“No, I don’t,” said Tom. “Wouldn’t you fight if a feller pitched into you?”
This was rather an embarrassing question, but the gentleman said, “It would be better to go away than to get into a fight.”
“He fit me.”
“It is bad enough for boys to fight, but it is worse for girls.”
“Don’t see it,” said Tom.
Had Tom been in a higher social position, it might have been suggested to her that to fight was not ladylike; but there was such an incongruity between Tom’s appearance and anything lady-like, that such an appeal would have been out of place. The fact is, Tom claimed no immunity or privilege on the score of sex, but regarded herself, to all intents and purposes, as a boy, and strongly wished that she were one.
The gentleman looked at her, rather puzzled, and walked away, satisfied with having stopped the fight.
Bob did not seem inclined to renew hostilities, but crossed the street, and took his stand there. Tom, by right of conquest, held her place until she had sold out her whole stock of papers.
CHAPTER VI
AN UNFASHIONABLE HOTEL.
Tom found at the end of the afternoon that her capital had increased from twenty-five to fifty cents.