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She was eying Snatchet impudently, daring him to approach her by perking her wee head saucily first on one side and then on the other. Snatchet, pressed on by hunger beating at his lean sides, slid rigidly a pace nearer. A cry went up from a childish voice. "He'll kill my Queen Bess! Father Oh! Father!" Flukey's voice, calling to his dog, rose high above the clamor.
"And can I bring Snatchet with me? I want him because he's Flukey's, and because he'll love me. Can I, Pappy Lon?" "Yep, damn it! ye can. Bring all the dogs in Tarrytown; but be back tomorry night." "I'll come, all right; but I'm goin' now." As the girl turned to go, Lem lumbered to his feet. "I've got somethin' to say about this!" he stuttered. "Sit down, Lem!" commanded Lon. Crabbe stood still.
"Yep, Flea, and so be you; but there ain't much for ye, savin' that ye go a long journey lookin' for a good land." Bending her head nearer, Flea coaxed, "What good land, Screechy dear?" "Yer's and Flukey's, Flea." "Where air it?"
"I don't want to stay without Flukey!" she cried. "I ain't a tellin' ye what ye want to do; only how the shadders run. But that's a weary day off. The good land be yers and Flukey's for the seekin' of it." "Air Flukey goin' to be catched a thievin'?" "Yep, some day." "With Pappy Lon?" "Nope, with yerself, Flea." "I ain't no thief," replied Flea sulkily.
"If we couldn't get it with bathing suits, you couldn't climb that pole with them long pants," retorted one of the contestants who stood near. "Look! that kid's goin' to get it, after all!" There was disappointment in the tones; but the words had no sooner died away than the climber slipped to the ground. Flea pinched Flukey's arm. "Be yer knee so twisted that ye can't try, Flukey?"
He, too, had scented something to eat, and thrust in and out a lean red tongue over pointed, tusky teeth. "It's time for me to steal, Flea," whispered Flukey, turning feverish eyes toward his sister. "If you do it, Flukey, I'll do it with ye." With no more ado, Flukey's practiced fingers silently slid up the sash. Two youthful bodies stepped through: the opening.
"Flukey's sick here, and I have to stay." "Sick! Sick, ye say?" Cronk exclaimed. "Yes, he's been in bed ever since we left home, and he can't walk, and I won't go without him." "I'll take ye both," said Lon ferociously. "I'll come after ye, and I'll kill the man what keeps ye away from me! I'm a thinkin' a man can have his own brats!" Fledra did not set up an argument upon this point.
If you will come with me, Boys, you shall have what you need.... Oh! Yes, you can bring both the dog and the pig." A tranquil smile, sweet and pathetic, erased the pain-wrinkles from Flukey's face. Supper at last for his dear ones! Ann held out her hand to him, and dazedly the sick lad took it in his hot fingers.
In spite of Miss Shellington's tender pleading, in spite of the fact that Flukey believed stanchly all that Ann had told them, Flea suffered in her disbelief. Many times she sought consolation in Flukey's faith. "Ye see, Flea, can't ye," he said, one morning, "that when Sister Ann says a thing it's so? Can't ye see it, Flea?" "Nope, I can't. I don't know how God looks.
She sat up, feeling for the pig and Snatchet, and placed her hand on Flukey's quiet body and lay down. Once more came the sound. It was the faint, distant hoot of an owl, stealing out through the tall trees. Nearer and nearer it came, until Flea sat bolt upright. Instantly into her mind shot the picture of a shriveled woman from the squatter country. A cold perspiration broke over her.
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