ooked up, and saw with satisfaction that Phil was right. Tim had
not yet espied either, nor did he till Dick addressed him.

"Are you round collectin' fiddles this mornin'?" he asked.

Tim looked up, and, seeing that his victim had found an able champion,
felt anxious to withdraw. He was about to turn back, but Dick advanced
with a determined air.

"Jest stop a minute, Tim Rafferty," said he. "I'm a-goin' to intervoo
you for the Herald. That's what they do with all the big rascals
nowadays."

"I'm in a hurry," said Tim.

"That's what the pickpocket said when the cop was gently persuadin' him
to go to the Tombs, but the cop didn't see it. I want the pleasure of
your society a minute or two. I hear you're in the music business."

"No, I'm not," said Tim, shortly.

"What made you borrer this boy's fiddle, then?"

"I don't know anything about it," said Tim, in a fright.

"Some folks forgets easy," returned Dick. "I know a man what went into
Tiffany's and took up a watch to look at, and carried it off, forgettin'
to pay for it. That's what he told the judge the next day, and the judge
sent him to the island for a few months to improve his memory. The air
over to the island is very good to improve the memory."

"You ought to know," said Tim, sullenly; "you've been there times
enough."

"Have I?" said Dick. "Maybe you saw me there. Was it the ninth time you
were there, or the tenth?"

"I never was there," said Tim.

"Maybe it was your twin brother." suggested Dick. "What made you break
my friend's fiddle? He wouldn't have minded it so much, only it belonged
to his grandfather, a noble count, who made boots for a livin'."

"I don't believe he had a fiddle at all," said Tim.

"That's where your forgetfulness comes in," said Dick "Have you forgot
the lickin' I gave you last summer for stealin' my blackin' box?"

"You didn't lick me," said Tim.

"Then I'll lick you harder next time," said Dick.

"You ain't able," said Tim, who, glancing over his shoulder, saw the
approach of a policeman, and felt secure.

"I will be soon," said Dick, who also observed the approach of the
policeman. "I'd do it now, only I've got to buy some gold for a friend
of mine. Just let me know when it's perfectly convenient to take a
lickin'."

Tim shuffled off, glad to get away unharmed, and Dick turned to Phil.

"I'll give him a lickin' the first time I catch him, when there isn't a
cop around," he said.

Phil left his friend at