CHAPTER XXXV
GOOD-BYS
A CHORUS of happy cries greeted him: "Dearest!"--"Oh, gee!"--"Satan'sdefeated!"--"Goli'th wass licked, und David wass boss!"--"Whoopee!"
Then, great excitement. Cis ran to Mr. Perkins, laughing, "Oh, you'resafe! You're safe!" Whereupon he kissed her fingers again; and Johnnie,on his feet now, felt that here, indeed, was a young knight come fromdefending his lady. And he asked himself why he had ever thought thatMr. Perkins was too much of a gentleman to be awe-inspiring.
Meanwhile, Father Pat and Mrs. Kukor were shaking hands like mad, andmingling their broken English in a torrent of gratitude. To theirvoices, Grandpa, out of sight beyond the bedroom door, added his, notknowing what the celebration was about, yet cackling hilariously.
As for One-Eye, his conduct was extraordinary. Suddenly showing newlife, once more he took off his coat, found his hat and gauntlets, flungall under him, and upon them did a grotesque dance of joy. And "Yip!yip! yip! yip!" he shouted. "Y' tole him he'd need his breath! Oh,peaches-'n'-cream! Oh, cute baby boy! Oh, who's on the quilt _now_?"
"One-Eye, did ye ever see annything like it in Kansas?" demanded theFather triumphantly.
"Wy-o-ming! Wy-_o_-ming!" roared the cowboy. "Yip! yip! yip! yee-ow!"
Johnnie was no less delighted, but he was still too weak to do verymuch. He contented himself with taking a turn up and down the room,walking like Mr. Perkins, holding his head like Mr. Perkins (so that animaginary _pince-nez_ should not fall off), and talking to himself intrue scoutmaster style--"To insure a long life, to defend oneself, toprotect others. Training, that's the idea! Be prepared!"
Next, he lost himself in a glorious think. This time it was far in thefuture. He was big and strong and brown. And he saw himself risingquietly in the very teeth of some stalwart villain to say that thematter of the beautiful young lady concerned (dimly she was a larger,but a perfect, copy of the little girl on the fire escape) would betaken up downstairs, where a fight would not disturb poor, old Mr. TomBarber.
At that he fell to doing his exercises; first, the arm-movements--up,down! up down! then the leg--out, back! out, back! adding a bend or twoof his sore body by way of good measure, and resolving to do better andbetter along these lines every morning of his life from now on.
Mr. Perkins was the only person who was perfectly calm. He found hiscoat and put it on; he adjusted his glasses. In fact, the scoutmaster,returned unscathed from his battle, might have been taken as a model forall victors. For he did not smile exultantly, did not swagger one step,but was grave and modest. "Put on your hat, sweetheart," he said to Cis.His voice was deep and tender.
At once there was hurry and bustle. Mrs. Kukor gave one prodigiousdoll-rock which turned her square about, and she disappeared into thetiny room, evidently to help with the packing. "Oh, but I'm all ready!"declared Cis, following the little Jewish lady. "And, Father Pat, youwon't mind coming with us?" asked Mr. Perkins. "I'll do that withpleasure," answered the priest, heartily.
Johnnie felt a touch on his arm. "Sonny!" One-Eye whispered. "Can't y'hear somethin'? Listen!"
All listened. From the area below unmistakable cheers were rising, andtaunting shouts. They came booming through the kitchen window. Barberwas crossing the brick pavement to the door of the building, and hisneighbors were triumphing in his defeat.
Father Pat came to Johnnie. "Lad dear," he said, "tell me: as ye hear'em yell at him, and all on account o' what he did t' Cis and yerself,and because they're glad he's been whipped,--tell me, scout boy, how d'ye feel towards him in yer own heart?"
"We-e-ell,--" began Johnnie; "we-e-ell--" and stopped. Countless timeshe had punished Big Tom in his own way; and had looked ahead to the hourwhen, grown-up, and the longshoreman's physical equal, he could measureout to the latter punishment of a substantial kind. Yet now that Mr.Perkins had done just this, where was the overwhelming satisfaction? Hewas glad, of course, that Mr. Perkins had come out victor, and had notbeen beaten as One-Eye had been beaten; but so far as he himself wasconcerned, the truth was that Big Tom's mortification was dust in hismouth, and ashes, though, somehow, he shrank from admitting it. "Well,Father Pat," he added faintly, "I--I guess I--I'm not--er--what y'd call_glad_."
"Ah, me grand lad!" exclaimed the priest. "Ye feel like I want ye t'feel! Because that's how a fine, decent lad _ought_ t' feel! Not glad!Not gloryin' over a bully that's had his desert! Not holdin' on t' hateonce the fight is done! Lad dear, ye don't ever disappoint Father Pat!And, oh, he thanks God for it!"
Johnnie felt boyishly shy and awkward then, looking at the floor andwriggling his toes, and taking back into his cheeks quite a supply ofcolor in the form of blushes.
One-Eye also broke forth with commendations. "That's the ticket!" hecried. "No crowin'! Aw, Johnnie, y're a blamed white kid!" Whereupon,feeling around close to the floor till he located one of Johnnie'sankles, he made his way up to those narrow--and sore--shoulders, andgave them such a hearty slap of approbation that tears started in acertain pair of yellow-gray eyes.
"I'm glad, too, that you feel as you do about it," said Mr. Perkins,earnestly. "And, Johnnie, have you done your good turn yet to-day?"
"No, sir," answered Johnnie, apologetically. "But y' see, I been tied t'the table, and also I jus' only come to, and----"
"I understand," broke in the scoutmaster quickly. "But perhaps when Mr.Barber comes in--his face, you know. Could you wash it up a bit?"
"Ye-e-e-es, sir,"--reluctantly; for young as he was, Johnnie realizedthat whatever his own feelings toward the longshoreman might be, theywere no gauge of the feelings of the longshoreman toward him. However,dutifully he went to find the wash basin, and fill it; and he acceptedfrom Mr. Perkins a most immaculate wash cloth, this one of thosewonderful handkerchiefs which had colored borders.
He was prepared for his good turn not a moment too soon. For the stairsoutside were creaking under slow and heavy steps. "The conq'rin' hero!"announced One-Eye, with a blind, but sweepin' bow in the generaldirection of the on-comer.
"Sh!" cautioned Mr. Perkins.
One-Eye did a comical collapse upon the mattress, his reinhand, as hechose to term his left, well stuffed into his mustached mouth. Theothers were silent, too--as the door opened and Big Tom came crawlingin.
This was a woefully changed Big Tom. His great, hairy face was darkerthan usual, what with the battering it had received, and the bloodwhich was drying upon it. There was a scarlet gap across one of thoseprominent ears, the lobe of which was as red as if set with a ruby. Ashe swung the door and advanced unsteadily, he tried to keep his faceaverted from those in the room, and hitched petulantly at a sleeve ofhis shirt, which had been ripped from end to end by a blow. Spent, bent,beaten, half-blind, puffing pink foam from his mouth at each breath, hestumbled toward the bedroom. The back of one hand was cut and raw, wherehe had driven it with all his might against a side of the old printingshop, hoping to strike the scoutmaster. From it fell drops which madesmall, round, black spots on the dusty floor.
At sight of the big man, so cowed and helpless, "God save us!" breathedFather Pat, astounded, and sat down.
"Mister Barber!" It was Johnnie, timidly. Yet he forced himself to goclose to the longshoreman, and held the brimming basin well forward."Can I--will y' let me wash y'r face?"
"Lemme _alone_!" almost screamed Big Tom. With a curse, and withoutturning his head, he made one of those flail-like sweeps with an arm,struck the basin, and sent it full in the face of the boy. It drenchedthe big, old shirt, emptied out the wet handkerchief, and whirled to thefloor with a clatter.
Then, mumbling another curse, the longshoreman spat, and a large, browntooth went skipping across the room. Its owner lumbered against thebedroom door, bumping it with knees and forehead, opened it awkwardlyagainst himself, half fell upon the wheel chair as he crossed the sill,swore louder than ever, and slammed the door at his heels, shutting fromthe sight of the others his wounds and his injured pride.
For a little, no one said anything
. Johnnie, with the water drippingfrom his yellow hair, was no longer in that generous, good-scout stateof mind. On the contrary, he was enjoying some satisfaction over BigTom's plight. How like a bully was his foster father acting!--bellowingwith delight when he overcame a man smaller than himself, and one whohad poor sight; and raging when a second smaller man met and bested himin a fair fight. But Johnnie made no comment as he picked up thehandkerchief and the basin, wrung out the linen square and methodicallyhung it up to dry, and put away the pan.
"Man dear," whispered Father Pat to the scoutmaster, "don't ye ever bevisitin' here agin! For, shure, Barber'll kill ye!"
"Oh!"--Johnnie was frightened. "And maybe he'll have y' 'rested!"
"No, old fellow," said Mr. Perkins, reassuringly. "He's lost out, andhe's not likely to advertise it. --But I'm sorry about that tooth." Hehunted it, found it, and examined it carefully. "It's a front tooth,too." He dropped it into the stove.
"Too-ooth?" drawled One-Eye, suddenly sitting up. Not being able to see,he had not been able to note the effect of the scoutmaster's art uponBig Tom. But now, understanding a little of the damage Mr. Perkins haddone, the cowboy began to giggle like a girl, wrapped his arms about hisfur-covered knees, laid his head upon them, and set his body to rockinghilariously. "Oh, gosh, a tooth!" he cried. "Oh! Ouch! And he begged met' save this young feller's life!"
Mrs. Kukor came stealing out of the tiny room. "He wass fierce!" shedeclared, under her breath. "Nefer before wass he soch-like!"
"Oh, Mister Perkins, hurry up and git away!" begged Johnnie. (SupposeBig Tom should come bursting out of the bedroom to renew the trouble?)"It's been awful here ever since yesterday and it seems like I jus'couldn't stand no more!"
"All right, scout boy." Mr. Perkins took a paper from an inner pocket ofhis coat, and from another a fountain pen which Barber had not damaged.He handed both to Father Pat, who rose at once and boldly entered thebedroom. "That's the consent," the scoutmaster explained to Johnnie. Hegot One-Eye into a chair and bandaged his swollen eye in the masterlymanner one might logically expect from the leader of a troop. Thisaddition to the cowboy's already picturesque get-up gave him analtogether rakish and daring touch.
By the time the bandaging was done, here was Father Pat again, all wide,Irish smiles. "Signed!" said he. "And, shure, Mr. Perkins, he paid ye agrand compliment! Faith, and he did! It was after he scratched his name.'That dude,' said he, 'if he was t' work on the docks,' said he, 'wouldlikely out-lift the whole lot of us.' Think o' it! Those were his verywords!"
Cis came forth from her room now, hatted, and carrying what she wastaking--a few toilet articles and one or two cherished belongings of hermother's, all carefully wrapped in a shoe box. That it was pitiful, herhaving to go with so little, occurred neither to her nor to Johnnie. Butit was just as well that they did not understand, as the older people inthe kitchen did, how tragic that shoe box was.
She was carrying something which she was not taking: Edwarda, untilrecently so treasured and beloved. She laid the doll upon the oilcloth,glanced at One-Eye, and put a finger to her lips. "You can give it tosome little girl, Johnnie," she said; "--some real poor little girl."'
"All right." (He had decided on the instant who should have Edwarda!)"But I'd go 'long fast, if I was you," he added, with a fearsome looktoward the bedroom.
Cis came to him. "Mrs. Kukor'll be right upstairs," she reminded (thelittle Jewish lady was trotting out and away, not trusting herself tolook on at their farewells).
"And I'll drop in often," interposed Father Pat; "--please God!"
One-Eye divined what was going forward. He got up uneasily. "Dang it, ifI ain't sorry I'm goin' West so soon again!" he fretted. "But I'll totey' back with me some day, sonny--see if I don't! Also, I'll peek inoncet 'r twicet afore I go--that is, if my lamp gits better."
"All right," said Johnnie again. He had but one idea now: to get everyone safely away. So he was not sad.
"You--you can have my room now," Cis went on, swallowing, and trying tosmile.
"Thank y'."
They shook hands, then, both a little awkwardly. Next, she bent to kisshim. Boylike, he was not eager for that, with Father Pat and Mr. Perkinslooking on. So he backed away deprecatingly, and she succeeded only intouching her lips to a tuft of his bright hair. But at once, forgettingmanly pride, he wound his arms about her, and laid his hurt cheekagainst her shoulder; and she patted his sore back gently, and dropped atear or two among the tangles brushing her face.
When he drew away from her, he saw that neither Father Pat nor Mr.Perkins were watching them. The former had a hand across his eyes (washe praying, or just being polite?); while the scoutmaster, hands behindhim, and chin in air, was staring out of the window.
"I'm ready, Algy,"--Cis tried to say it as casually as if she were goingonly to the corner. She joined Father Pat and One-Eye at the door.
Now it was Mr. Perkins's turn. He came over and held out a hand. "Well,John Blake," he said (he had never used "John" before), "you'll be inour thoughts every hour of the day--you, and Grandpa. You know you'renot losing a sister; you're gaining a brother."
They shook hands then, as men should. But a moment later, by an impulsethat was mutual, each put his arms about the other in a quick embrace.
"My little brother!"
"My--my big brother!"
"Hate to leave you, scout boy."
"Aw, that's all right. Y' know me, Mister Perkins. I don't mind this oldflat. 'Cause,--well, I don't ever have t' stay in it if I don't want t'.I mean, I can be wherever I want t' be. And--and I'm with Aladdin mosto' the time, 'r King Arthur. And this next day 'r so, I'm plannin' t'spend on Treasure Island." All this was intended to make them feel morecheerful. Now he smiled; and what with the shine of his tow hair, hislight brows and his flaxen lashes, combined with the flash of hisyellow-flecked eyes and white teeth, the effect was as if sunlight werefalling upon that brave, freckleless, blue-striped face.
The four went then, the Father guiding One-Eye, and Cis with Mr.Perkins. They went, and the door closed upon them, and a hard moment wascome to test his spirit--that moment just following the parting.Fortunately for him, however, Grandpa demanded attention. Beyond thebedroom door the little, old soldier, as if he guessed that somethinghad happened, set up a sudden whimpering, and tried to turn the knob andcome out.
Johnnie brought him, giving not a glance to the great figure bulking onBarber's bed, and shutting the door as soft as he could. He fed the oldman, talking to him cheerily all the while. "Cis is goin' t' bemarried," he recounted, "and have, oh, a swell weddin' trip. And thensome day, when she gits back, she'll pop in here again, and tell usa-a-all about it! So now you go s'eepy-s'eepy, and when y' wake,Johnnie'll have some dandy supper f'r y'!"
His boy's spirit buoyed up by this picture of great happiness foranother, he began to sing as he wheeled Grandpa backward and forward--tosing under his breath, however, so as not to disturb Big Tom! He sangout of his joy over the joy of those two who were just gone out to theirnew life; and he sang to bring contentment to the heart of the little,old soldier, and sleep to those pale, tired eyes:
"Oh, Cis, she's goin' t' be Mrs. Algernon Perkins, And live in a' awful stylish flat. There's a carpet and curtains in the flat, And a man 'most as good as Buckle t' do all the work. And she's goin' t' have a velvet dress, I think, maybe, And plenty o' good things t' eat all the time-- Butter ev-ry day, I guess, and eggs, too, And nice, red apples, if she wants 'em----"
And so, caroling on and on, he put old Grandpa to sleep.
* * * * *
But how his song would have died in his throat if he could have guessedthat, of the four who had just left,--those four whom he loved sosincerely--one, and oh, what a dear, dear one, was never to pass acrossthe threshold again!