Page:Stringer - Lonely O'Malley.djvu/204

 Although these brooding thoughts somewhat darkened the days that followed, they did not readily quench the old pagan and irresponsible spirit of the boy. When, for example, he and Pud Jones decided to add to their earthly stores by early morning labor in the strawberry patches, it was decided that Pud should awaken Lonely by the time-honored method of pulling on a string tied to the latter's great toe, and left dangling downward through the open window.

Pud, in a sudden spirit of facetiousness, was not content to give this string the gentle little jerk allowed by tradition. For, after a sturdy pull, he decided, indeed, to climb up the string, and only its eventual snapping, followed by a muffled howl, rendered this feat out of the question. It brought Lonely out of bed with a bound, however, wrathfully hopping about on one foot and nursing the injured member while he cried down inaudible imprecations on the boy rolling and shaking and writhing so spasmodically below.

Nothing more was said of the matter until they parted for the day, when Lonely gently reminded Pud that he was to be awakened at