Before the boys could
struggle to their feet, Carrots, with his hands full of gingerbread,
had disappeared around the nearest corner. There was a wild rush and
a scramble, and when two minutes later, Tode stood gazing mournfully
at the wreck, not an eatable bit remained. The boys had considered the
wreckage as their lawful spoils, and every one of them had snatched as
much as he could.
Later, however, their sense of justice led some of them to express,
after their rough fashion, sympathy for Tode, and disapproval of his
enemy's revengeful act. Besides, a few of them had enough conscience
to acknowledge to themselves that they had not been entirely
blameless. The result was that half a dozen of them went to Tode the
next day and offered to "chip in" and set him up again.
Tode appreciated the spirit that prompted the offer, but he was also
shrewd enough to foresee that should he accept it, these boys would
expect favours in the way of prices and quantities when they dealt
with him in the future, and so he declined.
"Reckin I can stan' on my own feet, boys," he answered. "I've been
a-tinkerin' up the ol' stand, an' I'm a-goin' to start in again
to-morrow. You fellers come here an' get yer breakfast, an' that's
all the help I'll ask, 'cept that ev'ry last one o' ye'll give that
Carrots a kick fer me.
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