Part 22 (1/2)

”No, I don't,” said d.i.c.k. ”I aint fond of fightin'. It's a very poor amus.e.m.e.nt, and very bad for the complexion, 'specially for the eyes and nose, which is apt to turn red, white, and blue.”

Micky misunderstood d.i.c.k, and judged from the tenor of his speech that he would be an easy victim. As he knew, d.i.c.k very seldom was concerned in any street fight,--not from cowardice, as he imagined, but because he had too much good sense to do so. Being quarrelsome, like all bullies, and supposing that he was more than a match for our hero, being about two inches taller, he could no longer resist an inclination to a.s.sault him, and tried to plant a blow in d.i.c.k's face which would have hurt him considerably if he had not drawn back just in time.

Now, though d.i.c.k was far from quarrelsome, he was ready to defend himself on all occasions, and it was too much to expect that he would stand quiet and allow himself to be beaten.

He dropped his blacking-box on the instant, and returned Micky's blow with such good effect that the young bully staggered back, and would have fallen, if he had not been propped up by his confederate, Limpy Jim.

”Go in, Micky!” shouted the latter, who was rather a coward on his own account, but liked to see others fight. ”Polish him off, that's a good feller.”

Micky was now boiling over with rage and fury, and required no urging. He was fully determined to make a terrible example of poor d.i.c.k. He threw himself upon him, and strove to bear him to the ground; but d.i.c.k, avoiding a close hug, in which he might possibly have got the worst of it, by an adroit movement, tripped up his antagonist, and stretched him on the side walk.

”Hit him, Jim!” exclaimed Micky, furiously.

Limpy Jim did not seem inclined to obey orders. There was a quiet strength and coolness about d.i.c.k, which alarmed him. He preferred that Micky should incur all the risks of battle, and accordingly set himself to raising his fallen comrade.

”Come, Micky,” said d.i.c.k, quietly, ”you'd better give it up. I wouldn't have touched you if you hadn't hit me first. I don't want to fight. It's low business.”

”You're afraid of hurtin' your clo'es,” said Micky, with a sneer.

”Maybe I am,” said d.i.c.k. ”I hope I haven't hurt yours.”

Micky's answer to this was another attack, as violent and impetuous as the first. But his fury was in the way. He struck wildly, not measuring his blows, and d.i.c.k had no difficulty in turning aside, so that his antagonist's blow fell upon the empty air, and his momentum was such that he nearly fell forward headlong. d.i.c.k might readily have taken advantage of his unsteadiness, and knocked him down; but he was not vindictive, and chose to act on the defensive, except when he could not avoid it.

Recovering himself, Micky saw that d.i.c.k was a more formidable antagonist than he had supposed, and was meditating another a.s.sault, better planned, which by its impetuosity might bear our hero to the ground. But there was an unlooked-for interference.

”Look out for the 'copp,'” said Jim, in a low voice.

Micky turned round and saw a tall policeman heading towards him, and thought it might be prudent to suspend hostilities. He accordingly picked up his black-box, and, hitching up his pants, walked off, attended by Limpy Jim.

”What's that chap been doing?” asked the policeman of d.i.c.k.

”He was amoosin' himself by pitchin' into me,” replied d.i.c.k.

”What for?”

”He didn't like it 'cause I patronized a different tailor from him.”

”Well, it seems to me you _are_ dressed pretty smart for a boot-black,” said the policeman.

”I wish I wasn't a boot-black,” said d.i.c.k.

”Never mind, my lad. It's an honest business,” said the policeman, who was a sensible man and a worthy citizen. ”It's an honest business. Stick to it till you get something better.”

”I mean to,” said d.i.c.k. ”It aint easy to get out of it, as the prisoner remarked, when he was asked how he liked his residence.”

”I hope you don't speak from experience.”

”No,” said d.i.c.k; ”I don't mean to get into prison if I can help it.”

”Do you see that gentleman over there?” asked the officer, pointing to a well-dressed man who was walking on the other side of the street.