“And you feel safe now?” She went to the ice-box.
“Yes.” He glanced hurriedly at his father.
“And you’re sure you don’t want me to watch awhile at the window?” She slipped the chilled, glossy fruit into his hand. “Until you’ve found out whether this Kushy is there or not?”
“No. I’ll just run to the cheder.” And as his mother bent down to kiss him—
“Keep out of mischief,” the barest overtone hardened his father’s voice. “Hear me?”
“Yes, papa.” Once more their glances grazed. He reached out for the knob.
“And don’t forget to eat your pear,” she reminded him. “It’s as sweet as—” her voice blurred with the closing door.
He hurried down the stairs, and reaching the street glanced about hastily. No sign of Leo anywhere. Good, that was a relief! He would go to the cheder now and stay in the cheder yard till the rabbi came. He swerved around his father’s milk wagon, crossed the gutter obliquely and turned west—
The sudden whirr of wheels behind him — now louder on the side-walk now roaring momentarily over the hollow buckle of a coal chute—
“Hey you!”
There was no need to turn.
Leo, cap in hand, angry mouth open in flushed face, hooked about him, braked his course with a grinding skate, eagle-spread to a stop. Standing on his skates, he looked almost full grown, his bright blonde head towering above David’s.
“Yuh runnin’ away aintcha?” His snub nose crinkled into an angry sneer. “W’yntcha tell me yuh didn’ wanna go—’stid o’ makin’ me hang aroun’ here all day!”
“I didn’t say I didn’ wanna go.” David looked up, smiling placatingly.
“Well, w’yntcha come down? Wotcha waitin’ fuh? Yuh noo we said ten o’clock.”
“I had to stay upstehs till my fodder came — Yuh see? Dot’s his wagon.” He pointed to it, hoping Leo would supply the connection he knew didn’t exist.
“Well, wot of it?” After a glance.
“Nott’n. But my modder wuz sick, so I had to stay—”
“Aw, bullshit! Yuh know yuh lyin’!”
“No, I ain’!”
“Awri’! c’mon if yuh comin’. Be’faw yuh have to go to dat udder joint — w’utever yuh calls it.”
“I can’t. I have to go dere now. Wonna pear?”
“Wot!” Leo ignored the proffered fruit. “After ye sez yuh wuz goin’? Don’ try t’ back out on me or I’ll take me skates off and beltchuh one. Listen! I ain’ gonna do nutt’n! I tol’ yuh I wuzn’—wotcha scared of?”
“My a’nt’s dere too,” he countered feebly. “In de kendy staw. She’ll know.”
“How’z she gonna git wise, yuh sap? We’ll duck ’er, dontcha see? Git ’er down de cella’ w’en nobuddy’s lookin’. We won’t try it if she’s watchin’! C’mon! I’m gonna give yuh one o’ me skates.” And drawing out his skate-key, he slipped down to the curb. “Sit down, will ye? Yuh know wot I got fer ye, dontcha? Sit down!” And as David crouched down beside him. “Iz zat fer me?” He reached for the pear.
“Yea.”
“Looks like a good one.” He licked his lips.
“Yuh god id witchuh?”
“W’a’?” Between mouthfuls. “Yuh mean de ros’ry? Sure, w’eadja tink it was, up de house?” Leaning sidewise he drew a few beads from his pocket. “See ’em? Dere yours, don’t fergit.” And thrusting them back, busied himself with the left skate — kicked it free. “G’wan, now, put dis on. I’ll loin yuh how to go — don’t git scared. Give us yer hoof. Like dat, see?” The strap tightened below David’s ankles, next the clamps gripped his sole. “Shove with yer udder foot — watch me. Now slide! ’At’s it! Atta baby. Let’s go! ’At’s it!” He flung the fruit-core into the gutter, headed toward Avenue D. “We’ll git dere in a minute wit’ a good hitch — wait’ll yuh see.”
“Gee!” The new freedom of motion was exhilarating. “Gee, id’s fun!”
“W’at’d I tell ye!” he urged jubilantly, “Go on, I tell ye, it’s easy as pie — Hey, you’ll loin real fast!”
They rounded the corner, Leo still barking encouragement.
XII
LAUGHING, jabbering breathlessly, they had been hauled within two blocks of Kane Street when the wagon turned from their route. They let go. The gilded mortar and pestle loomed up — so near! Sobered in an instant, David lagged behind.
“Dontcha wann jos’ skate back now?”
“Naw!” Leo exploded eagerly. “Wotcha t’ink we came hea fuh? Nex’ block, ain’ it?”
“No,” listlessly. “It’s de one after, but I—”
“C’mon den.” Leo forged ahead. “C’mon, will ye!”
There was nothing to do but follow. His blood, which a moment before had been chiming in bright abandon, deepened its stress, weighted its rhythm to an ominous tolling. They reached the corner they were to turn—
“Hey, Leo,” David plucked at his sleeve, “w’en yuh gonna gimme it?”
“W’a’?” impatiently.
“Dat ros’ry, watchuh called it, in yuh pocket?”
“Aw, w’en we gits dere!” Leo waved him off vehemently. “Wadda-yuh worryin’ about? Show us de joint foist, will ye?”
“On dis side.” He led the way cautiously. “See w’ea de ices barrels is — by de daw?”
“Yea,” Leo scrutinized the terrain, “It’s jist a liddle dump, ain’ it? W’ea did ye — Wow!” His voice dropped in suppressed elation. “Didn’ I tell ye? Dere’s de steps under de staw right like I t’ought!” He nudged David abruptly. “Foller me, will ye.”
Heart-beat rising to a panicky thumping, David trailed him across the street. It seemed odd to him that those standing on the stoop or passing by were not aware of his growing terror.
“Take de strap off.” Leo kneeled to undo his own.
“Watchuh gonna do?” Crouching beside him, David undid the buckle with clammy fingers.
“Nutt’n! Don’ git scared.” His whisper sounded strange against the loud background of the street. “Let’s gitcher clamp.” He unloosened it, arose with both skates in his hand. “C’n ye see anybody in de staw?”
“Can’t see good f’om hea.”
“Well, sneak over dis way. Jeez! don’ be dumb. Keep goin’.”
From his momentary vantage, David squinted hurriedly into the shady doorway across the sunlit gutter. “My a’nt’s dere!” He whispered, quickening his step. “An I t’ink it’s Polly.”
“Dey’s two goils dere!” Leo countered sharply as they passed. “I seen ’em meself stannin’ in front.”
“Yea, but I don’ know de odder one.”
“An she wuzn’t dere, wot’s ’er name? De one dat went down witcha? No? Well, let’s walk back.” They retraced their steps.
“No. Couldn’t see ’er anyhow. We better go back.”
“Aw hol’ yer hosses, will ye! Can’t chuh wait here a minute till she shows up?” Disgruntled, he flung himself back at the railing beside a stoop. “You’ll have lots o’ time, wotcha worryin’ about — Hey, duck! Duck, will ye!” He pushed the startled David behind him. “Dey’re comin’ out! Stay dere or dey’ll see ye!” And after a few seconds, “Cheez, dat wuz close, but dey’re goin’ de udder way now. Awright.” He stepped to one side, giving David room to view them. “W’ich one is her sister?”
“De skinny one,” David stared furtively after the two girls. “Dat’s Polly in de yeller dress wit’ dat black ma’ket bag.”
“Wot about dem, huh?” Leo’s blue eyes widened significantly. “W’en dey come back.”
“Naa!” He drew away. “I don’t know ’em — de odder one.”
“Aw, balls!” Leo see-sawed between anger and ardor. “You ain’ game fer nutt’n, dat’s wot! C’mon, Le’s take anudder look. Maybe dat Est’er goil is in dere now.” He dragged David past the store again. No sign of her. There was only Aunt Bertha sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper. “Aw, Jesus, wot luck!”