The Washington times., 1911-01-15
CHAPTER VIII.
.HE first object David's eyes fell
uron when they opened the next
morning was Tom, sitting beside

upon when they opened the next
morning was Tom, sitting beside
the bed, an eager look on his
pirChed face. The instant he saw that
David was awake he sprang NY, and
David perceived the boy had a pair of
boxing gloves.
Can you use de mitts?" Tom asked
eXcitcdly.
"A little. | used to. that is" Da\i
answered, smiling at the odd figure the
Cowlick. tie eaCer face, the baggy coat,
and the big boxing gloves combined to
make Of Tom.
Come on. den-git up! Let's have a
CO.
David slipped out of bed. and while
he was dressing. Tom entertained him
with an account of the COrbett-Britt
fight, CinCmatoSraph pictures of which
h. had seen at one of the BOweTy
theaterS. Tom danced about the narrow
space between the he'd and the wall, TAX
ing the part of one man, then of the
other, giEi ing and receiving blows, feint-
ing. duCkinE, rushing and being rushed
against IMAGINARY ropes, and gaspinS
out hits of description:
"Corbett breaks in an lands like dis
dey ClinCh-hin2. bang! bif,-den Jim
mie gets in his peaCh-Corbett ker-
plunks-One, two, tree four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten-an Corbett's a
has-been,'
BY this time David was half dressed,
and had drawn on the other pair of
gloves. They gravely shook hands and
drew apart BE careful, and don I
make me has-been," David cautioned
"Oh, mudder. Fetch me a step-lad-
DIR" besOught Tom, looking upward at
navid's head. He spat from one side Of
his mouth, drew his head down between
his shoulders, rushed in. and began di-
Tccting a fury Of blows at David )
stomach. which was near the level Of
his fists; and it took all Davids long
ITstCd. but one-time considerable, skill
10 ward of the rapid fists. He made no
Cttempt to land a blow himself, and
this soon drew on him Toms wrath.
Il amt no baby the boy yelled in
disgust Punch me-"
David proceeded TO land a few light
touches about the slight body.
'A-a-h, punch me-" Tom gasped.
Harder"
David obeyed, and landed a chest
blow that sent Tom to his back. David
dropped to his knees beside him, alarm
ed. for the boys face was white and
pushed David away; his lips moved
silently, then with sound, Seven, eight,
nine, ten" At ten" he sprang to his
feet and rushed at David again.
But David threw up his hands.
That's enough for today. And finish
fights are against the New York law"
Tom Erumblingly drew off the gloves.
After their breakfast of bread and cof-
ing to do that day.
"L0Ok for odd jobs.
''Where will you stay tonight?"
Dunno.
How did you like the foor?"
well, suppose you come back and try
Il again tonight. Be here at G Will
you"
''WHl -" gasped the boy. you can
just bet Your grandmudder's suspenders
dat I will
When David returned at E. after an
other day Of hopeless search, he found
Tom sitting in the doorway of the tene-
ment. The boys face lighted up with his
lopsided smile; David felt a quick glow
a. having some one to give him well
coming lOOk-eVen though that some one
were only stunted boy in an old faded
SLOUGH hat that from time to time slip
ped down and eClipscd his face.
They had dinner, and after 1t they
set forth on a walk Toms tongue main
tained constant Clatter: to talk was
clearly one of his delights. What he
said was interesting. and was given
ErOtcSQue VivaCity by his SnappY die
tiOn Of the streets: but David shivered
again and again at the knowledge the
boy had where he should have had ig-
noranCe. Tom seemed to he an ency-
rlopedia of the wiCkCdnesS of that part
of the city, and he ratified off his infOr
nation in a cheerful, matter-Of-faCt
manner That innocent looking second
hand store. which was run by a fat old
lady, was in reality a fence" that
laundry was an opium den: back of that
brilliantly lighted CluhrOOm, whose win
flows were labeled The Three Friends
Associations" there was a gambling
Ioint: that saloon was the hGng-out of
a gang of men and women thieves-and
so on, missing nothing that he should
not have known.
The end of their walk took them by
St ChristOpher's Mission and this came
in for a few OF Toms sentences. 1t was
a great place to steal WOmen's pocket
hooks. "a lot O. swell ladies from Fift'
nyenoo comes down here to monkey wild
dc kids. Dey're easy fruit. I pinched
two or tree fat feathers dere myself"
David saw. as definitely as the calen-
dar sees tomorrow, the future of this
how. If there were no influenc counter
10 the influence that was now sweeping
him toward his fate. He saw arrest
Tom boasted that he had been arrested
Once)-prison-a hardening of the boys
nature-a life of crime. He heard little
Of the rest of the boys chatter, and
presently came to a deCisiOn-a very
t,npretentiOus decision. for he was poorer
than poverty, and what confidence he
once had in his personal influence had
slipped away. But the little he could do
for the boy, that he would do.
How would you like to stay with me
for awhile, Tom?' he asked when they
were back in his room. II can't offer