t to fight in plain self-protiction. Now it's me own opinion
that young hound of a lad'll never let up on ye, Rosie, till ye larn him
a good lesson. I could give him a crack wid me stick if ever he'd come
nigh enough, but he'd be at you just the same the next time I wasn't
around. Now, Rosie, if you ask me, I'd advise you to farce yirself to
give that young bully a good chin-chopper once and for all. And, what's
more, I'll take me oath ye'll never be feared of him again.... Come
here and I'll show you how to go at him. Palm up now with yir fingers
bent making a little cup of the inside of your hand. Do ye see? Now the
thrick is here: Run at him hard and catch his chin in the little cup.
One good blow and you'll push him over. Oh, you can't miss it, Rosie."

Rosie's breath was coming fast and her hand was cold and shaky. "But I
don't want to do it, Danny, honest I don't! I can't tell you how scared
I am!"

Danny wagged his head. "Of course you don't want to do it, Rosie.
Because why? Because ye're a little lady. But I know one thing: ye'll
make yirself do it! And them that makes theirselves do it, not because
they want to do it but because it's the right thing to do, I tell ye,
Rosie, them's the best fighters! Come, come, I'll crawl out to the gate
wid ye and hold yir apple for you while ye do the business."

Fixing his bright little eyes upon her, Danny waited until Rosie had,
perforce, to consent. Then, with her help, he stood up and slowly
hobbled to the door.

"We won't mintion the matther to the ould woman," he whispered with a
wink. "She mightn't understand."

Rosie almost hoped that old Mary would catch them and haul Danny back,
but she could not, of course, give the alarm.

As she had expected, the Schnitzer was there waiting for her. At sight
of Danny he moved off a little.

"Now then, Rosie dear," Danny whispered, after Rosie had propped him
securely against the gate-post; "at him and may luck be wid ye! It's
high time that young cock crowed his last!"

As Danny spoke, the Schnitzer's taunting cry rang out: "Look at the
paper-girl, paper-girl, paper-girl!"

Rosie started up the street and the Schnitzer cavorted and pranced some
little distance in the front of her, making playful pounces at her
papers, threatening to clutch her hair, her arms, her dress. Then,
suddenly, he stood still, stretching himself across the middle of the
walk to bar her passage.

Rosie's heart pounded so hard she could scarce