The men on the outskirts began moving away easily; the boys followed their example.

The little barber took the boy familiarly by the arm.
"Now, you look at here," said he.

"Don't you hev them chaps a-pesterin' of you no more, an' ef they do, you jest streak right into my parlor an' I'll take care of ye.

See ?" The boy twitched his arm away and eyed the barber witheringly.

"I don't want anything to do with you nor your old barber-shop," said he.
"You had better run along, John," said Anderson to the barber, who was staring amazedly, although the complacent smirk upon his face was undiminished.
"I guess he's a child kinder given to speakin' at tandem," he said, as he complied with Anderson's advice.
The boy turned at once to the man.