"But you can't go back to your stepfather!" said Pip. "He's awful to you."
" 'Course I can't," said Luke. "Don't want to be half killed, do I? Thing is — what am I going to do? I came here tonight because I thought you might be able to give me something to eat. I've had nothing since twelve o'clock and I'm fair starved."
"Oh, poor Luke!" said Bets. "I'll go and get you something at once. There's a steak-pie in the larder and a plum-tart. I saw them both."
"Here, Bets, don't be an idiot," said Pip, pulling her back. "What do you suppose Mother will say in the morning if she finds both pie and tart gone? You can't tell a lie and say you don't know anything about it. Then, if you have to own up, people will ask you whom you gave the stuff to and they'll guess it's Luke."
"Well, what shall we give him then?" asked Bets.
"Bread and butter," said Pip. "That won't be missed. And we could take a small bun or two out of the tin. And there's lots of plums and greengages."
"That'll do fine," said Luke gratefully. Bets sped off at once to the kitchen. Soon she had collected the food and was back with Luke and Pip. Luke began to munch hungrily.
"I'm feeling better now," he said. "Nothing like hunger to make you feel miserable, I always say."
"Where are you going to sleep tonight?" asked Pip.
"Don't know," said Luke. "Under a hedge somewhere. Reckon I'd better go tramping."