"Well, Oi'll stick to phat Oi said, anyway, Patsy boy," replied his father.
"An' I'll be a big man like you, dad, some day, an' lick the hull town, won't I?" asked Patsy eagerly.
His father shuddered and held him close to his breast.
"I will, dad, won't I?" persisted the lad, the little face turned anxiously toward his father.
"Whisht now, laddie. Sure an' ye'll be the clivir man some day," said the big man huskily, while his wife turned her face toward the door.
"But they said I'd niver lick anybody," persisted Patsy. "An' that's a blank lie, isn't it, dad?"
The man's face grew black with wrath. He poured out fierce oaths.
"Let me catch thim. Oi'll break their backs, the blank, blank little cowards! Niver ye heed thim. Ye'll be a betther man thin any av thim, Patsy avick, an' that ye will. An' they'll all be standin' bare-headed afore ye some day. But Patsy, darlin', Oi want ye to give up the swearin' and listen to Marion yonder, who'll be afther tellin' ye good things an' cliver things."
"But, dad," persisted the little boy, "won't I be—"
"Hush now, Patsy," said his father hurriedly. "Don't ye want to go on the pony with Marion? Come on now, an' Oi'll put ye up."