“Yes, he knows you are our friend,” attested Nicky manfully.
“What did you say his name was? Isn’t he perfectly stunning?” Cara coupled her questions without waiting for an answer.
“His name is Benato Sartello, but I call him Ben,” said Nicky. “He was awful sick at first and used to hide away. ’Fraid they would come and take him away like they did——”
“I know,” Barbara stopped him. She could never let the boy refer directly to his father in jail.
“Yes,” chimed in Cara, “they do send folks back to other countries if they are not well when they come here. Dad had a wonderful chemist and he was deported.”
“But Ben is like well now,” declared Nicky quickly.
“He no more sick ever,” added the grandmother clasping her hands prayfully. They seemed very positive that Benato was now cured.
“This camping is very healthy for you all,” said Babs to Nicky’s mother. She felt ill at ease among them now, as if she had penetrated their sanctuary without invitation, and so she couldn’t talk naturally.
“Yes,” said the mother, “the wood is good always, clean and—” she looked about her gratefully—“we could be happy here if——”
“Didn’t Nicky tell you about Washington? The government, you know?” Babs asked eagerly then.