Page:Harvey O'Higgins--Silent Sam and other stories.djvu/303

Rh "Redney! " she cried. The crowd closed in with the eager expectation of seeing a fight. He waved a package at her, reassuringly. "The ladies 'at wraps up these packages has a habit 'f accident'ly droppin' in gol' watches an' di'mon' ringses, an' if any o' youse gets such as a gol' watch er a di'mon' ring— All right, gran'pa," he cheeked the Professor. "Run away an' play with yerself—I 'm requested t' ask yuh to leave it with gran'pa here. He 's savin' up gol' watches an' di'mon' ringses fer Chris'mas."

The Professor had mounted another platform. "Ladies and gentle-men," he shouted, in a voice trembling with rage, "if you will now kindly step this way—"

"These here packages," Redney overtopped him, "sells fer a dime, ten cents, but on this int'restin' o-casion I 'm sellin' 'em two fer five. Here y' are. Don' mind ol' Baldy there. Two fer five. Two fer five. Soon 's I 'm sold out I 'll take him down off his perch an' wipe the floor with him. Two fer five. Hurry up now, if you want to see the fight. Right y' are. Who 's the nex'? Here it is."

The Bowery knew a bargain; and the prize packages, two fer a nickel, were sold as fast as Redney could hand them out. The Professor, fuming helplessly, watched them go. Several times he called out his invitation to "step this way," but no one obeyed him. At last, when it was almost time for Redney to redeem his promise to wipe the floor with him, he shouted: "We will now