The car lurched. Johnny put out a hand to steady himself. It was his left hand, for he was decidedly left handed. Strangely enough, one of the men cast a sharp look at his hand, then turned to his companion with a knowing wink. The other replied with a dainty pluck at his own sleeve, as if to say, “See! It’s new.”
This last action was not lost on Johnny. They took him for a hick, just because his clothes were new. He colored behind his ears.
“Like to give them a good swift poke,” he thought. Johnny could do it, too, as you probably know. But Johnny was wise. He knew how to wait his time. And how very short the time is on some occasions!
At Grand Avenue he swung about to drop off the car. Suddenly there was a confused crowding about him. He felt something hard strike him in the left thigh. Something snagged at his pocket.
“Thieves!” he thought. His hand shot down for his purse. It was gone!
“So that was it! How dumb I—”
“There they go! I’ll get ’em.”
He leaped off the car and followed in hot pursuit.
But what was this? Now there were four. Two were much younger than the ones he had seen.
“What of it?” He did not slacken his pace. “Get help from somewhere. Can’t pick my pocket in broad daylight,” he panted.