"I'm sorry, Mrs. Brenner," he said. "Terrible sorry. But you can see how it is. Things look pretty black for him."
He paused, looked around, hesitated for a moment. Finally he said, "Well, I guess we'd better be getting along."
Mrs. Brenner's hand closed with convulsive force on Tobey's shoulder.
"Tobey!" she screamed desperately, "where was you this afternoon? All afternoon?"
"On the beach," mumbled Tobey, shrinking into himself.
"Tobey! Tobey! Where'd you get blood on the box?"
He looked around. His cloudy eyes rested on her face helplessly.
Her teeth were chattering now; she laid her hand on his other shoulder.
"Try to remember, Tobey. Try to remember. Where'd you get the watch, the pretty watch that was in your box?"
"The pretty bright thing? Where did you get it?"
His eyes brightened. His lips trembled into a smile.
"I found it some place," he said. Eagerness to please her shone on his face.
"But where? What place?" The tears again made rivulets on her cheeks.
"You saw your pa this afternoon, Tobey?" she coached him softly.
He frowned. "I--I saw pa----" he began, straining to pierce the cloud that covered him.
"Blood! Blood!" shrieked old Mrs. Brenner. She half-rose, her head thrust forward on her shriveled neck.
Tobey paused, confused. "I dunno," he said.
"Did he give you the pretty bright thing? And did he give you the ax--" she paused and repeated the word loudly--"the ax to bring home?"
Tobey caught at the word. "The ax?" he cried. "The ax! Ugh! It was all sticky!" He shuddered.
But the cloud had settled. Tobey shook his head. "I dunno," he repeated his feeble denial.
Munn advanced. "No use, Mrs. Brenner, you see. Tobey, you'll have to come along with us."
Even to Tobey's brain some of the strain in the atmosphere must have penetrated, for he drew back. "Naw," he protested sulkily, "I don't want to."
Dick Roamer stepped to his side. He laid his hand on Tobey's arm. "Come along," he urged.
Mrs. Brenner gave a smothered gasp. Tobey woke to terror. He turned to run. In an instant the men surrounded him. Trapped, he stood still, his head lowered in his shoulders.
"Ma!" he screamed suddenly. "Ma! I don't want to go! Ma!"
He fell on his knees. Heavy childish sobs racked him. Deserted, terrified, he called upon the only friend he knew.