The house was still quiet. Everybody had fotten about Bubber. He was nowhere around. An hour passed. Her Mama and Hazel aa and all the boarders waited in the front room. Mister Siood in the doorway.
After a long time her Dad came home. He said Baby wouldnt
die but that her skull was fractured. He asked for Bubber.
Nobody knew where he was. It was dark outside. They called Bubber in the back yard and ireet. They sent Spareribs and some other boys out to hunt for him. It looked like Bubber had gone clear out of the neighborhood. Harry went around to a house where they thought he might be.
Her Dad walked up and down the front porch. I never have whipped any of my kids yet, he kept saying. I never believed in it. But Im sure going to lay it onto that kid as soon as I get my hands on him.』
Mick sat on the banisters and watched down the dark street. I manage Bubber. Once he es back I take care of him all right.』
You go out and hunt for him. You find him better than anybody else.』
As soon as her Dad said that she suddenly knew where Bubber was. In the back yard there was a big oak and in the summer they had built a tree house. They had hauled a big box up in this oak, and Bubber used to love to sit up iree house by himself. Mick left the family and the boarders on the front pord walked back through the alley of the dark yard.
She stood for a minute by the trunk of the tree. Bubber—, she said quietly. Its Mick.』
He didnt answer, but she knew he was there. It was like she could smell him. She swung up on the lowest brand climbed slowly. She was really mad with that kid and would have to teach him a lesson. When she reached the tree house she spoke to him again—and still there wasnt any answer. She climbed into the big box a around the edges. At last she touched him. He was sged up in a er and his legs were trembling. He had been holding his breath, and wheouched him the sobs and the breath came out all at once.
I—I didnt mean Baby to fall. She was just so little and cute—seemed to me like I just had to take a pop at her.』
Mick sat down on the floor of the tree house. Babys dead, she said. They got a lot of people hunting for you.』
Bubber quit g. He was very quiet.
*You know what Dads doing in the house?It was like she could hear Bubber listening.
You know Warden Lawes—you heard him over the radio.
And you know Sing Sing. Well, our Dads writing a letter to Warden Lawes for him to be a little bit kind to you when they catch you and send you to Sing Sing.』
The words were so awful-sounding in the dark that a shiver came over her. She could feel Bubber trembling.
They got little electric chairs there—just your size. And wheurn on the juice you just fry up like a piece of burnt ba. Then you go to Hell.』
Bubber was squeezed up in the er and there was not a sound from him. She climbed over the edge of the box to get down. You better stay up here because they got poli guarding the yard. Maybe in a few days I bring vou something to eat』
Mick leaned against the trunk of the oak tree. That would teach Bubber all right. She had always managed him and she knew more about that kid than anybody else. Once, about a year or two ago, he was always wanting to stop off behind bushes and pee and play with himself awhile. She had caught on to that pretty quick. She gave him a good slap every time it happened and in three days he was cured. Afterwar