Thus cornered, the woman was obliged to go on settling with the pickers.
“Well,” she said, “I’ll give you credit, Andy, until I get a chance to look it up. Here, Narrow (to a very tall boy), gi’me yourn.”
“Nope!” replied the tall boy. “We waits fer Andy.”
“Well, I’m blowed!” exclaimed the woman. “If you kids ain’t got a cheek! I’ve a good mind to chase every one of yer.”
Andy stepped back to where she had deposited the box.
“Here!” she called, entirely forgetting the presence of the motor girls. “Git out of here!” and at that she struck the little fellow a blow on the head that caused him to reel, and then fall backward into an open crate of fresh berries!
“Now you’ve done it!” yelled the woman. “You have mashed every one of them! There!” and she dragged him to his little, bruised feet. “Do you think I can sell stuff like that! Mush! Every red berry of ’em!”
“Oh, make her stop!” pleaded Bess to Cora. “She may strike him again.”
“What will you do with that crate of berries?” asked Cora, pushing her way between the angry woman and the frightened boy.
“Make him pay fer ’em, of course,” shouted the tyrant. “And serves him right, too, for his imperdence!”