At that, out shot the cowboy's right. It was still bloody over the knuckles, the Father having confined his washing to One-Eye's face. "Put 'er there!" invited the sightless one. "How are you!" greeted Mr. Perkins, heartily; yet his tone carried with it just the right amount of sympathy. "Jes' so-so," answered One-Eye. "Look how he slapped me in the eye!" "Cis, my sweetheart, are you all right?" inquired Mr. Perkins. She ran to him, and he took her hands. "Oh, yes!" she cried happily. "But, oh, I'm so glad you've come!" As Father Pat said afterward, it was the sweetheart that did it. As those young hands met, of a sudden Barber's good humor went. "That'll do!" he ordered. "Jus' y' shut up on them pretty names!" "Ah! You don't believe in affection, do you?" rejoined Mr. Perkins. His countenance wore an exasperating smile. "I don't b'lieve in puppy love!" answered Big Tom. "I don't b'lieve in the soft, calf stuff! And I'd jus' like t' know how it happens that you two guys 're here at this time in the mornin'! How does it come? _Some one_ must 've fetched y'! And I'm _goin'_ t' know, 'r else I'm goin' t' break ev'ry last bone in y'r dude body!" "Oh, my goodness!" quavered Johnnie. He turned and twisted in the big chair. And he wished with all his might that he was having either a very bad think, or a torturing nightmare. Seeing this second friend come, he had felt an awful sinking of the heart. If the Westerner, rough and ready and leathery as he was, could not conquer Big Tom, what would the young scoutmaster be able to do?--and he so slender and light when compared to the giant longshoreman! And now the latter was working himself into a rage! Johnnie, head thrust from the folds of the quilt, told himself that the whole world was coming to an end. But Mr. Perkins did not seem to be disturbed by Barber's threats. "Fancy that!" he said calmly. "Every bone! But where will you take it, Mr. Barber?" "Take what?" asked the longshoreman. "Your whipping," answered Mr. Perkins; "--the good, sound, punching that I'm going to give you." He began to get out of his coat. A shout of laughter--from Big Tom, who next addressed the ceiling. "Oh, listen t' this cute baby boy!" he cried. "He thinks he can lick me! Me!--one o' the strongest men on the whole water front! One-Eye, tell him how far _you_ got! Oh, save his life, One-Eye! Save his life!" "Wisht I had a chunk o' fresh beefsteak fer this lamp!" declared the cowboy, too miserable to care about what was going forward. "Well," continued Mr. Perkins, "if you're so certain on the score of what you're going to do to me, Mr. Barber, then, of course, you'll be willing to make a bargain with me. Yes?" Barber was in fine spirits. "Go ahead! Course I'll bargain! Anything y' like! Git it out o' y'r system!" He sucked his teeth noisily.