The first thing he came to was a flower and fruit stand, the
owner of which, a greasy, black-looking Italian, was talking to a
fat blue-coated policeman. Both stood with their backs turned to
the fruit stand.
[Illustration: THE ITALIAN WAS SO HORRIFIED AND DISMAYED TO SEE
WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT HE FORGOT WHAT LITTLE ENGLISH HE KNEW.]
Now was Billy's chance. Luscious pears, peaches and grapes lay
before him ready to be eaten, and without a moment's hesitation
he began to sample each, while now and then he would eat a rose
or two between, thus making his own salad. And he found he liked
his fruit salad served on rose leaves just as well as on lettuce.
In reaching for an extra delicious-looking pear he had to stand
on his hind legs with his fore feet on the lower shelf. But alas,
for his greed! His weight on the board that formed the shelf was
too much, and it flew up in the air sending the fruit in all
directions and making such a racket that the fruit dealer heard
it and turned around just in time to see the wreck of his stand.
The Italian was so horrified and dismayed to see what had
happened that he forgot what little English he knew and chattered
and swore in Italian until you would have thought a dozen parrots
had been suddenly let loose.
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