There was an embarrassing pause while the tribe of McGee glanced inquiringly from one to the other. At last Antonio timidly ventured the explanation, "She said Ma's tubs got iron rust all over her clo'es."
"Ain't that reason enough for Mrs. Wood to quit?" demanded Peace, cocking her head judiciously.
"Ma was awful careful," the girl called Feely defended.
"But her tubs are awful old," half whispered a smaller girl, who up to this moment had stood silently sucking her thumb.
"Shut up, Vinie, she ain't talking to you," commanded Tobias, raising a threatening hand.
Vinie stuffed her thumb hastily into her mouth again and shrank back against the fence, the picture of fear; but Peace forestalled the blow by crying, "Let her be, Tobias McGee. She can talk if she wants to."
The boy flushed angrily and muttered, "She's always butting in. She's a reg'lar tattle-tale."
"Well, you're a reg'lar coward," Peace sputtered. "She's lots littler than you."
"I wouldn't have hit her."
"You would, too," Vinie removed her thumb long enough to say.