"Safety first,"
said Townsend.
Keekie Joe liked Townsend and felt at home with him. He admired and
trusted him because in the beginning Townsend made a point of calling
the fellows blokes and guys and talking about "dem t'ings."
"If yez want a guy ter lay keekie, I'll do it fer yez," Keekie Joe said.
"If we see any cops coming," said Townsend, "we'll turn the traffic
sign on them and make them stop."
On Sunday morning, Townsend rowed ashore with Keekie Joe and invaded
the tenement in Barrel Alley. He took a brand new package of
cigarettes to Mr. Keekie Joe, Senior, and Keekie Joe, Junior, was
struck dumb with awe at the familiar and persuasive way in which
Townsend talked to his parent. The result of the interview was that
Keekie Joe returned to the island on a week's furlough from his squalid
home. The Barrel Alley gang, which was mobilized in front of Billy
Gilson's tire repair shop, made catcalls at the stranger as the pair
passed along and when they were some yards distant, several of them
summoned Keekie Joe to their loitering conference.
"Hey, Keekie, come 'ere, I want ter tell yer sup'm," one called.
Keekie Joe hesitated and turned. It was a crucial moment in the
history of the new patrol.
"Come on back, Keekie," another shouted.
Then it was that Slats Corbett, imperial head of the gang, did a good
turn for the scouting movement. He picked up a half dry sponge which
was lying in an auto wash pail and hurled it at Townsend Ripley.
Pages:
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118