And then you go and jump on him!"
"Why doesn't his own mother put up his lunch?" Betsy challenged their
critic.
"He hasn't got any mother. She's dead," said Ralph, turning away with
his hands in his pockets. He yelled to the boys, "Come on, fellers,
beat-che to the bridge and back!" and was off, with the others racing at
his heels.
"Well, anyhow, I don't care; he IS dirty and horrid!" said Stashie
emphatically, looking over at the drooping, battered little figure,
leaning against the school door, listlessly kicking at a stone.
But Betsy did not say anything more just then.
The teacher, who "boarded 'round," was staying at Putney Farm at that
time, and that evening, as they all sat around the lamp in the south
room, Betsy looked up from her game of checkers with Uncle Henry and
asked, "How can anybody drink up stockings?"
"Mercy, child! what are you talking about?" asked Aunt Abigail.
Betsy repeated what Anastasia Monahan had said, and was flattered by the
instant, rather startled attention given her by the grown-ups. "Why, I
didn't know that Bud Walker had taken to drinking again!" said Uncle
Henry. "My! That's too bad!"
"Who takes care of that child anyhow, now that poor Susie is dead?" Aunt
Abigail asked of everybody in general.
"Is he just living there ALONE, with that good-for-nothing stepfather?
How do they get enough to EAT?" said Cousin Ann, looking troubled.
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