"He has gone out," simply.
"Whereabouts? To earn money? He gave you some to-night. Where is it?"
"You cannot have it," resolutely. "Some of it has been spent for the children and the rest is put away."
"I want it. I am drenched and chill with cold. The plagued rebel upset me into the river. I must have liquor to take out the chill. Give me the money."
"No, I will not. I will make you some hot tea, which will be better for you. I have never refused to help you when you were yourself, but I will not let you turn yourself into a beast and make the children go hungry and naked."
"Give me the money, I say!" savagely, and then Dick heard a frightened scream from the other room.
"Quick, let me out, Tom!" he cried.
The boy was ahead of him, but Dick followed only an instant behind, sprang into the room he had left and seized the angry, half-drunken man as he was about to throw the woman to the floor.
"Stop that, you brute, or you will get into a worse place than the river!" he cried. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
He had thrown the man on the floor but he now got up and rushed at him, knife in hand. Dick had the knife which Tom had given him, and he met the other's attack resolutely. The two blades clashed together, and the man's knife fell to the floor, the boy picking it up.