rch for the one
who was weeping, had discovered Johnnie, and was echoing his grief.

"Oh, shut up, Pa!" ordered Barber harshly; while Cis, for fear the
neighbors would hear, unwittingly shut the hall door in the face of Mrs.
Kukor, who had come out of her own place at One-Eye's kick to see what
was happening.

"I'll be stop-watched and high-kaflummoxed!" continued One-Eye. Round
and round rolled that green marble, gathering fire with each revolution.
In fact it looked to be more fiercely glowing than any two eyes--as
single eyes have the habit of looking.

Big Tom was beaming at the stranger again, unaware of One-Eye's temper.
"Say, I never had a' idear of meetin' one of you," he declared heartily,
"But I'm glad to, I'll say that. Yes, sir, I'm glad to! By thunder!" His
look traveled up and down One-Eye, not missing a detail.

"Look-a-here!" returned One-Eye with insulting coldness. "This boy's
hurt! Hurt _bad_! Y' savvy? Weak, too--weak's a cat! And sick! Done up!
Sore! Wore _out_!" He paused, glaring.

"Boo-hoo!"--Johnnie's heart was wrung by the pitiful description.

It was now that something of the effect Johnnie had pleasantly imagined
was finally gained. With a distressful "Oh!" Cis came to him, while
Grandpa began to shrill "Johnnie! Johnnie!" and tried to get away from
Big Tom, who held back the chair by a wheel as he, too, gave a thought
to the patient.

"What happened to the kid?" he wanted to know.

One-Eye aimed his one orb at Big Tom as if it were a bullet. "What?" he
repeated. "Y' ask, do y'? Wal, it was a hoss. It was a kick." Then to
Johnnie, "Could y' shift weight, sonny?" (One of the five books was
stabbing One-Eye in the side.)

"I want t' know!" marveled Big Tom. "Any bones broke?" He leaned to feel
of the unwrapped part of Johnnie's hurt arm.

The indifferent tone, the hated, ungentle touch, and the nearness of the
longshoreman, all worked to unman Johnnie, who gave way again. He did
not fear a whipping any longer. It was, as Mrs. Kukor might have put it,
"somethink yet again." Over him had swept the realization that soon this
kind, free-handed, lovable One-Eye would be taking his leave, and with
him would go--well, about everything!

Oh, his dear millionaire! His soul of generosity! The giver of the best
supper ever! A man who could command such respect that he had struck the
whole of the East Side dumb! The source of one boy's sweet glory!

And how Johnnie hated the thought of being