"Happy in Spite," she whispered again. Then she sat up with a brilliant smile.
"Of course I'm going to take you to Lafe's. Here at Lafe's my heart's awful busy loving everybody. Now I've got you I'm going to take care of you, 'cause I love you just like the rest. Stand up and let me wipe your nose."
"Let me see how you look, first," faltered the boy. "Where's your face?... I want to touch it!"
His little hands reached and found Jinnie's shoulders. Then slowly the fingers moved upwards, pressing here and there upon the girl's skin, as they traveled in rhythmic motion over her cheeks.
"Your hair's awful curly and long," said he. "What color is it?"
"Color? Well, it's black with purple running through it, I guess. People say so anyway!"
"Oh, yes, I know what black is. And your eyes're blue, ain't they?"
"Yes, blue," assented Jinnie. "I see 'em when I slick my hair in the kitchen glass ... I don't think they're much like yours."
Bobbie paid no heed to the allusion to himself.
"Your forehead's smooth, too," he mused. "Your eyes are big, and the lashes round 'em 're long. You're much prettier'n your dog, but then girls 're always pretty."
A flush of pleased vanity reddened Jinnie's skin to the tips of her ears, and she scrambled to her feet. Then she paused, a solemn expression shadowing her eyes.
"Bobbie," she spoke soberly, "now I found you, you belong to me, don't you?"
Bobbie thrust forth his hands.
"Yes, yes," he breathed.
"Then from now on, from this minute, I'm going to work for you."
Jinnie's thoughts were on the shortwood strap, but she didn't mention it. Oh, how she would work for money to give Peg with which to buy food! How happy she would be in the absolute ownership of the boy she had discovered in the hills! Tenderly she drew him to her. He seemed so pitifully helpless.
"How old 're you?" she demanded.
"Nine years old."
"You don't look over five," said Jinnie, surprised.
"That's because I'm always sick," explained the boy.
Jinnie threw up her head.
"Well, a girl sixteen ought to be able to help an awful little boy, oughtn't she?... Here, I'll put my arm round you, right like this."
But the boy made a backward step, so that Jinnie, thinking he was about to fall, caught him sharply by the arm.
"I'll walk if you'll lead me," Bobbie explained proudly.
Thus rebuffed, Jinnie turned the blind face toward the east, and together they made their way slowly to the plank walk.