CHAPTER IX
PIPPIN ENCOUNTERS THE RED RUFFIAN
The days that followed Pippin's disclosure of his plan were troublousones for Mrs. Baxter. She looked under the bed a dozen times a day; sheavoided the broom closet for fear of what might lurk there; if a doorresisted her opening, she made sure it was held on the other side. Forthe first time, terror entered her life. It had been a comfortable life:she had been a good and cheerful baby, child, maiden; she was a good andcheerful woman. She had known that this was a wicked world, and--in ageneral way--that there were bad people even in Kingdom. They neverentered the bakery, but tales of them were whispered over the counterduring the tying up of buns and coffee cakes. And we were all miserablesinners, of course, especially on Sunday. But now she was living _in_ atale! Their own Pippin, Pippin of the bright eyes, the winning smile,the pleasant, helpful ways--Pippin had been one of the wicked. And nowthere were more of them about, walking Kingdom streets, perhaps--sheshuddered--looking in the window the moment while her back was turned;and she was to be called upon to help save one of them.
"But I've had no experience!" she would say piteously. "I don't know howto talk to them kind of persons, Pippin. I've had no experience!"
"Well, you're goin' to have!" Pippin told her cheerily. "Woman dear,crooks is just folks, same as other folks; they ain't painted black,outside or in. You know how to talk to me well enough, don't you?"
"Oh, Pippin!"
"Well, then! Just bear in mind that what this boy is, I was, only abouta thousand times wuss. Why, he's nothin' _but_ a boy! Say to yourself,'S'pose it was Buster!' Say it over and over till it comes easy asbreathin'!"
"Yes, Pippin!" said Susan Baxter.
As for Pippin himself, the days were not long enough for him. He wasmaking the most of his last week of baking. Hitherto he had keptstrictly to bread, rolls and doughnuts; but now he essayed loftierflights, wrestled with coffee cake, overcame; made his first batch ofpies and glowed with pride to hear them pronounced A No. 1. Between workhours he ranged the town with his wheel, and at every corner peoplegathered round him, ostensibly to have their knives sharpened, though bythis time there was hardly a dull knife in Kingdom--really to watchPippin at work and hear him sing. He scanned every group with eagereyes, but saw no strange faces, only the kindly Kingdom Comers, as hecalled them, who were all his friends. After dark, leaving his wheel athome, he might drop in on Father O'Brien or Elder Stebbins for an hour'schat, and hear what was going on in the two parishes, to both of whichhe considered himself to belong.
"Say, that was a dandy anthem, wasn't it?" he would say to the goodFather. "Suited me down to the ground! Good sermon you preached, too,Father. Common sense! I liked that sermon. Only, wasn't you just a mitehard on the heathen? I've known dandy heathen, sir, simply dandy. Iwish't you knew old Sing Lee. He used to tell about a guy they callConfusion, and I never could see why they called him that, for he wasplain as print, 'peared to me, and his ideas was dandy, they sure was.Well, so long, Father! Yes, sir, I'd like a blessin' real well; thankyou kindly!"
Taking his leave, he would leave the house very quietly, shutting thedoor after him without a sound. Before going home he would wander,apparently aimlessly, about the town, diving into alleys, comingsuddenly round corners, exploring the quarter of the town knownfamiliarly as Devildom.
During this week the pilferings hung fire. Anxious housewives countedtheir garments on the line, storekeepers looked well to tills, locks andbolts, and slept with their pocketbooks under their pillows; but nothinghappened, and it began to be whispered about that "the mean folks" hadleft town and gone elsewhere.
Toward the end of the week Pippin made an excursion to a neighboringvillage on urgent representation from one of its inhabitants, "sharpened'em up good," as he expressed it, all round, gave them a Gospel concert,spent a happy day visiting round among the scattered farms, and startedfor home with a light heart and a pocketful of dimes. He had covered agood deal of ground, and became aware that he was distinctly "legweary"; but green grass! he thought, what a dandy time he had had, andhow good supper would taste!
It was growing dusk as he drew near Kingdom. There was the patch ofwoods that was full of violets a month ago. He wondered if there wouldbe any still in bloom. Mrs. Baxter was ter'ble fond of violets (and yetthey wa'n't her pattern, you'd think; pineys was more her kind), but ifthere _was_ any violets--
Entering the cool shade of the wood path, he was pacing slowly along,glancing left and right for the "proud virgins of the year," when heheard a rustling among the bushes by the roadside. Thought flashed backto that day--only a week ago, was it? It seemed a month--when thoseother bushes had rustled. For an instant he dreaded to see the pale,lovely, imploring face of the imbecile girl; then common sense returned."She couldn't have got so far," was his first thought; "nor yet shewouldn't be wearin' pants!" his second. There was no time for a third.Out from the shadow stepped two masked figures, one of them with aleveled pistol.
"Throw up your hands!"
"That's what!" said Pippin.
The holder of the pistol--a slight, youthful-looking fellow, gave atriumphant laugh, and glanced over his shoulder at his companion. Helaughed too soon. In the act of lifting his hands, Pippin made twocatlike steps forward, tripped, fell heavily against him, and the twocame to the ground together. There was a brief struggle, the two rollingover and over, silent and breathless. When it ended Pippin was sittingon his assailant's head, and it was he who held the pistol. Thus seated,he put two fingers to his mouth and gave a shrill and piercing whistlein three notes: up, down, up. At sound of this, the second, who had beenhovering in the background, took to his heels and fled as if for hislife.
"Green grass!" said Pippin. "That worked pretty, didn't it?"
The person under him struggled and groaned.
"Like me to move a little ways?" said Pippin, and moved down to hischest. "There! Breathe easier that way, can't ye? Well, what about it?"
"Lemme up!" cried the sufferer. "---- ---- you, lemme up!"
Pippin drew out his red handkerchief, and calmly stuffed it into thefellow's mouth. "Just till you can speak pretty!" he said. "You're freeto hold me up, if you know enough, which you don't, but I've no call tohear your language when I don't like it. That's square, ain't it?"
Presently he removed the handkerchief and tied the fellow's wrists withit in a workmanlike fashion. "There now, we can chin a spell; what say?"
Quitting his uneasy seat, he helped the other to his feet, and as he didso, twitched the mask from his face. Then he whistled. It was a boy'sface that scowled at him, angry and frightened. A boy of sixteen orseventeen, not bad-looking either--
"Green grass!" said Pippin under his breath. "I'll bet--" but he did notsay what he would bet. Instead, he bade the other, kindly, to see what afool he had went and made of himself. It was easy to see he was new tothe trade. The other guy was the old hand, eh, what? He judged so fromthe way he lifted his feet. Lifted--his--feet--Where had Pippin seenfeet lift like them, pounding that way? Memory seemed to hover for aninstant, but was gone before he could catch it.
"And think of your tryin' it on one of your own trade!" said Pippincomfortably. "Me, that was old to the fancy when you was nussin' yourbottle. That was hard luck, wasn't it? And yet--who knows? Mebbe 'twasgood luck, too!"
"What--what you mean?" stammered the boy. "Do you mean that you--"
"Well, I guess! Brought up to it from a baby. Ever hear of the HoneyBoys of Blankton? Well, I'd like to know who was boss of the Honey Boys,if 'twasn't me. Yes, sir! I could tell you stories--Say we sit down aspell!"
They sat. Pippin told a few stories with apparent gusto. "Now," he said,"let's hear what you have to tell, bo!"
The boy, nothing loth, poured out a wild, foolish tale enough. How hewas bred to farming, and despised it; how he meant to make his fortuneand come back a rich man, and show them--yes, siree! he'd show themwhether he was a lunkhead or not! How he met up with that feller overyonder hayin', and heard how
things was done, and they went to Kingdom.There wasn't much doin' there, so to-night Reilly said he'd show himabout road work, and let him try his hand.
"But, honest, I don't believe he'd ha' done any better than I did!"cried the boy, his weak, handsome face aglow with admiration."He wouldn't ha' stood up against you. Say, you done that slick,Mr.----I don't know what your name is!"
"Try Moonlighter," said Pippin--"Moonlighter or Jack-o'-Lantern; I'veanswered to both names. As to your friend, you're well rid of him. Ifyou ask me, he's a sneak and a skunk. He won't come back; I doubt if hestops this side of the city. What makes me think so? Why, you heard mewhistle?"
"Yes; what did it mean?"
"Cop's whistle: look out, there's crooks about. He didn't know I wasn'tcallin' my mate, did he? No, nor yet you don't know! But I like yourlooks, bo! You ain't a sneak, are you? You wouldn't give a pal away, ifhe was to show you a firstrate plant--what say?"
The boy stammered protestations and assurances.
"That's right! Oh, you can tell from a guy's looks, when you're used tosizin' folks up. Now if you really mean business--" Pippin paused, drewout his file, whistled on it softly, winked and replaced it--"if youreally mean business, bo--" he said.
* * * * *
When Pippin entered Kingdom town again, it was by a back way littlefrequented. He trod softly and warily, and at his heels trod his lateassailant, now his slave and devotee.
Pippin would show Red Ruffi'n (thus he had named the lad) a place wherehe could rest safe and easy till next night. Things wouldn't be readytill next night; he had a heap to do. Red Ruffi'n would see; this was adandy place, where he'd be as safe as he would to home. Just let himshow him! Go easy now!
Kingdom, neat, prosperous little town though it was, had its slum; ahuddle of ramshackle cottages tumbling up and down a ragged hill. Thecottages were in sad need of paint and shingles, their windows held moreold hats than glass, the linen that flapped about them on saggingclotheslines did not look particularly clean.
Close by was the village dump, exhaling unsavory odors. By day this spotwas haunted by frowsy children and slatternly women, grubbing about theedges of the dump for an orange that might be partly good, a box thatwould split up for kindling; but now all was quiet in Devildom. Theplace was the scandal of Kingdom housewives. Pippin had usually avoidedit, but now he led the way thither eagerly. Skirting the edge of thedump, he came to a spot where a ledge cropped out, partly overhanging atiny hollow. He had seen some children playing here once, and had notedthe spot as a good hiding hole, thanking the Lord that he never wouldneed to hide, never no more, glory be!
"There!" he said, and turned to his companion. "Here you'll be safe asyou would in your own bed. Folks is scared of this place, think it'sha'nted; won't nobody come nigh, you see if there does."
"Is--is it?" asked the Red Ruffian, in a tone that might have soundedtimorous had his character been less desperate.
"Is it what? Ha'nted? I dunno. I never see anything here but once, andthen I wasn't quite positive. Somethin' white an' misty went past, sorto' groanin' to itself; I couldn't pass no judgment what it was. Anyway,they say if you speak up to 'em, same as you would, they can't do aperson no hurt. But say, ain't this a dandy hole? Now you rest easyhere, and I'll come to-morrow night and fetch you. Here's some crackers:what say?"
"It--it smells bad, don't it?" The boy was sniffing with evidentdisrelish.
"Yes!" Pippin glowed enthusiastic. "Don't it? Real bad. That's anotherthing will keep folks away. Oh, you'll be as snug as--what say? Damp?No, it ain't! It's dry as a lime-burner's wig. Gorry! I wish't I'd had aplace like this, when I was--well, goodnight, Red Ruffi'n! Pleasantdreams to ye! You've got the countersign?"
"Ye-es! 'Blood is red!' Are you--are you going, Moonlighter?"
"That's what! Just wait till to-morrow night and you'll see stars!Green grass! we'll--have us--a time!"
His voice died away: the Red Ruffian tried to call him back, butfailing, cowered down in his hiding hole and shivered.
The next day it rained; a gentle, steady downpour that evidently meantbusiness. Mrs. Baxter, with looks of dismay, called Pippin's attentionto the fact. Pippin chuckled and said it was great.
"But my land! That boy'll be all wet!"
"You bet he will! Wet through to his bones, I tell you!" Pippin chuckledagain. "Might I trouble you for a morsel of the pork, Mrs. Baxter?"
Mrs. Baxter passed the pork absently, stirred her coffee absently.Presently: "What's he got for breakfast?" she asked.
"Crackers!" said Pippin gleefully. "Nice dry sody crackers; or mebbethey ain't quite so dry by now; _and_ a cigar!"
"Pippin!" Mrs. Baxter looked reproach.
"Yes, ma'am! Nice long black cigar, the strongest I could find in thestore. Green grass! Mr. Baxter, where'd you s'pose Ed Nevins got themcigars? Why, they'd knock a bullock stiff!"
"My land! It'll make him _sick_!" cried Mrs. Baxter.
"Well, I guess! If there's a sicker boy in Kingdom than what he'll be,I'm sorry for him!" Pippin threw back his head and laughed gleefully,Mr. Baxter joining in with a deep rumble over his pork and beans.
Mrs. Baxter's dark eyes flashed.
"I'd like to know what _you_ find to laugh at, Timothy Baxter! I mustsay I think you're real unfeelin', both of you." She brushed the crumbsfrom her apron with hands that trembled. "That boy--and you _said_ hewas motherless, Pippin, I heard you--out in the rain all day, halfstarved, and then to make him sick--there! I think menfolks is just_mean_!" She rose from the table. As she turned away, Pippin caught atthe corner of her apron.
"Don't be mad with me, Mis' Baxter!" he pleaded.
"Well, I _am_!" Mrs. Baxter turned squarely upon him. "I am mad withboth of you, and what's more, I'm disgusted. There!"
"Hold on, Ma!" Father Baxter pushed his chair back and came to lay acalm hand on her shoulder. "Now, Ma, you behave! We agreed to let Pippinrun this show, didn't we? Well, then, what I say is, _let_ him run it!"
"But I never--" Mrs. Baxter began indignantly.
"Hold on, Ma! Pippin knows this kind of boy, and you don't, nor I don't,over 'n' above. He ain't calculatin' to give him a birthday party, witha frosted cake and seventeen candles and one to grow on; are you,Pippin?"
"You bet I ain't!" Pippin was glowing with earnestness. "I'm goin' togive him--why, look at here, Mis' Baxter! When Buster ate them greenapples last week, what was't you give him? A portion of physic, wasn'tit? I thought so! Well, you physicked his stummick, 'cause he'd gotthings in it that didn't belong there; woman dear, I'm goin' to physicthis boy's soul, and don't you forget it!"
At the ring in his voice, the kindling light in his eyes, the good womanmelted. The tears came into her eyes and her lips quivered.
"That's right!" Pippin was stroking her head now and talking as if to alittle child. "You'll see, 'twill all come out nice as pie. And you gotyour part to do, you know, Mis' Baxter. You're goin' to have the besthot supper, and the warmest bed, and the dryest clothes that ever was,ready by the time we get through to-night. Yes, ma'am! And Mr. Baxter,he's goin' to do his part--"
"I am!" said the baker solemnly. "I don't know yet just what it'll be,but I'm goin' to do it all the same."
"Green grass!" cried Pippin. "You _are_ dandy folks, no use talkin''bout it!"