CHAPTER XI
THE DISCOVERY
AND yet, after all, there was no sense in taking a strapping if it couldjust as well be avoided.
In the area he halted One-Eye, and they talked the matter over. Thelatter had no trouble at all in seeing Johnnie's attitude. "Was a boymyself oncet," he declared. "Used t' git the end of a rope ev'ry littlewhile--yeppie, the _knot_-end, and that's how----"
But here Johnnie interrupted the story which seemed to be under way inorder to urge some plan of action. However, it did not take long to fixupon one, this while One-Eye was finishing his cigar, the last inch ofwhich, he asserted, was the best part, since in the process of smokinghe had drawn into it all "the good" of the whole outward-extendingportion. And while One-Eye smoked, Johnnie, who felt much better, wentover their plan in detail, talking gaily between giggles.
"But, say! You be solemn!" warned One-Eye.
"We don't want t' make 'em all feel _too_ bad, though," argued Johnnie.
"Sonny," counseled the other, "we'll savvy how we oughta behave _after_we see how the hull proposition strikes the bunch."
Johnnie agreed. But he already knew just how their entrance (which wasnothing short of inspired) would "strike" the flat. He foresaw it all:first, glad cries of "Johnnie!" from Cis and Grandpa, and a frightenedexclamation from Big Tom, whose anger would instantly melt; next, tearswould flow as those two who were dearest hastened to the prodigal, andthere would be anxious questions, and words of sweet consolation. On thestrength of the return perhaps Barber would even buy pop!
After that, what an affecting picture!--the patient on his bed ofpain--the maiden with cooling cloth and wash basin--the loving andmuch-troubled old man who did not dare wheel about for fear of jarringthe hurt arm--a certain square-built lady, rocking this way and that (onher toes), her face all motherly solicitude--the stranger, with thegravest possible bedside manner--and, lastly, hovering somewhere in theoffing, the outstanding figure of the whole composition, the humbledbully.
When Johnnie asked for his bed (which was part of the plan, for thosebooks must be concealed under the quilt till dark), how they would alljump to fetch it; and when he asked for tea what an eager bustling,Barber rattling the stove lids, and--for once!--getting his huge fingerssmudged, and Cis filling the kettle at the Falls of Niagara. The teabrewed, and Johnnie propped to drink it, with Mrs. Kukor to hold the cupto his lips, he would smile across at One-Eye as he sipped--but smileonly faintly, as befits the very ill.
And then! One-Eye, urged by all the others, would tell his tale of theboy, weary and hungry, whom he chanced upon wandering some street (hehad promised not to say which one!), and escorted to supper, andafterward to the great horse palace. He would relate how he had insistedthat Johnnie sleep in the palace that night, though--no doubt ofit!--the latter had fretted to return home. "But I jes' couldn't leavehim do it, no matter how much he begged," One-Eye was to declare; "hewas that tuckered. And this mornin', here he was, workin'! Say, buthe's a A-1 worker!"
What a chorus would interrupt him!--a chorus of agreement. Then wouldfollow a description of that terrible flea-bitten mare, and of Johnnie'sbravery; of the fierce kick, and the boy's quiet bearing of his agony,all closing with a word about the wound and its seriousness.
Next, it would be Big Tom's turn. And he would tell of a home bereft, ofan old man's pitiful grief (oh, dear, loving Grandpa!), and of twobroken-hearted ladies. Doubtless the longshoreman would touch also uponthe fact that he was considerably out of pocket, but Johnnie would notmind that.
Cis, likely, would have nothing to say, but would look all she felt; andGrandpa would sandwich a few words in between other people's. But Mrs.Kukor! Hers would be the story worth hearing! Oh, that volume ofbroken-English! Johnnie counted upon it.
With such pleasing thoughts he occupied himself as he and One-Eye stoleup the stairs. But when they were just outside the door of the flat, thechimes of Trinity began to ring, sounding above the grinding of thenearest Elevated Railroad. Those clanging summons reminded Johnnie thatBig Tom would surely be at home, and he suffered a sudden qualm ofapprehension. He looked longingly over a shoulder, wishing he might turnback. He had a "gone" feeling under his belt, and a tickling in histhroat (it was very dry), as if his heart had traveled up there and gotwedged, and was now going like Uncle Albert's watch.
But of course there could be no turning back--not now. They must go in.And quickly, for a few of the curious had followed them up from the areaand were making too much noise in the halls. So One-Eye bent and scoopedJohnnie up in his arms, holding him in a horizontal position--yellowhead hanging down to one side, both feet ditto to the other, body limp,the bandaged arm well forward, the eyes closed, all toes still,and--most important--an expression of bravely endured pain.
"Look as pale as ever y' can!" whispered One-Eye.
All this preparation was the work of a moment. Then One-Eye gave thedoor a vigorous and imperative kick. At the same time he began to talkto Johnnie, anxiously, soothingly: "It's all right, sonny! It's allright! Keep a stiff upper lip! 'Cause y're home now. Pore kid! My! Thatwas a lucky 'scape!"
This last was spoken into the kitchen, for Cis had sped to answer thekick, and swung the door wide.
And now Johnnie, eyes tight closed, but with ears cocked, waited forthat expected burst of greeting--that mingling of glad cries and soforth. But--there was dead silence.
In astonishment up went the flaxen lashes. And Johnnie saw that whileCis was looking with all her might, it was not at him! And Grandpa,mouse-still, was not looking at him either! Nor was Big Tom, puttingdown his pipe at the table.
Furthermore there were no tears from any quarter, and no pityingglances, and not a sign of relief! The trio before him, in what seemedto be amazed fascination, were staring at One-Eye!
It was Big Tom who spoke first. His face, after its Sunday shave,wrinkled into a really bright smile. "Well, by thunder!" he cried.
"Oh, my!"--this was Cis, whose hands were clasped in what to Johnnieseemed a very silly way. And she was wearing her exalted,Prince-of-Wales expression.
He was irritated, and resentful, and stung to the quick. What was thematter with them? Oh, none of them cared! They were acting preciselylike that crowd around the taxi! And, oh, there would be no pop! And,oh, what--_what_ would One-Eye think.
Johnnie burst into tears.
One-Eye was already thinking. With Johnnie held tight in his arms, hehad been staring at each of the trio in turn, that single eye gettingharder and harder, till it looked as if it were made of glass; till itresembled a green marble; and his mustache, as he puckered up his mouthin astonishment, had been lifting and falling, lifting and falling.
But as Johnnie's sobs came, One-Eye half turned, as if to go, then spiedthe kitchen chair, and sat heavily, in sheer disgust. "Wal, I'll bejig-_sawed_!" he vowed. "The kid's right? And I might 'a' knowed it!"
But things got better. For now there swelled forth a high, thin wailfrom old Grandpa, whose pale eyes had been roving in search for the onewho was weeping, had discovered Johnnie, and was echoing his grief.
"Oh, shut up, Pa!" ordered Barber harshly; while Cis, for fear theneighbors would hear, unwittingly shut the hall door in the face of Mrs.Kukor, who had come out of her own place at One-Eye's kick to see whatwas happening.
"I'll be stop-watched and high-kaflummoxed!" continued One-Eye. Roundand round rolled that green marble, gathering fire with each revolution.In fact it looked to be more fiercely glowing than any two eyes--assingle eyes have the habit of looking.
Big Tom was beaming at the stranger again, unaware of One-Eye's temper."Say, I never had a' idear of meetin' one of you," he declared heartily,"But I'm glad to, I'll say that. Yes, sir, I'm glad to! By thunder!" Hislook traveled up and down One-Eye, not missing a detail.
"Look-a-here!" returned One-Eye with insulting coldness. "This boy'shurt! Hurt _bad_! Y' savvy? Weak, too--weak's a cat! And sick! Done up!Sore! Wore _out_!" He paused, glaring.
"Boo-hoo!"--Joh
nnie's heart was wrung by the pitiful description.
It was now that something of the effect Johnnie had pleasantly imaginedwas finally gained. With a distressful "Oh!" Cis came to him, whileGrandpa began to shrill "Johnnie! Johnnie!" and tried to get away fromBig Tom, who held back the chair by a wheel as he, too, gave a thoughtto the patient.
"What happened to the kid?" he wanted to know.
One-Eye aimed his one orb at Big Tom as if it were a bullet. "What?" herepeated. "Y' ask, do y'? Wal, it was a hoss. It was a kick." Then toJohnnie, "Could y' shift weight, sonny?" (One of the five books wasstabbing One-Eye in the side.)
"I want t' know!" marveled Big Tom. "Any bones broke?" He leaned to feelof the unwrapped part of Johnnie's hurt arm.
The indifferent tone, the hated, ungentle touch, and the nearness of thelongshoreman, all worked to unman Johnnie, who gave way again. He didnot fear a whipping any longer. It was, as Mrs. Kukor might have put it,"somethink yet again." Over him had swept the realization that soon thiskind, free-handed, lovable One-Eye would be taking his leave, and withhim would go--well, about everything!
Oh, his dear millionaire! His soul of generosity! The giver of the bestsupper ever! A man who could command such respect that he had struck thewhole of the East Side dumb! The source of one boy's sweet glory!
And how Johnnie hated the thought of being left behind! He blamedhimself for returning. "O-o-o-o-oh!" he moaned miserably. How mean andgreedy and cruel and awful Big Tom seemed now, measured alongside thissuperb stranger!
Yet what Johnnie did not guess was that Barber was overjoyed at hisreturn; was more relieved at having an excuse for not whipping thanJohnnie was over not being whipped, since punishment might decide thelatter, on some future occasion, to stay away. Indeed, Big Tom had had ascare.
"Not a bone!" answered One-Eye, almost proudly. "Neat a kick as ever Iseen. Reckon the bucket took up most of it. But it's bad enough. Yas,ma'am. And it'll be a week afore he oughta use it."
"I want my bed!" quavered Johnnie, remembering that part of the plan.
Cis brought the bedding, and her own snowy pillow, fragrant with orrisroot. As she straightened out the clothes and plumped the pillow, BigTom stayed in front of the visitor, staring as hard as ever, his greatunderlip hanging down, and that big nose taking a sidewise dart everynow and then.
"Well! well! I'm glad y' happened t' bring the kid home," he beganagain. "Must be grand country out where you come from. How far West d'y' live, anyhow? And I'd like your name."
"This is Mister One-Eye," introduced Johnnie, his well arm twinedproudly about the stranger's leathery neck. It was plain that thelongshoreman was powerfully impressed. And Johnnie realized better thanever that he had brought home a real personage.
"Yep, call me One-Eye and I'll come," declared the personage. "But nowthe bed's ready, sonny." He rose and gently deposited Johnnie upon thepallet. "Now keep quiet," he advised kindly, "so's t' git back somestrength." And to Cis, "Reckon we better give him a swaller o' tea."
Mrs. Kukor, who had been waiting all the while in the hall, and couldstand it no longer, now came rocking in, her olive face picked out withdimples, it was working so hard, and all her crinkly hair standingbushily up.
"Is that you, Mother?" cried old Grandpa. "Is that you?"--which misledOne-Eye into the belief that here was another member of the family, onewhom Johnnie had omitted to mention. So the green eye focused upon themattress in sorrowful reproof.
But the next instant a burst of dialect set Johnnie right in his newfriend's eye. "Ach, Chonnie!" cried the little Jewish lady. "Vot iss?Vot iss?"
Her concern pleased One-Eye. He sat down, crossed his knees, and swung aspur.
Mrs. Kukor had not yet seen him. She had stationed herself at the footof Johnnie's bed, from where she looked down, her birdlike eyesglistening with pity, her head wagging, her hands now waving, nowresting upon a heart that was greatly affected by the sight of Johnniein pain.
But Johnnie, looking up at her, knew that his hurt arm was not the wholeof her grief; knew that she was thinking how much to blame she washerself for all that had happened. Guilt was on her round face, andremorse in her wagging. That book! That _Alattin_! Ach, that she hadnever given him that present. Oy! oy! oy!
Big Tom was making conversation. "Guess all of you work pretty hard outwhere you live," he declared, "--even if you do jus' set on a horse. Butyou bet you'd find my job harder. I tell y', I do my share when it comesto the heavy work." His tongue pushed out one cheek, then the other, ahabit of his when boasting. "Why, there ain't a man workin' with me thatcan do more'n two-thirds what I do! They all know it, too. 'Barber's theguy with the cargo-hook,' is what they say. And Furman admits himselfthat I'm the only man's that's really earnin' that last raise. Yes,sir! 'Tom Barber's steel-constructed,' is what he tells the boys."
Meanwhile, Mrs. Kukor, still unaware of a strange presence, had beenwhispering excitedly with Cis, from whom she had got the factsconcerning the wound. But even as she had listened, she had been awarethat Barber was talking, quietly, politely, good-naturedly. Surprised,she came half-about ("goin' exac'ly like a spud with tooth-pick laigs,"as One-Eye said afterwards, though not unkindly), and took a look in thelongshoreman's direction. And--saw the visitor.
Her hands dropped, her eyes fixed themselves upon those fur-facedbreeches, her bosom stopped heaving as she held her breath. Then, "Ach!"she cried. "Could I believe it if so I did-ent saw it?--Mister Barber,how comes here a cowpoy?"
_A cowboy?_
Then it was Johnnie who experienced sensations:Surprise--bewilderment--doubt--staggering belief--awe--joy--morejoy--pride--triumph!
He sat up.
Now he understood why the shaggy breeches had struck him as somehowfamiliar. Of course! He had seen just such a pair pictured on thebillboard across from the millionaire's garage. Now he realized how hehad seared the sight of his enemies as he and the Great One arrived sideby side in a taxicab!--Yet no one must ever know that he had been in thedark! "Why, yes, Mrs. Kukor!" he cried. "My goodness! This is a reg'larone!" (At which One-Eye colored, blending his bronze with a bashfulpurple.)
"A cowpoy!" whispered Mrs. Kukor, as if in a daze. "Pos-i-tivvle! Mitfurs on hiss pants, und everythink!"