“You haven’t asked me my name, have you?”
Helpful little flirt! Long before Joshua would have asked it had he dared.
“I will now,” he said. “What is it?”
“It’s Madge.”
“Madge what?”
“You didn’t tell me your last name. You tell first.”
“Cole, then.”
“And mine’s Mundy. And you’ll think my father has a funny nickname. The hobos call a nickname a monaker. Pa’s is Bloodmop.”
“That’s a corker!” Joshua enthused. “Why they call ’im that?”
“Well, he’s got a very heavy head of fiery-red hair. The stiffs say it looks like a mop that’s been used to clean up blood after a murder. They’re awfully funny, some of them. My hair’s a little red, too. Ma’s is black, and they say that’s how comes mine to be like it is, with Pa’s so red and Ma’s so black. Your hair’s black, isn’t it? And your eyes are almost blue. That’s kinda funny, don’t you think?”