"Because Arthur jest worships M'Ginnis for his strength and toughness!"

"I see!"

"Yes, Arthur thinks there's nobody in the world could lick Bud
M'Ginnis."

"Hum! May I smoke, Mrs. Trapes?"

"Sure ye may!" she nodded, and began to collect the supper things. "I
tell you what," she exclaimed suddenly, flourishing the fork she had
just taken up, "if somebody would only come along an' thrash M'Ginnis,
thrash him good, it would be a sight better for every one around
here--it would so! M'Ginnis is always makin' trouble for some one or
other, an' there ain't a man big enough or got heart enough to stand up
to him--not even Spider Connolly. Wish I was a man, that's all--just for
an hour! Ah!" Here Mrs. Trapes snorted fiercer than usual, and the jut
of her elbows was deadly.

"And he gets Arthur drunk, does he!" said Ravenslee, puffing dreamily at
his pipe.

"Yes!" sighed Mrs. Trapes as she loaded a tray with the supper things.
"Hermy's seen him drunk twice, to my knowing, an' I thought it would
break her 'eart, poor dear! Y' see, Mr. Geoffrey, his father died o' the
drink, an' she's frightened for fear Arthur should go the same road. Oh,
Hermy's life ain't all ice-cream sodas an' lollipops, not much it ain't,
poor, brave, beautiful thing!"