Something big, burly, and blue loomed up on his sight,--something that was doing its best to crush Sallie bodily, and to devour what was not crushed; something that could say nothing by reason of its lips being so much more pleasantly engaged, and whose face was invisible through its extraordinary proximity to somebody else's face and hair.
Frankie, finding he could gain neither sight nor sound of notice, began to howl.

But as neither of the hard-hearted creatures seemed to care for the poor little chap's howling, he fell upon the coat-tails of the big blue obstruction, and pulled at them lustily,--not to say viciously,--till their owner turned, and beheld him panting and fiery.
"Helloa, youngster! what's to pay now ?" "Wow! if 'tain't Jim.

Hooray!" screeched the youngster, first embracing the blue legs, and then proceeding to execute a dance upon his head.
"Te, te, di di, idde i-dum," he sang, coming feet down, finally.
Evidently the bad boy's language had been corrupted by his street _confreres_; it was a missionary ground upon which Sallie entered, more or less faithfully, every day to hoe and weed; but of this last specimen-plant she took no notice, save to laugh as Jim, catching him up, first kissed him, then gave him a shake and a small spank, and, thrusting a piece of currency into his hand, whisked him outside the door with a "Come, shaver, decamp, and treat yourself to-day," and had it shut and fastened in a twinkling.
"O Jim!" she cried then, her soul in her handsome eyes.
"O Sallie!"-- and he had her fast and tight once more.
An ineffable blank, punctuated liberally with sounding exclamation points, and strongly marked periods,--though how or why a blank should be punctuated at all, only blissful lovers could possibly define.
"Jim, dear Jim!" whispering it, and snuggling her blushing face closer to the faded blue, "can you love me after all that has happened ?" "Come now! _can_ I love you, my beauty?
Slightly, I should think.

O, te, te, di di, idde i-dum,"-- singing Frank's little song with his big, gay voice,--"I'm happy as a king." Happy as a king, that was plain enough.

And what shall be said of her, as he sat down, and, resting the wounded leg--stiff and sore yet,--held Sallie on his other knee,--then fell to admiring her while she stroked his mustache and his crisp, curling hair, looking at both and at him altogether with an expression of contented adoration in her eyes.
Frank, tired of prowling round the door, candy in hand, here thrust his head in at the window, and, unfortunately for his plans, sneezed.
"Mutual-admiration society!" he cried at that, seeing that he was detected in any case, and running away,--his run spoiled as soon as it began.
"We are a handsome couple," laughed Jim, holding back her face between both hands,--"ain't we, now ?" Yes, they were,--no mistake about that, handsome as pictures.
And merry as birds, through all of his short stay.