The four sat down,
David beside the girl, who generously took him in hand at this unusual
banquet. In the menagerie tent beyond wild beasts were growling and
roaring and snarling a weird interlude for the benefit of the
banqueters, sounds so strange and menacing that David looked often
with uneasy interest in the direction from which they came.
"I like this, don't you, dad? I wish we could have a runaway boy with
us every night or so." She gave David a warm, enveloping smile.
But Joey was not listening to the idle chatter of his daughter. He ate
in silence, his brow corrugated with the intensity of his thoughts.
"Say, Casey, 'ave you seen 'im?" he asked at last, interrupting a tale
that Ruby was telling for David's especial benefit.
"I like that!" she exclaimed indignantly.
"Seen who?" from Casey, also ignoring her.
"Grand."
"Is that skunk here again?"
"Big as life, dang 'is bloody 'eart. He's bothering 'er, too. Makes
love to 'er right afore 'er 'us-band's eyes. It's--it's _out-rage-
ious_"
Miss Noakes forgot her story and her resentment. She leaned forward,
her black eyes fairly snapping, her fingers clenched.
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