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never had them for playmates； and he had not seen much of them when he
went with his father to the mountain village for supplies。 There had been；
it is true； the boy who frequently brought milk and eggs to the cabin； but
he had been very quiet and shy； appearing always afraid and anxious to get
away； as if he had been told not to stay。 More recently； since David had
been at the Holly farmhouse； his experience with boys had been even less
satisfying。 The boyswith the exception of blind Joehad very clearly let
it be understood that they had little use for a youth who could find nothing
better to do than to tramp through the woods and the streets with a fiddle
under his arm。
To…day； however； there came a change。 Perhaps they were more used
to him； or perhaps they had decided suddenly that it might be good fun to
satisfy their curiosity； anyway； regardless of consequences。 Whatever it
was； the lads hailed his appearance with wild shouts of glee。
〃Golly； boys； look！ Here's the fiddlin' kid；〃 yelled one； and the others
joined in the 〃Hurrah！〃 he gave。
David smiled delightedly； once more he had found some one who
wanted himand it was so nice to be wanted！ Truth to tell； David had felt
not a little hurt at the persistent avoidance of all those boys and girls of his
own age。
〃Howhow do you do？〃 he said diffidently； but still with that beaming
smile。
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Again the boys shouted gleefully as they hurried forward。 Several had
short sticks in their hands。 One had an old tomato can with a string tied to
it。 The tallest boy had something that he was trying to hold beneath his
coat。
〃 'Hhow do you do？' 〃 they mimicked。 〃How do you do； fiddlin'
kid？〃
〃I'm David； my name is David。〃 The reminder was graciously given；
with a smile。
〃David！ David！ His name is David；〃 chanted the boys； as if they were
a comic…opera chorus。
David laughed outright。
〃Oh； sing it again； sing it again！〃 he crowed。 〃That sounded fine！〃
The boys stared； then sniffed disdainfully； and cast derisive glances
into each other's eyesit appeared that this little sissy tramp boy did not
even know enough to discover when he was being laughed at！
〃David！ David！ His name is David；〃 they jeered into his face again。
〃Come on； tune her up！ We want ter dance。〃
〃Play？ Of course I'll play；〃 cried David joyously； raising his violin and
testing a string for its tone。
〃Here； hold on；〃 yelled the tallest boy。 〃The Queen o' the Ballet ain't
ready〃。 And he cautiously pulled from beneath his coat a struggling kitten
with a perforated bag tied over its head。
〃Sure！ We want her in the middle；〃 grinned the boy with the tin can。
〃Hold on till I get her train tied to her；〃 he finished； trying to capture the
swishing； fluffy tail of the frightened little cat。
David had begun to play； but he stopped his music with a discordant
stroke of the bow。
〃What are you doing？ What is the matter with that cat？〃 he demanded。
〃 'Matter'！〃 called a derisive voice。 〃Sure； nothin' 's the matter with her。
She's the Queen o' the Balletshe is！〃
〃What do you mean？〃 cried David。 At that moment the string bit hard
into the captured tail； and the kitten cried out with the pain。 〃Look out！
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You're hurting her；〃 cautioned David sharply。
Only a laugh and a jeering word answered。 Then the kitten； with the
bag on its head and the tin can tied to its tail； was let warily to the ground；
the tall boy still holding its back with both hands。
〃Ready； now！ Come on； play；〃 he ordered； 〃then we'll set her dancing。〃
David's eyes flashed。
〃I will not playfor that。〃
The boys stopped laughing suddenly。
〃Eh？ What？〃 They could scarcely have been more surprised if the
kitten itself had said the words。
〃I say I won't playI can't playunless you let that cat go。〃
〃Hoity…toity！ Won't ye hear that now？〃 laughed a mocking voice。 〃And
what if we say we won't let her go； eh？〃
〃Then I'll make you；〃 vowed David； aflame with a newborn something
that seemed to have sprung full…grown into being。
〃Yow！〃 hooted the tallest boy； removing both hands from the captive
kitten。
The kitten； released； began to back frantically。 The can； dangling at its
heels； rattled and banged and thumped； until the frightened little creature；
crazed with terror； became nothing but a whirling mass of misery。 The
boys； formed now into a crowing circle of delight； kept the kitten within
bounds； and flouted David mercilessly。
〃Ah； ha！stop us； will ye？ Why don't ye stop us？〃 they gibed。
For a moment David stood without movement； his eyes staring。 The
next instant he turned and ran。 The jeers became a chorus of triumphant
shouts thenbut not for long。 David had only hurried to the woodpile to
lay down his violin。 He came back then； on the runand before the tallest
boy could catch his breath he was felled by a stinging blow on the jaw。
Over by the church a small girl； red…haired and red…eyed； clambered
hastily over the fence behind which for long minutes she had been crying
and wringing her hands。
〃He'll be killed； he'll be killed；〃 she moaned。 〃And it's my fault；
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'cause it's my kittyit's my kitty；〃 she sobbed； straining her eyes to catch a
glimpse of the kitten's protector in the squirming mass of legs and arms。
The kitten； unheeded now by the boys； was pursuing its backward
whirl to destruction some distance away； and very soon the little girl
discovered her。 With a bound and a choking cry she reached the kitten；
removed the bag and unbound the cruel string。 Then； sitting on the ground；
a safe distance away； she soothed the palpitating little bunch of gray fur；
and watched with fearful eyes the fight。
And what a fight it was！ There was no question； of course； as to its
final outcome； with six against one； but meanwhile the one was giving the
six the surprise of their lives in the shape of well…dealt blows and skillful
twists and turns that caused their own strength and weight to react upon
themselves in a most astonishing fashion。 The one unmistakably was
getting the worst of it； however； when the little girl； after a hurried dash to
the street； brought back with her to the rescue a tall； smooth…shaven young
man whom she had hailed from afar as 〃Jack。〃
Jack put a stop to things at once。 With vigorous jerks and pulls he
unsnarled the writhing mass； boy by boy； each one of whom； upon
catching sight of his face； slunk hurriedly away； as if glad to escape so
lightly。 There was left finally upon the ground only David alone。 But when
David did at last appear； the little girl burst into tears anew。
〃Oh； Jack； he's killedI know he's killed；〃 she wailed。 〃And he was so
nice andand pretty。 And nowlook at him！ Ain't he a sight？〃
David was not killed； but he wasa sight。 His blouse was torn； his tie
was gone； and his face and hands were covered with dirt and blood。 Above
one eye was an ugly…looking lump； and below the other was a red bruise。
Somewhat dazedly he responded to the man's helpful hand； pulled himself
upright； and looked about him。 He did not see the little girl behind him。
〃Where's the cat？〃 he asked anxiously。
The unexpected happened then。 With a sobbing cry the little girl flung
herself upon him； cat and all。
〃Here； right here；〃 she choked。 〃And it was you who saved hermy
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Juliette！ And I'll love you； love you； love you always for it！〃
〃There； there； Jill；〃 interposed the man a little hurriedly。 〃Suppose we
first show our gratitude by seeing if we can't do something to make our
young warrior here more comfortable。〃 And he began to brush off with his
handkerchief some of the accumulated dirt。
〃Why can't we take him home； Jack； and clean him up 'fore other folks
see him？〃 suggested the girl。
The boy turned quickly。
〃Did you call him 'Jack'？〃