“What did you take the boy’s apple for?”
“Because I felt like it.”
“Then I took it from you for the same reason.”
“Do you want to fight?” blustered the rowdy.
“Not particularly.”
“Then hand me back that apple,” returned the other.
“Thank you; I shall only hand it to the rightful owner—that little Italian boy. Are you not ashamed to rob him?”
“Do you want to get hit?”
“I wouldn’t advise you to do it.”
The rowdy looked at the boy who confronted him. Edward was slightly smaller, but there was a determined look in his eye which the bully, who, like those of his class generally, was a coward at heart, did not like. He mentally decided that it would be safer not to provoke him.