Page:Arthur Stringer-The Loom of Destiny.djvu/183

An Essay in Equality that the boy from the Alley cleared for action.

He eyed the invader darkly. He had found a footprint on his Crusoe's Island. With curious and half-envious eyes, he noticed the Glittering Things worn by the other. Then, with a great air, he launched his little boat and choo-choo-chooed up and down the puddle simply to show the other boy that he was the owner. He contrived, at the same time, to splash as much mud and water as possible on the boy in velvet. But the boy in velvet did not seem to mind in the least. In fact, he drew nearer, and stood at the edge of the puddle, his patent-leather shoes sinking in the mud.

The boy from the Alley resented the intrusion.

"G'won, kid," he said belligerently, although he was not so tall as the other by three good inches.

"T'ant I watch oo?" lisped the other, wistfully, in a voice of such baby timidity that it filled the Alley boy with disgust. In fact, the Alley boy was disagreeably 171