As our boys sat nudging and winking, but with our girls growing sad from sympathy, our young culprit said:—
"Aw! I grabs a bun, and dis big cop grabs my collar!"
"But why did you grab that bun? It wasn't yours, you know."
"Gosh, man!! I was hungry!!"
"Hungry? Don't your folks look out for you?"
"Naw; I do my own looking. And that's what I was doing, too!"
"What had you for food all day?"
"Just that bun. And say!! I only got half of it! That big cop was so rough!"
"Did that cop, as you call him, hurt you?"
"Hurt!! I should say not!! I put up a good stiff scrap! I paid him back, blow for blow! No big gas-bag of a cop is going to wallop this kid and not pay for it!"