous start toward him. Their
hands touched, and the roses changed keeper.

Meanwhile Barber had gained back a little of his usual self-confidence.
"Oh, all right," he remarked. "But we need money a lot more'n flowers."

"That's as it may be," conceded Clancy, dryly. "But--the law's the law,
and I'll just tell ye this much":--he emphasized his statement by
pointing the stick--"ye're lucky t' 'scape a fine! Seein' ye're so short
o' cash!"

Most men, as Barber liked to boast, did not dare to give the
longshoreman any of their "lip." But now he was careful to accept the
ultimatum of the officer without a show of temper. "Guess I am," he
assented.

Clancy nodded. "And I'll see ye later, Father Pat?" he inquired, giving
the priest a meaning glance.

"Please God," replied the Father, settling himself in the morris chair.
(He knew when young eyes implored.)

"I'll say good-day t' ye all," went on the policeman. He gave Johnnie a
wink and Cis a smile as he went out.

Father Pat now took off his hat. In such cases it was well to "set by"
till the storm blew over. "I'm thinkin' I met ye on the docks one day,"
he observed cordially enough to Big Tom. "'Twas the time there was
trouble over the loadin' of the _Mary Jane_."

Barber was chewing. "Y' had that honor," he returned, a trifle
sarcastic.

"Ha-ha!" laughed the Father. But there was a flash of something not too
friendly in his look. "Honor, was it? I'm glad ye told me! For meself,
shure, I can't always be certain whether 'tis that--or maybe just the
opp'site!"

"_I_ can be sure," went on the longshoreman. He sucked his teeth
belligerently. "I know when I'm honored, and also when I'm not."

"Is it like that?" retorted Father Pat smoothly. "Then I'll say ye're
smarter than I judged ye was from seein' ye put a lad on to the street
t' sell flowers of a Sunday mornin'."

To Cis this passage between the men was all pure agony. She dropped down
beside Grandpa's chair, and stayed there, half hidden. But it was not
misery for Johnnie. He had rightly guessed what the "rakin'" would be,
and for whom. And now it was going forward, and he welcomed it.

It was then that it came over him how different was this newest friend
from his other two! One-Eye always left Johnnie puzzled as to his real
opinion of the longshoreman, this through saying just the opposite of
what he meant. Mr. Perkins, on the other hand, did n