Arthur Stringer

“ It was not, to be sure, in his own Alley, but then he had found it first, and it was his by right of occupation. And now, if need be, he was ready to do battle for it, as any son of Adam is ever ready to do for his own, or what he calls his own. ”

“ Still, the owner of the puddle felt not a little proud of the fact that a being wearing so many Glittering Things should come and ask favours of him. He even said that the boy in velvet might come over and sail the boat. But just once! No more than once, because that boat cost more than all the money the banana man ever had in all his life!
After a time the boy in velvet suggested taking off his shoes, like the other. The Alley boy never before had seen such white legs, and was much disgusted when his companion confessed the stones hurt his feet—but just the littlest bit! ”

“ As the boy in velvet was jerked bodily along, he gazed back longingly at the mud-puddle and the ship with three masts. Why could n't he do that sort of thing, too? Why were all the good things of life denied him? Why could n't he play in that beautiful black mud, as well as the other boy? ”