A FRIENDLY ARGUMENT.
Teddy was the first to arrive at the packing-case home on the evening of the robbery; but before he had time to get supper—that is, spread out in the most tempting array possible the provisions he had brought home—a noise near the gate told that his partner had come.
Carrots's face was sadly swollen. He entered the box, and threw himself down wearily in one corner on the pile of straw.
"Anything else gone wrong?" Teddy asked in a friendly tone, as he lighted another candle for the purpose of increasing the cheerfulness of the apartment by an extra illumination.
"Anything wrong!" Carrots repeated. "I should think when a feller couldn't go 'round 'bout his business without bein' robbed, there was a good many things out er the way!"
"But, I mean, have you got inter any more trouble since then?"
"No; that was enough to last me the rest of this week, I guess."
"Now, see here, Carrots; it doesn't do any good to go fussin' 'bout that, an' the sooner you brace up, the better it'll be for all hands. Skip's got the money, an' you've got the thumpin', I know; but you can't change it by worryin' an' lookin' so glum."
"Do you count on a feller's grinnin' like a cat jest 'cause his face is swelled as big as a squash?" Carrots asked, dolefully.
"No; but I don't count on his thinkin' 'bout it all the time. We've got somethin' else to do besides botherin' with Skip Jellison. S'posin' you turn to an' give up everythin' for the next month jest to pay him back, an' then do it, what have you made? Why, nothin' at all—you 're jest where you are to-day. Now we've got a comfortable place to live in, and money enough to feed us for the next two or three days, even if we don't do any business; an' as good a chance to earn ourselves a stand as any other fellers ever had."
"So you 've laid right down, an' are goin' to let them keep that money, are you?"
"Well, yes, jest now; for there's nothin' else we can do. 'Cordin' to my way of thinkin', we've got to keep on workin' an' waitin' till the chance comes. Then we'll lay inter Skip as hard as you like; but I don't see the sense of whinin' yet awhile."
"What's to prove he won't jump in an' do the same thing over ag'in to-morrow?"
"I've been thinkin' most likely he'd try the game, an' we'd better stick together. Now, here's my way: in the mornin' you take your box, while I tend to the papers, an' we'll go right up to City Hall. If he comes there we mustn't fight him, 'cause we'll be 'rested; but there's nothin' 'll prevent our keepin' him off if he tries any funny business. I guess it wouldn't be a great while before some one come along as a witness on our side. If he fools 'round two or three days, tryin' to drive us off, he'll get inter trouble, an' we'll be clear of it."
The only way in which Carrots's reply to this remark can be described, is by saying that he snorted.
It was not a groan, neither was it a spoken word; but, rather, a general snort of disdain for the plan proposed and defiance to the boy who had wronged him.
Teddy's suggestion was so tame and so unworthy the cause that Carrots began to think he had made a mistake by going into business with one who was willing to act so cowardly a part.
Teddy understood this quite as well as if his companion had given words to the thoughts, and, without losing his temper in the slightest degree, he asked: "If you don't like that plan, what do you want to do?"
"Go out an' lambaste Skip!"
"All right; there's nothin' to hinder. Shall I stay here, or do you want me to help?"
"Well, it looks to me as if it was as much your fight as mine."
"Very well; let's go. I reckon that we can find him somewhere, can't we?"
"Yes; he's 'most allers up 'round Grand Street an' the Bowery."
"Well," said Teddy, "if you're bound to try an' thump Skip, why, I'm with you; but you know as well as I do how it'll turn out. He counts on jest what you think of doin', an' is sure to have his gang with him all the time."
"Then will you do jest as I say?"
"Right up to the dot!"
This satisfied Carrots to such a degree that he immediately cast off the look of anger he had worn, and began to appear more cheerful.
Carrots had so far unbent that he was willing to discuss the business of the day, and on counting the profits it was found that between them they had earned eighty-one cents, despite the many interruptions and difficulties.
According to the arrangements previously made, Teddy took possession of the funds, wrapped the pennies and silver pieces carefully in a piece of brown paper, and deposited the package in a hiding-place under one of the boxes which served them as a home.
"What are you doin' that for?" Carrots asked in surprise.
"I don't want to stand any chance of losin' it."
"But it's safer in your pocket than anywhere else."
"Not if we meet Skip. In case he an' his crowd get the best of us in a row, they'll be sure to do what they did this afternoon, an' we mustn't lose all the money we've got."
Carrots made no reply.
This preparing for a flogging was not agreeable to him, and it is possible he began to think that perhaps his scheme for getting even was hardly as wise as he had supposed it.
Teddy deposited the cash where it would not be found until after a long and careful search, and then, their supper having been finished, said: "Now I'm ready whenever you are," and he extinguished one of the candles.
"It's no use to go up there so soon," Carrots replied. "We'd better hold on till he gets his supper."
Teddy made no comment upon this delay of justice, but began speaking of the work to be done on the following day, and the probability that trouble would ensue, always prefacing his remarks with the proviso:
"If we go out at all to-morrow."
"What do you keep saying that for?" Carrots finally asked. "Of course we'll go out to-morrow!"
"I've seen the time since I struck this town that I couldn't get out when I wanted to go, an' p'rhaps we shall be in the same fix to-night; but if we ain't we'll dive inter business mighty strong."
It was some time before Carrots showed the slightest disposition to venture forth for the purpose of wreaking vengeance.
Then it could have been observed that he was not nearly so eager as when he first came home.
Twice he leaped to his feet as if to propose that they start, and twice he sat down again.
One would almost have fancied he was waiting for Teddy to make the suggestion; but the latter remained silent.
Then it seemed as if it were absolutely necessary he should do something, and he said with an evident effort:
"Now, if you're ready, I reckon we'd better go."
"All right," Teddy replied, cheerily, as he led the way from the packing-cases to the street.
Carrots followed at a leisurely pace, and, as the two walked toward Grand Street by way of the Bowery, one would have said it was Teddy who had insisted on the expedition.
The nearer they approached the place where it was supposed Master Jellison would be found, the slower did Carrots walk, and finally, when they were yet more than a block away, he came to a standstill.
"What is it?" Teddy asked, knowing full well the cause of the halt.
"I've been thinkin' p'rhaps it would be better if we didn't go up there to-night. Course he's got his crowd with him, an' they could get the best of us."
"Yes, an' he'll be in the same fix for the next week."
"Well, I s'pose," Carrots said, hesitatingly, "we ought ter wait till he thinks we ain't goin' to do anything."
"That's jest what I proposed, old man, before we started out; but you seemed to think it ought ter be done to-night, an' I was willin' to give in."
"I guess I'll let it go as you say, 'cause it would be hard luck for both of us to get 'rested and sent up to the Island."
Now that Carrots had decided on delaying his vengeance, he was in the utmost haste to get away from the dangerous locality; for there was a chance that his enemy might appear, and then, perhaps, instead of being revenged, he would receive another thrashing.
With such thoughts in his mind he walked rapidly toward his dwelling; and when they were once safely inside the fence, all his former good-nature appeared to have returned.
He was the same Carrots as before, and, so far as could be seen, the loss of the dollar had ceased to trouble him.
Teddy was not willing that very much time should be spent in idle conversation; he believed it necessary they should be at their work very early in the morning, and curled himself on the bed of straw before the neighbouring clocks proclaimed the hour of eight.
When the sun rose once more, and the two merchants were preparing for business, Carrots no longer entertained ideas of thrashing his enemy, but seemed only to fear that he might receive further injury at Skip's hands.
So excessive was his prudence that he did not allow himself to stray more than half a dozen paces from Teddy's side, no matter what business might demand.
The morning trade opened in the most prosperous fashion, and the partners had already sold eight papers and put on four shines, when Master Jellison and his companions appeared on the scene.
"Look out for 'em!" Carrots said, nervously. "They are going to make a fuss, now, sure."
"Keep right on with your work, an' don't pay any 'tention, no matter what they say," Teddy replied; and the three boys who claimed the right to control business in that section of the city approached until they were offensively near those who had been warned to leave town.
"Didn't you get enough yesterday to serve you out?" Skip asked, angrily, of Carrots.
The latter made no reply.
"I reckon you know what I said 'bout your workin' 'roun' here," the bully continued, stepping yet closer, and shaking his fist in Carrots's face.
At this point, Teddy thought best to interfere, and, taking the box from his companion's hand, he stepped between Carrots and Skip.
"Now, I've got somethin' to say in this business," he began; "an' I want you to remember it, jest as much as we'll remember what you've said 'bout our goin'. I came down to this town to earn a livin', an' to leave other folks alone, same's I told you over there by the fountain. Yesterday you pounded Carrots, an' stole a dollar of my money from him. Now do you think I'm such a chump as to stand that?"
"Well, why don't you do somethin' 'bout it?" Skip asked, with a sneer, as he put himself in an attitude of defense.
TEDDY DEFENDS HIS PARTNER.
"If you think I'm so much of a fool as to fight you, an' stand the chance of gettin' 'rested, while you're coward enough to run away, it's a mistake, an' the sooner you find it out the better. This is what I want ter say, an' I mean every word of it. Jest as true as you touch us, or interfere in any way, I'm goin' to that judge where I was taken up before, an' have you hauled in. You know what that'll 'mount to, an' these fellers who are with you stand the chance of gettin' the same as you'll get. The judge said that instead of fightin' a boy ought to make a complaint to the police, an' they'd see he was taken care of. Now, I've come to this city to stay, and that's what I'm goin' to do. If we were out in the country I'd be glad to stand up with you, an' the feller that got the worst of it would have to leave; but we're where the policemen will 'rest us, an' I can't 'ford to take chances."
Teddy spoke in such a decided tone, and appeared so determined to insist upon his rights, that, perhaps, for the first time in his life, Master Jellison was cowed, if not absolutely frightened.
He knew only too well that the statements made were correct: that he would be punished severely by the law for having robbed Carrots, and, in the bewilderment caused by the bold stand Teddy had taken, he retired a few paces to consult his friends.
The boy from Saranac had not said all he intended to, and, thinking it would be better to continue the conversation before the bully had time to regain his courage, he continued:
"I don't want you to think you're goin' to get off with that money, even if we keep quiet now. When the time comes right, you'll pay it back to Carrots, or have trouble; an' I'll give you somewhere 'bout a week to make up your mind, 'less you want ter kick up a row now. You'd better sneak off before that policeman comes along, for I'll begin my end of the business by tellin' him the whole story jest as soon as he gets here."
As Teddy spoke, he motioned, involuntarily, with his head in the direction of the approaching officer, and, turning quickly, Skip saw the same guardian of the peace who had taken Teddy to the station-house.
It would be awkward for him to remain if the true story were to be told, and the bully concluded his wisest course was to leave that neighbourhood at once.
Therefore, he and his friends moved hastily away until they were on the opposite side of the street, where they could hide themselves behind the vehicles whenever it became necessary, and at the same time see all that was going on.
Teddy did not intend to recede one whit from the stand he had taken.
As soon as the policeman came up, he told all that had occurred during the previous twenty-four hours.
"So that boy is going to drive you out of town, eh?" the officer said, laughingly.
"No, he isn't goin' to do anything of the kind. That's what he says; but I've got something to say 'bout it. I can't thump him, 'cause you'll 'rest me; but the chances are he'll hit me whenever he can. I sha'n't stand an' take it a great while, an' that's why I want you to know jest how I'm fixed."
"If you don't provoke a quarrel, and he makes any trouble, pitch in. Then come to me, and I'll see you through; but your best way would be to enter a complaint against him on the charge of stealing money."
"That's what I wouldn't like, 'less I had to," Teddy replied. "If he'll give it back, an' I reckon he will before long, that part of it will be all right. I'm a stranger in the city, an' don't want to get inter a fuss with the fellers, 'cause I've got to work 'longside of 'em; but it stands me in hand to have somebody know exactly how things are."
"Come to me if you get into any trouble, providing you keep yourself straight," the officer said, in a kindly tone, as he moved on, and from across the street Master Jellison and his party noted with no slight uneasiness the apparently friendly talk between the boy from Saranac and the policeman.
Carrots was undecided as to what might result from this bold speech of his partner's.
During all his experience in the city, he had never known a newsboy or a bootblack to appeal to the authorities for protection, and Teddy's method of taking care of himself rather startled him.
"It'll make Skip worse'n ever, I'm afraid," he said, in a low tone, and Teddy replied:
"It won't do for him to get very fresh now, 'cause after he strikes the first blow I'm goin' to pitch in, an' if there ain't too many of his gang 'round, you'll see me lug him into the station-house. I don't b'lieve in fightin' where there are officers to 'rest you; but I wouldn't let any fellow get the best of me if I could help it, no matter who was in the way. Now we've fixed ourselves, an' the sooner Skip Jellison begins, the better I'll like it."
Carrots gazed with admiration upon his partner.
He realized that, by thus stating his case to the policeman, Teddy had put himself in a position where it would be safe to defend himself against any attack which might be made; and this was certainly much better than Carrots's plan of the previous evening, which, fortunately, had not been carried into effect.
"Now get to work, Carrots; we mustn't let them fellers knock us out of business, for we've got to make more than a dollar to-day."
Carrots did set to work most vigorously.
His fear of Skip was quieted to a certain degree, and he darted here and there without reference to his partner's whereabouts, getting very much more trade than he would otherwise have done, because of the fact that his brother bootblacks, and many of their acquaintances in the newspaper line, were so busily engaged discussing the plan adopted by the boy from Saranac that they had no time to attend to the details of business.
For at least half an hour, Teddy and Carrots were the only boys in the immediate vicinity who attempted to do any very great amount of work, and the result was that, before the clock had struck ten, their profits amounted to nearly as much as Teddy had expected that they would earn during the entire day.