he
arm, when the gigantic form of the Irishman appeared, and the padrone
found himself in his powerful grasp.

"What business have ye here, you bloody villain?" demanded Pat;
"breakin' into an honest man's house, without lave or license. I'll
teach you manners, you baste!"

"Give me the boy!" gasped the padrone.

"You can't have him, thin!" said Pat "You want to bate him, you
murderin' ould villain!"

"I'll have you arrested," said the padrone, furiously, writhing vainly
to get himself free. He was almost beside himself that Phil should be
the witness of his humiliation.

"Will you, thin?" demanded Pat. "Thin the sooner you do it the betther.
Open the window, Phil!"

Phil obeyed, not knowing why the request was made. He was soon
enlightened. The Irishman seized the padrone, and, lifting him from the
floor, carried him to the window, despite his struggles, and, thrusting
him out, let him drop. It was only the second story, and there was no
danger of serious injury. The padrone picked himself up, only to meet
with another disaster. A passing policeman had heard Mrs. McGuire's
cries, and on hearing her account had arrested Pietro, and was just in
time to arrest the padrone also, on the charge of forcibly entering the
house. As the guardian of the peace marched off with Pietro on one
side and the padrone on the other, Mrs. McGuire sat down on a chair and
laughed till she cried.

"Shure, they won't come for you again in a hurry, Phil, darlint!" she
said. "They've got all they want, I'm thinkin'."

I may add that the pair were confined in the station-house over night,
and the next day were brought before a justice, reprimanded and fined.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE DEATH OF GIACOMO

Great was the astonishment at the Italian lodging-house that night when
neither the padrone nor Pietro made his appearance. Great was the joy,
too, for the nightly punishments were also necessarily omitted, and the
boys had no one to pay their money to. There was another circumstance
not so agreeable. All the provisions were locked up, and there was no
supper for the hungry children. Finally, at half-past eleven, three
boys, bolder than the rest, went out, and at last succeeded in obtaining
some bread and crackers at an oyster saloon, in sufficient quantities to
supply all their comrades. After eating heartily they went to bed, and
for one night the establishment ran itself much more satisfactorily to
the boys than if the padrone had bee