burned boot, looked to see what damage had been 

 done to his ' unders.' It gave me an even better 

 idea of a nigger's feet than those thorn digging opera- 

 tions when we had to cut through a solid whitish welt 

 a third of an inch thick. 



Joey grinned openly at the boy ; but he was thinking 

 of Snowball. 



" I wonder you had the heart, Joey, I do indeed ! " 

 I said, shaking my head at him. 



" You would have him, lad, there was no re- 

 fusin' you ! You arst so nice and wanted him so 

 bad ! " 



" But how could you bear to part with him, Joey ? 

 It must have been like selling one of the family." 



" 'Es, Boy, 'es ! We are a bit stoopid our lot ! 

 Is he still such a fool, or has he improved any with 

 you ? " 



" Joey, I've learned him full up to the teeth. 

 If he stops longer he will become wicked, like me ; 

 and you would not be the ruin of an innocent young 

 thing trying to earn a living honestly, if he can ? " 



" Come round behind the shop, Boy. I got a 

 pony '11 suit you proper ! " He gave a hearty laugh, 

 and added " You can always get what you arsk for 

 if it ain't worth having. Moril ! Don't arsk ! I 

 never offered you Snowball. This one's different. 

 You can have him at cost price ; and that's an old twelve 

 month account ! Ten pounds. He's worth four of 

 it ! Salted at? shootin' ! Shake ! " and I gripped 



335 



