"I'll lick him anywhere," cried the boy, his tears rising; "and if ye has to go to him, and he as much as lays a finger on ye, I'll kill him!"
His face was so rigidly drawn during his last threat that he hissed the words out through his teeth.
"Then ye'd get yer neck stretched," argued Flea, "and I ain't a goin' to him. We be goin' away to the good land down behind the college hill."
"When?" demanded Flukey.
"Tonight," replied Flea. "Ye go and get some duds for me,--a shirt and the other pair of yer jeans. Crib Granny's shears to cut my hair off. Then we'll start. See? And we ain't never comin' back. Pappy Lon hates me, and he's licked ye all he's goin' to. Git along and crib the duds!"
She rose to her feet, nervously breaking away the little rivers of grease that had hardened upon her hand and wrist.
"Ye've got to get into the hut in the dark," she said, "and then ye stand at the mouth of the cave while I put on the things."
"How be we goin' to live when we go?" asked Flukey dully, making no move to obey her.
"We'll live in the good land where there be lots of bread and 'lasses," she soothed; "the two dips in the dish at one time--jest think of that, ole skate!"
He tried to smile at her forced jocularity; but the hunted expression saddened his eyes again. To these children, brought up animal-like in the midst of misery and hate, their world revolved round their stomachs, too often empty. But this new trouble--the terror of Flea's going with Lem--had made a man of Flukey, and bread and molasses sank into oblivion. He was ready to shield her from the thief with his life.
"Get along!" ordered Flea.
Instead of obeying, the boy sat down on a rounded stone. "I'd a runned away along ago, if it hadn't been, for you, Flea."
"I know that you love me," said the girl brokenly; "I know that, all right!"
"I couldn't have stood Pappy Lon nor Lem nor none of the rest," groaned Flukey, "and I was to tell ye tonight to let me go, and I would come back for ye; but if ye be made to go with Lem--"
"That makes ye take me with you," gasped Flea eagerly. "Huh?"