Pinkney was journeying on, going steadily away from Milton, and trav

s eyes, forced back the tears, and pressed on, feeling that freedom even without a change o

e he came to the first house. It stood just at the ed

these apertures stuffed with hats and discarded garments, while half the bricks had fallen from the chimney-top. Th

ed outside the broken fence with a longing eye upo

returned with much dignity. "Coul

te wasn't so high now. Come in me kitchen and sit ye down. There's tay in the

entered the house, past the staring children. The two oldest of the group, a shrewd-faced bo

ed him that he thought very little about the children peering in at the door and open w

ez have ten cents about ye we'll call it square-an' that's

it held with something of a flourish. The jingle of so many dimes brought a sigh of wonder in u

old) and started out the door. The smaller children scattered to give him passage; the older boy and girl had a

nts," said the girl sauci

holes in your breeches

joined Sammy gruffly

jeered the girl and stu

was not rated at home for his own chivalrous conduct, he considered

he don't know everything. He ain't seen everything if

from you," was Sammy's

f I said 'Bo

I wou

g at Sammy, "don't talk so muc

knew the large, red-faced woman might take a hand

other tack, "that he never saw a

did," crowed the

"Get out! There ain't such a thing. A

repeated the boy earnestly. "

ve it," said

!" cried

shrewd-looking boy. "We'll s

," repeated Sammy,

than before. "He's afraid to spend a dim

've got a cherry-col

l show you whether we h

ime if you show it to me. But no foolin'. I won't

ther boy. "Come on and I'l

e as eagerly. "Hurry up, raggedy-pants.

broken colts. Sammy, feeling fine after the bountiful breakfast he had eaten, chased after them wishing that he

o the bottom of the slope. "I ain't going

reed. There followed a scrambling in the bushes. Liz jumped into them with a shriek and drove out a li

im!" shrieked Liz. "A

demanded the boy, Pet

ew all the time you were story-tell

a black-heart cherry," giggled L

ther," Sam

u," threatened Peter

declared Sammy, who did

eason why he could not retreat was because Liz grab

ve. It was a most unfair attack and a most uncomfortable situation for the runaway. Although

Lemme up!"

dime," pa

ir!" gasped Sammy, t

n which pocket Sammy kept the knotted handkerchief, for she thrust her hand into that

mme up!" roare

, and, springing up, she darted

money," gasped Sammy

with a final blow that stunned Sammy for the moment, the ot

and sore in spirit, climbed slowly to his feet. Never before in an

and all his chattels therein had been stolen. Now these t

bought breakfast and complain. The other youn

doing. Even weeding another beet-bed could have been no mor