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 get a horse wasn’t ’cause there wasn’t enough money in the family to buy a horse; it was ’cause I couldn’t keep a horse in a city. Out here I don’t see why I couldn’t. There’s no neighbours on my side to object. I’ll see that flax-wig in there doing me out of my horse!”

The little Scout thrust forth a hand and disclosed a dime.

“I’m going to the grocery to get milk for her, and then there’s ‘fifty other errands,’” suddenly the little Scout changed to the woman in the house and in an exact imitation of the tone and manner that Jamie recognized he heard, “‘Kiddo, there’s about fifty other errands you can do for me.’” There was another change. “You can stake your roll ‘Kiddo’ is going to stay right here on the job! ‘Kiddo’ is goin’ to do the errands. ‘Kiddo’ is goin’ to find out some way to get that Jane out of there and get her out pretty quick. ‘Kiddo’ happens to know a whole lot of things that you don’t, and ‘Kiddo’ is just beginnin’ to get wise to who that party is!”

Both hands flew out, one of them widespread, the other gripping the dime. “Let me tell you, ‘Kiddo’ is savin’ a last arrow for that party right in there! ‘Kiddo’ owes it to the Bee Master to puncsher her until you can see daylight clear through her! Maybe you think I ain’t got her number now. Maybe you think I don’t know who pushed little Mary and broke her spine and made her die! You watch me! If you ain’t going to fight, I am. How did you get in this house?”

“Walked in,” said Jamie.