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Chapter 20
«Didn’noneoftheseherehavenobreakfast?»
Thecircleofchildrenshiftednervouslyandlookedawayfromtheboilingkettle.Onesmallboysaidboastfully,«Idid—mean’mybrotherdid—an’themtwodid,’causeIseen’em.Weetgood.We’rea-goin’southtonight.»
Masmiled.«Thenyouain’thungry.Theyain’tenoughheretogoaround.»
Thesmallboy’slipstuckout.«Weetgood,"hesaid,andheturnedandrananddivedintoatent.Malookedafterhimsolongthattheoldestgirlremindedher.
«Thefire’sdown,ma’am.Icankeepitupifyouwant.»
RuthieandWinfieldstoodinsidethecircle,comportingthemselveswithproperfrigidityanddignity.Theywerealoof,andatthesametimepossessive.Ruthieturnedcoldandangryeyesonthelittlegirl.RuthiesquatteddowntobreakupthetwigsforMa.
Maliftedthekettlelidandstirredthestewwithastick.«I’msuregladsomeofyouain’thungry.Thatlittlefellaain’t,anyways.»
Thegirlsneered.«Oh,him!Hewasa-braggin’.Highan’mighty.Ifhedon’thavenosupper—knowwhathedone?Las’night,comeoutan’saytheygotchickentoeat.Well,sir,Ilookedinwhilsttheywasa-eatin’an’itwasfrieddoughjus’likeever’bodyelse.»
«Oh!»AndMalookeddowntowardthetentwherethesmallboyhadgone.Shelookedbackatthelittlegirl.«HowlongyoubeeninCalifornia?»sheasked.
«Oh,’boutsixmonths.Welivedinagov’mentcampawhile,an’thenwewentnorth,an’whenwecomebackitwasfullup.
