He had been laughed at by the owner of the voice that had mocked him, and the boys would never stop laughing.
Quickly he mounted the steps, and roughly he dragged little Floretta from her hiding place, half carrying her down the stairway, because it was too narrow for two to descend.
"So you thought it was funny, just funny to mock us, did you?" he asked, when they reached the floor.
Floretta was not laughing now.
She was sullen, and at the same time frightened.
What would they do to her?
They crowded around her, frowning and making all sorts of wild suggestions as to what should be done with her.
"Keep her mocking till she's got enough of it!" cried one.
"Put her back in the loft, and leave her there! She seemed to like there," said another.
The big boy, whose hand was still on her shoulder, was more angry than either of the others.