Read "Following Heavenward" by Pansy online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
"THAT Black Dirk is a case," said Policeman Duffer, turning hastily away from an unusually stupid man who could not be made to understand where a certain street was. "He is the worst of the lot, I believe. Jerry Tompkins is slyer, and Dick Bolton is quicker than lightning at mischief-Nimble Dick they call him-he's a sort of ringleader-what he does the rest are apt to do; but to my thinking Dirk is ahead of them all for evil. The rest are kind of jolly; fun seems to be about half that they are after: but Dirk, he's sullen; you never know how to take him, nor when he may burst out on you. He's dangerous. I am always looking out for something awful that he will do."
Poor Dirk! Yet he was the boy to whom Mrs. Roberts's desires had gone out the most anxiously. It was over his image that she had lingered that morning in her closet. Policeman Duller would have been greatly astonished had he known there was that in his words which gave her courage.