Tony considered. “Es, I fink ’ou could,” he admitted. Evidently the question was one he could reflect upon from the standpoint of the outsider.
“But I don’t want to do that. I want Tony Robeson to put the cart away because his father asks him to do it. Don’t you think he ought to do that?”
“I isn’t Tony Robeson, I’se ve fire chief.”
“Were you the fire chief when you woke up, and mother washed you and dressed you and gave you your lunch? I don’t think she thought you were. If you had been the fire chief she would have left you to take care of yourself.”
Tony thought about it. “I dess I’se Tony wiv muvver,” he said.
“Then you aren’t Tony with me?”
The thick locks shook vehemently in the sir with the negative response. “I said I was ve fire chief, and I’se got to be ve fire chief,” he reiterated.
Without question it was a battle of wills. But Anthony’s mind was made up. For lack of time to deal with them previous similar issues had been dodged in various ways, compromises had been effected. It was plain that argument and reasoning, the wiles of the affectionately wise adversary who does not want to bring the matter to a direct conflict, had been tried. Anthony could see no way out except to dominate the child by the force of his own resolute character. It was not the way by which he wanted to obtain the mastery, but it was becoming plain to him that, in this case, at least, it was the only way left.
His face grew stern all at once, his eyes, though still kind, met his son’s with determination. “Tony,” he said very gravely—and there was a new quality in his tone to which the child was not accustomed—“You are not the fire chief now. You are Tony Robeson. I shall not let you be the fire chief any longer. Do you understand?”
There was no threat in the words, only a decisiveness of the sort before which men give way, because they see that there is no alternative. Tony stared into his father’s eyes curiously. His own grew big with wonder, with something which was not alarm, but akin to it. He gazed and gazed, as if fascinated. Anthony’s look held his; the man’s powerful eyes did not flinch—neither did the boy’s. It is possible that both pulses quickened a beat.