“Girls are tattle tales. I suppose you’ll run to my father and tell him you saw me here.”
“You shouldn’t have run away,” Connie replied severely. “Your father has been trying to find you. You must go back home.”
Jamie thrust his feet apart, glaring at the two girls.
“Not on your life!” he announced. “I’ll never go back—not even if I starve.”
“Does your father make you work too hard?” asked Vevi. “Is that why you don’t want to go home?”
“No,” Jamie answered sullenly. “That’s not the reason.”
“Is he mean to you?”
“No-o,” Jamie replied, dragging out the word. “He treats me all right most of the time.”
“Then what is wrong?”
“I can’t tell you,” the boy muttered. “Don’t ask me. Go away and leave me alone.”