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months。 She won't get to dance in the soiree—maybe there'll
even be a little bald place on her head。'
Mrs。 Wilson and her Dad looked at each other like they was
hypnotized。 Then Mrs。 Wilson reached around to her
pocketbook and took out a slip of paper。148
〃The things you got to pay are just the actual price of what it
will cost us in money。 There's Baby's private room in the
hospital and a private nurse until she can come home。 There's
the operating room and the doctor's bill— and for once I
intend the doctor to be paid right away。 Also； they shaved all
Baby's hair off and you got to pay me for the permanent wave
I took her to Atlanta to get—so when her hair grows back
natural she can have another one。 And there's the price of her
costume and other little extra bills like that。 I'll write all the
items down just as soon as I know what they'll be。 I'm trying
to be just as fair and honest as I can； and you'll have to pay the
total when I bring it to you。'
Her Mama smoothed her dress over her knees and took a
quick； short breath。 'Seems to me like the children's ward
would be a lot better than a private room。 When Mick had
penumonia'
'I said a private room。'
Mister Brannon held out his white； stumpy hands and
balanced them like they was on scales。 'Maybe in a day or two
Baby can move into a double room with some other kid。'
Mrs。 Wilson spoke hard…boiled。 'You heard what I said。 Long
as your kid shot my Baby she certainly ought to have every
advantage until she gets well。'
'You're in your rights；' her Dad said。 'God knows we don't have
anything now—but maybe I can scrape it up。 I realize you're
not trying to take advantage of us and I appreciate it。 We'll do
what we can。'
She wanted to stay and hear everything that they said； but
Bubber was on her mind。 When she thought of him sitting up
in the dark； cold tree house thinking about Sing Sing she felt
uneasy。 She went out of the room and down the hall toward
the back door。 The wind was blowing and the yard was very
dark except for the yellow square that came from the light in
the kitchen。 When she looked back she saw Portia sitting at
the table with her long； thin hands up on her face； very still。
The yard was lonesome and the wind made quick； scary
shadows and a mourning kind of sound in the darkness。
She stood under the oak tree。 Then just as she started to reach
for the first limb a terrible notion came over her。
It came to her all of a sudden that Bubber was gone。 She
called him and he did not answer。 She climbed quick and quiet
as a cat。
'Say！ Bubber！'
Without feeling in the box she knew he wasn't there。 To make
sure she got into the box and felt in all the corners。 The kid
was gone。 He must have started down the minute she left。 He
was running away for sure now； and with a smart kid like
Bubber it was no telling where they'd catch him。
She scrambled down the tree and ran to the front porch。 Mrs。
Wilson was leaving and they had all come out to the front
steps with her。
'Dad！' she said。 'We got to do something about Bubber。 He's
run away。 I'm sure he left our block。 We all got to get out and
hunt him。'
Nobody knew where to go or how to begin。 Her Dad walked
up and down the street； looking in all the alleys。 Mister
Brannon telephoned for a ten…cent taxi for Mrs。 Wilson and
then stayed to help with the hunt。 Mister Singer sat on the
banisters of the porch and he was the only person who kept
calm。 They all waited for Mick to plan out the best places to
look for Bubber。 But the town was so big and the little kid so
smart that she couldn't think what to do。
Maybe he had gone to Portia's house over in Sugar Hill。 She
went back into the kitchen where Portia was sitting at the table
with her hands up to her face。
'I got this sudden notion he went down to your house。 Help us
hunt him。'
'How come I didn't think of that！ I bet a nickel my little scared
Bubber been staying in my home all the time。'
Mister Brannon had borrowed an automobile。 He and Mister
Singer and Mick's Dad got into the car with her and Portia。
Nobody knew what Bubber was feeling except her。 Nobody
knew he had really run away like he was escaping to save his
life。
Portia's house was dark except for the checkered moonlight on
the floor。 As soon as they stepped inside they could tell there
was nobody in the two rooms。 Portia lighted the front lamp。
The rooms had a colored smell； and they were crowded with
cut…out pictures on the walls and150
the lace table covers and lace pillows on the bed。 Bubber was
not there。
'He been here；' Portia suddenly said。 'I can tell somebody been
in here。'
Mister Singer found the pencil and piece of paper on the
kitchen table。 He read it quickly and then they all looked at it
The writing was round and scraggly and the smart little kid
hadn't misspelled but one word。 The note said：
Dear Portia；
I gone to Florada。 Tell every body。
Yours truly； Bubber Kelly
They stood around surprised and stumped。 Her Dad looked
out the doorway and picked his nose with his thumb in a
worried way。 They were all ready to pile in the car and ride
toward the highway leading south。
'Wait a minute；' Mick said。 'Even if Bubber is seven years old
he's got brains enough not to tell us where he's going if he
wants to run away。 That about Florida is just a trick。'
'A trick？' her Dad said。
'Yeah。 There only two places Bubber knows very much about。
One is Florida and the other is Atlanta。 Me and Bubber and
Ralph have been on the Atlanta road many a time。 He knows
how to start there and that's where he's headed。 He always
talks about what he's going to do when he gets a chance to go
to Atlanta。'
They went out to the automobile again。 She was ready to
climb into the back seat when Portia pinched her on the
elbow。 'You know what Bubber done？' she said in a quiet
voice。 'Don't you tell nobody else； but my Bubber done also
taken my gold earrings off my dresser。 I never thought my
Bubber would have done such a thing to me。'
Mister Brannon started the automobile。 They rode slow；
looking up and down the streets for Bubber； headed toward
the Atlanta road。
It was true that in Bubber there was a tough； mean streak。 He
was acting different today than he had ever acted before。 Up
until now he was always a quiet little kid who never really
done anything mean。 When anybody's
feelings were hurt it always made him ashamed and nervous。
Then how come he could do all the things he had done today？
They drove very slow out the Atlanta road。 They passed the
last line of houses and came to the dark fields and woods。 All
along they had stopped to ask if anyone had seen Bubber。 'Has
a little barefooted kid in corduroy knickers been by this way？'
But even after they had gone about ten miles nobody had seen
or noticed him。 The wind came in cold and strong from the
open windows and it was late at night。
They rode a little farther and then went back toward town。 Her
Dad and Mister Brannon wanted to look up all the children in
the second grade； but she made them turn around and go back
on the Atlanta road again。 All the while she remembered the
words she had said to Bubber。 About Baby being dead and
Sing Sing and Warden Lawes。 About the small electric chairs
that were just his size； and Hell。 In the dark the words had
sounded terrible。
They rode very slow for about half a mile out of town； and
then suddenly she saw Bubber。 The lights of the car showed
him up in front of them very plain。 It was funny。 He was
walking along the edge of the road and he had his thumb out
trying to get a ride。 Portia's butcher knife was stuck in his belt；
and on the wide； dark road he looked so small that it was like
he was five years old instead of seven。
They stopped the automobile and he ran to get in。 He couldn't
see who they were； and his face had the squint…eyed look it
always had when he took aim with a marble。 Her Dad held
him by the collar。 He hit with his fists and kicked。 Then he
had the butcher knife in his hand。 Their Dad yanked it away
from him just in time。 He fought like a little tiger in a trap； but
finally they got him into the car。 Their Dad held him in his lap
on the way home and Bubber sat very stiff； not leaning against
anything。
They had to drag him into the house； and all the neighbors and
the boarders were out to see the commotion。 They dragged
him into the front room and when he was there he backed off
into a corner； holding his fists very tight and with his squinted
eyes looking from one person to the other Like he was ready
to fight the whole crowd。
He hadn't said one word since they came into the house152
until he began to scream： 〃Mick done it！ I didn't do it Mick
done it！'
There were never any kind of yells like the ones Bub…ber
made。 The veins in his neck stood out and his fists were hard
as little rocks。
'You can't get me！ Nobody can get me！' he kept yelling。
Mick shook him by the shoulder。 She told him the things she
had said were stories。 He finally knew what she was saying
but he wouldn't