Part 35 (2/2)
”In what way?”
”He fired a snow-ball at me and hit me in the ear.”
”I didn't,” howled the urchin. ”It was anudder fellow wot fired dat snow-ball.”
And he began to cry bitterly.
”It was only done in fun, I suppose,” said the officer.
”Fun!” fumed Ferris. ”Look at my clothes!”
The officer did so. Ferris was covered with snow and dirt, princ.i.p.ally the latter.
”The snow-ball couldn't have done that,” said the policeman.
He was in sympathy with the small boy, whom he knew as the son of one of his friends.
”I know. But this boy and a lot of his chums got to throwing at me, and in trying to dodge I went down.”
The policeman paused for a moment, and then turned to the urchin.
”See here, bubby, if I let you go will you promise not to throw any more snow-b.a.l.l.s?”
”Yes, sir,” came in one breath, and very eagerly.
”Then run.”
”What! ain't you going to arrest him?” cried d.i.c.k Ferris, in some excitement.
”I think not.”
”But he ought to be.”
”I fancy I know my own business best,” was the short reply.
”But he is a little imp, and----”
”Better let it go. I dare say you throw snow-b.a.l.l.s yourself once in a while.”
And with this remark the policeman moved on.
”Well, that's a fine way to treat a fellow,” muttered Ferris to himself.
”I suppose that policeman would let the whole ward pounce on me without doing anything toward helping me. I wonder where that Hal Carson is?”
The tall youth brushed off his clothing hastily, and returned to the entrance to the alley. He looked around carefully, but Hal kept well hidden.
d.i.c.k Ferris was undecided what to do. Should he deliver the letter intrusted to him by Hardwick? He hesitated and then continued up the alley-way, upon which a number of dirty, dingy tenement houses were situated.
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