"the game"
that the former newsboy had picked up in his encounters on the Bowery
when protecting his corner from other vendors.

Long since discarded, the accomplishment now served Jimmie well, and he
used it effectively, not forgetting to keep one foot in action as he
industriously pegged away at the foot upon which his heel had first
landed. Jimmie believed thoroughly in the old adage that 'continual
dropping will wear away a stone.'

Black specks began to float slowly across Jimmie's vision and his
breath seemed to have left his body. In place of lungs the boy felt he
had only a great raging furnace. His foot began to be heavier and
heavier. He was about to give up in despair.

Without warning, Otto released his grasp to fling Jimmie from him as he
stepped backward to escape the onslaught of kicks and blows from
Jimmie's active head. As he released the boy he aimed a vicious swing
that would have done a great deal of damage had it landed.

Luckily for the red-headed Uhlan, his feet became tangled in the
remnants of the discarded and partly burned uniform that had been the
innocent cause of the battle. Just as Otto aimed the blow at Jimmie's
head the boy stumbled and fell backward.

There flashed to the lad's mind the thought that the Russian uniform
had been the means of saving him from a most unwelcome hurt.

Perhaps one of Jimmie's most lovable qualities was the ability to see
and appreciate a joke, no matter what the time or circumstances. This
quality so dominated the lad that his comrades often declared he would
laugh at his own expense even when he was hungry. Just now he was so
impressed with the absurdity of the uniform's being the cause of his
trouble and the means of his escape that he laughed aloud.

Unnoticed by either of the contestants, a considerable number of the
cooks and "kitchen police" had gathered to witness the difficulty
between the two. These bystanders now offered words of encouragement
in an effort to prolong the battle. It seemed that the dominating
spirit of battle had not been satisfied during the several days of
awful history-making struggle between the armies around the stricken
city. The bloodlust was strong in their souls.

Jimmie heard their cries, although he could not distinguish the words
they used, nor could he have understood them had he done so. He
realized that Otto would probably hear and understand, and that for
very shame, if for no other reason, the ot