his toe stopped working across the crack in the floor. his left hand forsook his tousled hair and fell to his side. his eyes narrowed, and his chin came up. then his lips began to move, noiselessly. "i'll pay him up for that!" he promised. "i'll make him wish he didn't shove me! this time, i'll think a' awful bad think about him! i'll think the worst think i can! i'll—i'll——"
he paused to decide. he had many "thinks" for the punishing of big tom, each of them ending in the desertion of that gentleman, who was always left helplessly groveling and pleading while johnnie made a joyous, triumphant departure. which of all those revenges would he select this morning? would he go, after handing the longshoreman over to the harshest patrolman in new york? or would it be a doctor who would remain behind in the flat with the tyrant, assuring johnnie, as the latter sauntered out of the kitchen for the very last time, that no skill on earth could entirely mend the hurts which he had so bravely inflicted upon his groaning foster father? or would he set sail grandly from the battery for some port at least a million miles away, his last view of the metropolis including in its foreground, along with a brass band and many dignitaries of the city, the kneeling shape of a wretched dock-worker who had repented of his meanness too late?
suddenly johnnie caught his breath, his eyes dilated,[11] his fingers began to play against his palms. he had decided. and in that same instant, a change came over him—complete, satisfactory, astonishing.
now, instead of the ragged, little boy upon whom big tom had glowered down—a meek boy, subdued, even crestfallen, whose eyes were lowered, and whose lashes blinked fearsomely, he was quite a good deal taller, boldly erect, proud in his poise, light on his neatly shod feet, confident and easy in his manner, with a charming smile to right and left as ringing cheers went up for him while he awaited the lessening of the pleasant tribute, his composure really quite splendid, his hands stuffed into the pocket of his absolutely new, light-gray suit, which had knee pants.
a change had also taken place in the barber kitchen. now the walls were freshly papered in a regal green-and-gold pattern which, at the floor line, met a thick, red carpet. red velvet curtains hung at either side of the window. splendid, fat chairs were set carelessly here and there; and a marble-topped table behind johnnie was piled with a variety of delectable dishes, including several pies oozing juice.
and the crowd that pressed up to the hall door! it was worthy of his pride, for it was a notable gathering. in it was no tenant of the building, no neighbor from other, near-by flats, and not a single member of that certain rough gang which haunted the area, the dark halls leading into it, and all the blocks round about.
indeed, no! even in his "thinks" johnnie was most careful regarding the selection of his companions, his social trend being ever upward. and he was never small about any crowd of his, but always had everybody he could remember who was anybody—a riot of famous people. on this occasion he was reaching into truly exclusive circles. naturally, then, this was a well-dressed assemblage, strikingly equipped with silk hats (there were no ladies present)[12] and gold-headed canes; and every gentleman in the gathering wore patent-leather shoes, and a vest that did not match his coat. all were smart and shaven and wealthy. in their lead, uniformed in khaki, and wearing the friendliest look possible to a young man who is cheering, was his royal highness, the prince of wales.
like all the others in that wildly enthusiastic gathering, the young heir apparent was turned toward johnnie as toward a hero. and small wonder. for there, between the distinguished crowd and the boy, lying prone upon the red carpet, in his oldest clothes, and unshaven, was none other than big tom barber, felled by the single, overwhelming blow that johnnie had just given him, his nose bleeding (not too much, however) and the breath clean knocked out of him.
now the shouting died away, and johnnie addressed the admiring throng. but his lips moved without even a whisper. "i made up my mind a long time ago," he began, "to give tom barber a good thrashin'. so this morning, i done it."
despite his ungrammatical conclusion, the speech called forth the resounding hurrahs of the prince and his gentlemen, and once more johnnie had to wait, striving to appear properly modest, and twirling a gold watch chain all of heavy links. but he could not keep his nostrils from swelling, or his eyes from flashing. and his chest heaved.
it was now that he made cis one of his audience, dressing her in a becoming pink gown (her favorite color). old grandpa was standing beside her, no longer feeble and chair bound, but handsomely overcoated and hatted, and looking as formidable as any policeman. these two, naturally enough, had only proud glances for the young champion of the hour.
but johnnie's task of subduing barber was not finished. the brave boy could see that the big longshoreman was[13] making as if to rise. johnnie could still feel the touch of big tom's perspiring hand on his forehead, and the pinch of those cruel fingers on his shoulder. taking a forward step, he gave barber's shoulder a wrenching jerk, then thrust the longshoreman backward by a spanking blow of the open palm full upon that big, ugly, bristling face.
again barber fell prostrate. he was purple with mortification, and leered up at johnnie murderously.
"ha! ha! y' got enough?" johnnie inquired. he was all of a glow now, and his face fairly shone. but he was not done with the tyrant. a sense of long-outraged justice made him hand barber the big, black, three-legged, iron kettle that belonged on the back of the cookstove. there was some cold oatmeal in the bottom of the kettle, and johnnie also handed the longshoreman a spoon—with a glance toward the prince, who seemed awed by johnnie's complete mastery of the enemy. "here!" the boy directed, giving the pot a light kick with a new shoe (which was brown). "go ahead and eat. eat ev'ry bite of it. it's got kerosene in it!"
now barber got to his knees imploringly. "oh, don't make me eat it!" he begged. "oh, don't, johnnie! please!"
"y' made me eat it once," said johnnie quietly. "and y' need a lesson, tom barber, and i'm givin' y' one."
barber choked down the bad-tasting food. but there was no taunting of him. johnnie kept a dignified silence—as did also the prince and the gentlemen. but when the last spoonful was swallowed, and barber was cowering beside the empty kettle, the boy felt called upon to go still further, and make away finally with that strap which was the symbol of all he hated—that held up and together the too-large clothes which had so long mortified his pride; that stood for the physical pain dealt out to him by big tom if he so much as slighted a bit of his girl's work.
the strap was around him now, even over that new suit.[14] it circled him like a snake. he took it off, his lips working in another splendid speech. "and i don't wear it ever again," he declared, looking down at barber. "do y' understand that?" he flicked a big arm with the leather, though not hard enough to give pain.
"yes," faltered the longshoreman, shrinking.
"well, i'm glad y' understand it," returned johnnie. "and now you just watch me for on-n-ne second! you won't never lay this strap across me> again!"
he whipped out a long, sharp, silver-handled bread-knife. then turning to the table, he laid the strap upon the beautiful marble; and, in sight of all, cut it away to the very buckle—inch by inch!
"now!" he cried, as he scattered the pieces upon the carpet.
the punishment was complete; his triumph nothing less than perfect. and it occurred to him now that there was particular gratification in having present this morning his royal highness. "mister prince," he said, "i'm awful tickled you was here!"
the prince expressed himself as being equally pleased. "mister smith," he returned, "i don't know as i ever seen a boy that could hit like you! why, mister smith, it's wonderful! how do y' do it?" he shook johnnie's hand warmly.
"well, i guess i'm like david, mister prince," johnnie explained modestly. "o' course you know david—and his friend, mister goli'th?—oh, y' don't? y' mean y' ain't never met neither one? oh, gee! i'm surprised! but that's 'cause y' don't know mrs. kukor, upstairs. they're both friends of hers. well, i'll ask 'em down."
an upturned face and a beckoning arm accomplished the invitation, whereupon there entered at once the champion philistine and that youth who was ruddy and of a fair countenance. and after a deal of hand-shaking all[15] around, johnnie told the tale of that certain celebrated fight—told it as one who had witnessed the whole affair. he turned his face from side to side as he talked, gesticulating with easy grace.
"and now i guess we're ready t' start, ain't we?" he observed as he concluded. "david, would you and your friend like t' come along?—only big tom, he's got t' stay behind, 'cause——"
at the stove, the untidy heap of brown blanket in the wheel chair stirred again. out of the faded folds a small head, blanched and bewhiskered, reared itself weakly. "johnnie," quavered old grandpa. "johnnie! milk!"
the boy's lips ceased to frame words. his right arm fell to his side; the left went up again to resume that tugging at his hair. he swayed slightly, shifting his weight, and his big toe began once more to curl and uncurl. then, as fancy was displaced by reality, as dreaming gave place to fact, barber disappeared from the floor. the silk-hatted gentlemen with the gold canes went, too—along with the gallant young english prince, that other prince who was of israel, and a tall person with a sore, red bump on his forehead. the gold-and-green walls faded; so did the carpet, the curtains, and that light-gray suit (which was precisely like the one johnnie had worn when he first came to the barber flat—except, of course, that it was larger). the marble-topped table and the fat chairs folded themselves up out of sight. and all those delicious fruit pies dissolved into thin air.
but one thing did not go: a sense of satisfaction. having met his enemy before the world, and conquered him; having spent his own anger and loathing, and revenged the other's hated touch, his gray eyes held a pleased, proud look. once more in the soiled big shirt and trousers, with the strap coiled about his middle, he could put barber[16] aside for the day—not brood about him, harboring ill-will, nor sulk and fret.
now he was ready for "thinks" of a different sort—adventures that were wholly delightful.
a feeling of joy surged through him. ahead lay fully nine unhampered hours. he pivoted like a top. his arms tossed. then, like a spring from which a weight has been lifted, like a cork flying out of a charged bottle, he did a high, leaping hop-skip straight into the air.
"wow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" he sang out full-throatedly. "rr-r-r-r! ree-ee-ee!"—and explosively, "brt! brt! brt! bing!"
