Page:Stringer - Lonely O'Malley.djvu/401

 "Proud of him! A hero! Why, dammit, sir," roared the old Captain, "d' you know that young limb has been a-stealin' my Strawberry Reds—the first young varmint to git at that fruit o' mine this thirteen year back—and under my very nose, sir!"

"Tut, tut!" said the old Doctor.

"I could have overlooked that! But when he comes a-struttin' up to me and tells me, cool as a cowcumber, that he 's been at 'em—the—then I 've just got to let out!"

"Fiddlesticks!" said the old Doctor.

"Yes, fiddlesticks!" repeated Miss Arabella. And she placed the cake and cider on the sundial, and stooped down over Lonely, unexpectedly putting her maiden arms hungrily about the sodden figure.

The boy himself looked about furtively, wondering if any of the women folks had seen it. The two old men walked slowly away, arm in arm, under the shadowy apple-trees. The Captain chuckled quietly, deep down in his throat.

"Why, Doc, I believe I would a-bawled—a-bawled like a demned baby, if I had n't a-gone for him that fashion!"