He always took him seriously.

He allowed Joe to teach him to play craps and then said he didn't see much fun in it, and such was his magnetic power over poor Joe that Joe said he didn't see any fun in it either.

And there was an end of it.
So it was with all the wretched hoodlum games and tricks that poor Joe had known; one by one they failed in the test, and he became ashamed of them.

It is no wonder that Keekie Joe worshipped this keen, easy-going patrol leader, who seemed to be no leader at all.

Even Pee-wee was sacrificed in the good cause and Townsend made fun of Pee-wee for Keekie Joe's amusement.
As they sprawled about the fire that Saturday night, the last night but one of their outlandish vacation, and ate spaghetti from tin platters, the trend of the talk showed somewhat the effects of the week's outing upon the poor little derelict of Barrel Alley.
"Seems good sitting here and not eating hunter's stew, doesn't it ?" said Townsend in his funny way.