His first enterprise after his liberation was a flank move on Schmitt’s Grocery where he stole a couple of apples and a banana, which latter he ate going along the street. These were his only luncheon. The banana skin he threw on the pave-ment.
In a few moments he heard footsteps behind him and, turning, saw a small boy coming along dangling the peel he had dropped. The boy was a jaunty little fellow, wearing a natty spring suit. It was, in fact, “Pee-wee” Harris, Tenderfoot, who was just starting out to cover Provision 5 of the Second Class Scout requirements, for he was going to be a Second Class Scout before camping-time, or know the reason why.
“You drop that?” he asked pleasantly.
“Ye-re, you kin have it,” said Tom cynically.
“Thanks,” said Pee-wee, and the banana peel went sailing over the fence into Temple’s lot.
“First thing you know somebody’d get a free ride on that thing,” said Pee-wee.
“Ye-re?” said Tom sneeringly.
“And if anybody got anything free near John Temple’s property——”
“Dere’s where yer said it, kiddo,” said Tom, approvingly.
“So long,” said Pee-wee, and went gaily on, walking a little, then running a little, then walk-ing again, until Tom thought he must be crazy. Happening just at that minute to finish one of his apples (or rather one of Schmitt’s apples) he let fly the core straight for the back of Pee-wee’s head.