er visitor was entering--breathlessly, anxiously,
swiftly. "What'd d' y' say, Mister Eye-Glassy, White-Spatty,
Pinky-Face?"

"Yes, sir! I'll try to do just that! In fact, that's why I've come.
Can't have you strike a girl, you know, Mr. Barber, or a little chap
like Johnnie; not without trying to punish you. So if you'll oblige
me----"

Thus, with one wave of a gloved hand, was Big Tom once more bidden to
fight, this time by Mr. Perkins.

"_Oblige?_" repeated the longshoreman, delighted. "Dear Mister Perkins,
y're one person that I'm jus' achin' t' spank!" Then once more showing
his pipe-stained teeth in a grin, "Oh, but I hate awful t' muss y' up! I
hate t' spoil y', Perksie! Y' look so nice and neat and sweet! Almost
like a stick o' candy! And, nobody'll want t' look at y' after I git
done with y'!"

Mr. Perkins was not ruffled by the longshoreman's attempt at humor.
"Don't waste your breath on compliments, Mr. Barber," he advised; "you
may need it." He laid a new, black bowler hat on the kitchen table, and
proceeded to draw off his gloves.

"God grant he will!" cried Father Pat, fervently. "For besides what he's
done to these children, look how he's treated our poor friend from
Kansas!" And the priest stepped from between the scoutmaster and
One-Eye.

The Westerner waved protesting hands. "Wy-o-ming!" he corrected, with
more than a shade of irritation. "Not Kansas! Wy-o-ming!" He held up a
countenance that was now wholly--if temporarily--blind.

"Wyoming," repeated Father Pat, hastily. "And here's Mr. Perkins,
One-Eye, and he's wishin' t' shake yer hand."

At that, out shot the cowboy's right. It was still bloody over the
knuckles, the Father having confined his washing to One-Eye's face. "Put
'er there!" invited the sightless one.

"How are you!" greeted Mr. Perkins, heartily; yet his tone carried with
it just the right amount of sympathy.

"Jes' so-so," answered One-Eye. "Look how he slapped me in the eye!"

"Cis, my sweetheart, are you all right?" inquired Mr. Perkins.

She ran to him, and he took her hands. "Oh, yes!" she cried happily.
"But, oh, I'm so glad you've come!"

As Father Pat said afterward, it was the sweetheart that did it. As
those young hands met, of a sudden Barber's good humor went. "That'll
do!" he ordered. "Jus' y' shut up on them pretty names!"

"Ah! You don't believe in affection, do you?" rejoined Mr. Perkins. His
countenance wore an exasperating smile.

"I don't b'lieve