Part 5 (1/2)

”The one with the sparklers,” added another. ”Hasn't she got 'em though?” and he smacked his lips as if to relish the fact.

”There comes Ramsy,” whispered a third. ”Whew! But she looks all het up!”

The woman did look that way. Her face was as red as the berries in the trays and her eyes were almost dancing out of their sockets.

Cora spoke before anyone else had a chance to do so.

”The boys are willing to arbitrate,” she said. Then she felt foolish for using that word. ”They have come for terms,” she said, more plainly.

”Terms!” repeated the woman scornfully. ”My terms is the same now as they was first. Andy Murry pays for that crate!”

”If the crate is paid for will it belong to him?” asked Cora.

The woman stopped, as if afraid of falling into some trap. ”I don't care who owns 'em, when he pays for 'em. But he sneaked out one bunch of tallies----”

”He did not!” shouted a chorus. ”He earned every one he's got and the ten that you've got!”

”And it was you who spoiled the berries by pus.h.i.+ng him into them,”

shouted some others, ”and we are here to see him faired.”

Cora was perplexed. She wanted to save more trouble, yet she did not feel it ”fair” to give in to the woman.

”Your berries are spoiling in the fields now,” she suggested. ”Why don't you give in, and let the boys go back to work?”

”Me give in to a pack of kids!” shouted the enraged woman.

”She is always sour on Andy because his mother won't do her dirty was.h.i.+ng,” explained the German boy.

”My mother is sick--and she can't wash,” sobbed the unfortunate Andy.

”Yep, and that money of his'n was for her, too,” put in Skip.

At this point another figure sauntered down from the house.

”There comes Mrs. Blazes!” put in Narrow. ”She couldn't miss the show.”

The woman who came down the path sent on before her the rather overpowering odor of badly mixed perfumes.

”Look at her sparklers,” whispered a boy to Cora, ”that's why we call her 'Blazes.'”

A black lace scarf was over the woman's head and now the ”sparklers,”

or diamonds that she wore, in evident flashy taste, could be seen at her throat, and on her fingers. Bess smiled to Belle, and Cora turned to the boys.

”We must finish up this business,” she said. ”It is getting late, and we have to go to Chelton.”

”Go ahead!” called the urchins.

”Fork out Andy's sticks,” shouted some others.