The woman stared for an instant in open-mouthed astonishment, and then her eyes flashed with anger. She reached out her hand to grasp the girl, but Peter Lane thrust it aside.
His own eyes could flash, and the woman drew back.
"You git out of my store, then!" shouted Mrs. Crink. "You take your brat and git out!"
"I'll get out," said Peter slowly, "as soon as I am quite entirely ready to do so. I hope you will understand that. And I'll be ready when I have ate my soup."
The woman glared at him. She let her hand drop behind the bar, where she had a piece of lead pipe, and then, suddenly, she laughed a high, cackling laugh to cover her defeat, and let her eyes fall. She slouched to the front of the shop for the crackers and cheese and Peter seated himself again at the small table, and looked at the children.
"Where's Mama?" he heard the girl ask, and Buddy's reply: "Mama went away," and he saw the look of wonder on the girl's face.
"Come here," Peter said, and the girl came to the table.
"I guess you 're Buddy's sister he's been tellin' me about, ain't you?" said Peter kindly, "and I'm his Uncle Peter He's been staying with on a shanty-boat. Your ma"--he hesitated and looked at the girl's sweet, clear eyes--"your ma went away, like Buddy said, Susie, but you don't want to think she run away and left him, for that wouldn't be so, not at all! She had to go, or she wouldn't 've gone. I guess--I guess she'd 've come and got you. Yes, I guess that's what she had on her mind. She spoke of you quite a little before she went on her trip."
"I want you should take me away from here," said the girl suddenly.
"Well, now, I wish I could, Susie," said Peter, "but I don't see how I can. Maybe I can arrange it--" He poised his soup spoon in the air. "Did Reverend Mr. Briggles bring you here?"
"Not here," said Susie. "Mrs. Crink didn't live here, then."
"Well, that's all the same," said Peter. "I just wanted to enquire about it. You'd better eat your soup, Buddy-boy. Well, now, let me see!"
Peter stared into the soup, as if it might hold, hidden in its muggy depths, the answer to his riddle.
"Just at present I'm sort of unable to do what I'd like to do myself," he said. "I'd like to take you right with me, but I've got a certain friend that was quite put out because I didn't bring your ma to--to see her when your ma stopped in at my boat, and I guess maybe"--Mrs. Crink was returning with the crackers and cheese, and Peter ended hurriedly--"I guess maybe you better stay here until I make arrangements."