did not bring the plunder back; and as he is known to be a lad
of his word for good or evil, actually the scamps did return
most of the booty, which the two boys brushed off and sold,
as far as it went (!) The consequence of the fray has been
that Harry is unboundedly grateful to this Tommy Fitzmaurice,
and is at present coaching him on his graduating oration.
Fitzmaurice has studied hard and won honors, and wants
to make a show with his oration, to please his father.
'You see,' says Harry, 'Tommy's father has saved money
and is spending it all on Tommy, so's he can be educated.
He needs Tommy in the business real bad, but he won't let him come in;
he keeps him at school, and he thinks everything of his getting
the valedictory, and Tommy, he worked nights studying to get it.'
When I asked what was the father's business, Harry grew
a bit confused. 'Well, he kept a saloon; but'--Harry hastened
to explain--'it was a very nice saloon, never any trouble
with the police there; why, Tommy knew every man on the force.
And they keep good liquors, too,' said Harry, earnestly;
'throw away all the beer left in the glasses.'
'What else would they do with it?' asked innocent I. 'Why,
keep it in a bucket,' said Harry, solemnly, 'and then slip
the glass under the counter and half fill out of the bucket,
then hold it under the keg LOW, so's the foam will come;
that's a trick of the trade, you know. Tommy says his father
would SCORN that!' There is a vista opened, isn't there?
I was rather shocked at such associates for Harry, and told
his mother. Did she think it a good idea to have such a boy
coming to the house? a saloon-keeper's son? She did not laugh,
as I half expected, but answered quite seriously that she had
been looking up Tommy, that he was very much attached to Harry,