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Updated: September 6, 2025
Flukey gained the space he had lost in his last slide. Halfway up, he began again, the men cheering and the women waving handkerchiefs. But the boy had heard only the words from the little figure under the pole. The five dollars did mean a good dinner, and a bone for lean Snatchet. Up, up, and still up, until his fingers grasped the pole very near the top. There he rested for breath.
When Flea lifted her embarrassed gaze to the strangers, she saw the same face that had peered at her over Horace's shoulder at the Dryden fair, the face to which Screech Owl had made her silent appeal. A graceful girl followed, whose eyes expressed astonishment as Horace spoke. "These are my young friends, you will remember, Everett, from the fair, Flea and Flukey Cronk."
Miss Shellington colored and partly rose; but she had no chance to speak, for Mildred was saying: "Oh, dear! how you must miss her! Is she dead? And haven't you any father, either?" "Yep," said Flukey; "but he ain't no good. He hates us, he does, and worse than that, he's a thief!" Mildred drew back with a shocked cry. Ann was up instantly; while Fledra got to her feet with effort.
I loved to lash Flukey and Flea. I loved to make the marks stand out on their legs and backs. And I tried to l'arn Flukey to be a thief, and Flea were a goin' to Lem tomorry. It were the only way I lived the only way!" Cronk trailed on as if to himself.
She remembered how carefully Ann had instructed her never to mention Lon Cronk or any of the episodes in their early days at Ithaca; but Flukey had never been thus warned. "Mildred, dear," Ann said anxiously, "Floyd and Fledra were unfortunate in losing their mother, and more unfortunate in having a father who doesn't care for them as your father does for you."
Mildred was presented to him, and in the hour that followed the sick boy became her devoted subject. The three young people listened eagerly to the story, and after it was finished Ann entered into conversation with Katherine. Suddenly she heard Flukey exclaim, in answer to some question put by Mildred: "My sister and me ain't got no mother!"
All through the night they lay dozing in the presence of the dead, Squeaky tied by the leg to a tree, and Snatchet snuggled warmly between the two children. The dawning of day brought Flukey new anguish; for both knees were swollen, and he groaned as he turned over. Flea was up instantly. "Be ye sick?" "Only the twist in my legs. I wish it wasn't so cold. If the sun would only get warm!"
No, what I'm most afraid of is" and he took a long careful look round "that in this flukey weather the brig may get a breeze first, and bring it down with her, when ay, and there it is, sure enough! There's blue water all round her, and I can see her canvas filling to it, even with my naked eye. And there she swings her yards to it. It'll be `keep all fast with the boats' now!
The children were never happier than when Squeaky's nose was hidden in a tin can of buttermilk, and the precious five dollars bought countless numbers of currant buns, sugar cakes, and penny bones for Snatchet. Now Flukey lifted his head proudly and walked with the air of a boy on the road to fortune, and Flea kept at his side with the prince hugged close in her arms.
"Down behind the college hill, many a stretch from here and, Flukey, I ain't a goin' to Lena's, and ye ain't likin' to be a thief. Will ye come and find the good land with me?" "Girls can't run away like boys can. They ain't able to bear hurt." Flea dropped her head with a blush of shame. She knew well that Flukey could perform wonderful feats which she had been unable to do.
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