ace darkened.

"That ain't none of your business," he growled.

"You shouldn't send her out on the street to beg."

"Wot! has she been blabbin' again? I'll break every bone in her body!" and
off the man started out of the room and down the narrow stairs.

Jerry had noticed that his breath smelt strongly of liquor. He was not
only a drinking man, but also one who was not quite right in his head.

"Don't hurt her, you brute!" called out the boy, and followed him out of
the alleyway into the street. At the nearest corner stood the little girl,
and Crazy Jim rushed up to her fiercely.

"You good-fer-nothin'!" he bawled. "I'll teach ye a lesson! Didn't I tell
ye ter keep yer clapper still about me? Take that! and that!"

He raised his heavy hand and struck her a cruel blow on the side of the
head. She staggered back, and he was about to repeat his unjust action,
when Jerry thought it about time to interfere. Catching him by the arm,
our hero hurled him backward with such force that he fell flat in the
gutter.

At once a shout went up from those who saw Jerry's action.

"What are yer doin'?"

"Who is that boy?"

With a fearful exclamation, Crazy Jim arose to his feet.

"I'll fix ye fer that!" he hissed, and sprang forward. "You ain't got no
right ter interfere between me an' the gal."

"You are a brute!" burst out our hero. "This little girl has done nothing
to deserve such punishment."

"Who set you over me?" howled the infuriated man. "I'll fix ye!"

He tried his best to hit Jerry with his fist, but the young oarsman dodged
him and took a stand in front of the little girl.

"You had better run away," Jerry whispered to her. "He is in a terrible
mood just now."

"Where shall I go?" whimpered the girl.

"Anywhere. Up two blocks. I will join you soon."

Without delay the little girl ran off. Crazy Jim tried to follow her, but
Jerry headed him off.

Seeing he could do nothing with his hands, the savage man looked around
for some weapon. A heavy stone was lying handy, and he picked it up. The
next moment it was launched at our hero's head.

Luckily, Jerry was quick at dodging, or he might have been seriously
wounded. The missile went sailing over the lad's head and flew with a
crash through the front window of a neighboring store.

The smashing of the pane of glass was followed by a shout of alarm from
the storekeeper, who sat in a chair on the pavement.

"Here, vot's dot?" he yelled. "Vot you means p