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He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very `
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well though--and loathed him. `
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Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. `
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Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him `
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than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore `
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them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's `
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misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This `
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new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just `
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acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed. `
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It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, `
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produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short `
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intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how `
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to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave `
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him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full `
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of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an `
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astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as `
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strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with `
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the boy, not the astronomer. `
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The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom `
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checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger `
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than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive `
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curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy `
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was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply `
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astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth `
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roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes `
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on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of `
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ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The `
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more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his `
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nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed `
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to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but `
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only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all `
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the time. Finally Tom said: `
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"I can lick you!" `
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"I'd like to see you try it." `
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"Well, I can do it." `
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"No you can't, either." `
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"Yes I can." `
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"No you can't." `
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"I can." `
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"You can't." `
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"Can!" `
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"Can't!" `
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An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said: `
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"What's your name?" `
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"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe." `
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"Well I 'low I'll MAKE it my business." `
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"Well why don't you?" `
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"If you say much, I will." `
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"Much--much--MUCH. There now." `
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"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, DON'T you? I could lick you with `
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one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to." `
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"Well why don't you DO it? You SAY you can do it." `
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"Well I WILL, if you fool with me." `
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"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix." `
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"Smarty! You think you're SOME, now, DON'T you? Oh, what a hat!" `
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"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it `
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off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs." `
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"You're a liar!" `
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"You're another." `
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"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up." `
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"Aw--take a walk!" `
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"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a `
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rock off'n your head." `
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"Oh, of COURSE you will." `
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"Well I WILL." `
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"Well why don't you DO it then? What do you keep SAYING you will for? `
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Why don't you DO it? It's because you're afraid." `
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"I AIN'T afraid." `
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"You are." `
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"I ain't." `
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"You are." `
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Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently `
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they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said: `
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"Get away from here!" `
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"Go away yourself!" `
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"I won't." `
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"I won't either." `
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So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and `
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both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with `
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hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both `
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were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, `
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and Tom said: `
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"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he `
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can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too." `
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"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger `
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than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." `
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[Both brothers were imaginary.] `
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"That's a lie." `
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"YOUR saying so don't make it so." `
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Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said: `
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"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand `
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up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep." `
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The new boy stepped over promptly, and said: `
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"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it." `
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"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out." `
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"Well, you SAID you'd do it--why don't you do it?" `
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"By jingo! for two cents I WILL do it." `
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The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out `
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with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys `
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were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and `
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for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and `
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clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered `
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themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and `
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through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and `
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pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he. `
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The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage. `
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"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on. `
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At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up `
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and said: `
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"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next `
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time." `
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The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, `
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snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and `
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threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." `
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To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and `
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as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw `
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it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like `
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an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he `
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lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the `
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enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the `
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window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called `
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Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went `
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away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy. `
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He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in `
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at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; `
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and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn `
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his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in `
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its firmness. `
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CHAPTER II `
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SATURDAY morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and `
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fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if `
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the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in `
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every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom `
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and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond `
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the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far `
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