ing further catechism,
and not being willing to encounter it, he dropped the crank of the
peanut-roaster, and was off again before the captain was near enough to
speak. Johnny could tell nothing, he thought, save that Matty's hair
was gone, which the old man could not fail to see for himself; and his
sister, he well knew, would not speak. For a moment he thought he would
seize his opportunity, and hasten back to the house while Captain Yorke
was away, and hand Theodore the five dollars; but he recollected that
the oppressor would be at school, and so this would be useless. From a
safe distance he watched for the captain's departure, and did not
venture near his post till he saw him come out and walk away.

As he had foreseen, not a word could either Captain Yorke or the
florist draw from Matty, when the former had made known the purpose of
his coming; and they both questioned her closely. One might have
thought that she was utterly deaf and dumb as she sat opposing that
stolid, determined silence to all they said. Johnny knew nothing which
could throw any light on the subject; and after telling him of Tony's
embarrassment, and bidding him be on the watch, the heavy-hearted old
man left the little shop.

Johnny did keep on the watch, but refrained from asking Tony any
questions, keeping his eye upon him, however; but no further
developments appeared until later in the day, when he saw Theodore
coming down the other side of the avenue, and observed that Tony raised
a warning finger to him as if to bid him keep his distance. Theodore
paused on the opposite corner, and Tony went over to meet him.

Considerations of delicacy did not withhold Johnny from intruding upon
what was evidently meant to be a private interview; and when, after a
moment's converse, Tony put his hand in his pocket, and drew forth
something which he gave to Theodore, the florist darted from his shop,
and rushed across the street with an agility which was hardly to be
expected from one of his years and girth.

Theodore saw him coming, and his guilty conscience leaped to the truth;
Johnny suspected something wrong, and was coming to accuse him.

Closing his hand tightly on the prize which he had just received from
his victim, he turned, and started to run. But an avenging Nemesis, in
the shape of a piece of orange-peel, was behind him; his foot slipped
upon it, and he came heavily to the ground. Before he could rise, the
florist precipitated himself