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"What! I caught you then, did I?" cried a sharp unpleasant voice

"Just dropped upon you, did I, my fine fellow? You scoundrel, how dare

you steal our peaches!"

The speaker was a boy of soe, and as I faced him

I saw that he was thin, and had black hair, a yellowish skin, and dark

eyes He was showing his rather irregular teeth in a sneering s over hisand buzzed in my ears in a

discordant way

I did not answer; I felt as if I could not speak All I wanted to do

was to fly at hi see beforeabout the thin, black,

silver-handled cane he carried, and at every swish he cut so

"How dare you strike me?" I cried at last furiously, and I advanced

withht be

"How dare I, you ugly-looking dog!" he cried, retreating before me a

step or two "I'll soon let you know that Who are you, you thief?"