He's
a very odd person," said David. "I think I should like him in spite of
what he is."
"Everybody likes him. He's so light-'earted he almost bursts with joy.
He's followed us for two seasons, and I've never knowed 'im to do a
mean or dishonorable thing," said Joey with perfect complacency. And
yet Joey Noakes was the soul of integrity! David could not help
laughing; whereupon the clown hastened to add: "Except to steal."
"I'm sorry he's that kind," deplored David.
"He's about twenty-one," said Joey, a retrospective light in his eye.
"He first joined us as a sleight-o'-hand man in the side-show. That
cussed little brother of 'is got a job taking tickets. Dick 'ad been
in jail a couple of times and he decided to turn over a new leaf. He'd
'a' been all right if it 'adn't been for Ernie. Ernie didn't think he
was making enough money by being honest, so he just naturally drove
'im to picking again. That boy is a little devil. You see, the trouble
with poor Dick is, that he's set 'imself up to protect and provide for
Ernie all 'is life. It seems that he's responsible for the deformity.
When Ernie was five years old, Dick, who 'ad a wery disagreeable
temper in them days, kicked the little cuss downstairs.
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