Chapter VI. The Aunts and Uncles Are Coming

sbloodwasthoroughlyup:hewentatBobwithalungeandthrewhimdown,butBobseizedholdandkeptitlikeacat,andpulledTomdownafterhim.Theystruggledfiercelyonthegroundforamomentortwo,tillTom,pinningBobdownbytheshoulders,thoughthehadthemastery. “You,sayyou’llgivemethehalfpennynow,”hesaid,withdifficulty,whileheexertedhimselftokeepthecommandofBob’sarms. ButatthismomentYap,whohadbeenrunningonbefore,returnedbarkingtothesceneofaction,andsawafavourableopportunityforbitingBob’sbarelegnotonlywithinpunitybutwithhonour.ThepainfromYap’steeth,insteadofsurprisingBobintoarelaxationofhishold,gaveitafiercertenacity,andwithanewexertionofhisforcehepushedTombackwardandgotuppermost.ButnowYap,whocouldgetnosufficientpurchasebefore,sethisteethinanewplace,sothatBob,harassedinthisway,letgohisholdofTom,and,almostthrottlingYap,flunghimintotheriver.BythistimeTomwasupagain,andbeforeBobhadquiterecoveredhisbalanceaftertheactofswingingYap,Tomfelluponhim,threwhimdown,andgothiskneesfirmlyonBob’schest. “Yougivemethehalfpennynow,”saidTom. “Takeit,”saidBob,sulkily. “No,Isha’n’ttakeityougiveitme.” Bobtookthehalfpennyoutofhispocket,andthrewitawayfromhimontheground. Tomloosedhishold,andleftBobtorise. “Therethehalfpennylies,”hesaid.“Idon’twantyourhalfpennyIwouldn’thavekeptit.ButyouwantedtocheatIhateacheat.Isha’n’tgoalongwithyouanymore,”headded,turningroundhomeward,notwithoutcastingaregrettowardtherat-catchingandotherpleasureswhichhemustrelinquishalongwithBob’ssociety. “Youmayletitalone,then,”Bobcalledoutafterhim.“IshallcheatifIlikethere’snofuni’playingelseandIknowwherethere’sagoldfinch’snest,butI’lltakecareyoudon’t.An’you’reanastyfightin’turkey-cock,youare——” Tomwalkedonwithoutlookingaround,andYapfollowedhisexample,thecoldbathhavingmoderatedhispassions. “Goalongwi’you,then,wi’yourdrowneddogIwouldn’townsuchadog—Iwouldn’t,”saidBob,gettinglouder,inalastefforttosustainhisdefiance.ButTomwasnottobeprovokedintoturninground,andBob’svoicebegantofalteralittleashesaid,— “An’I’ngi’enyoueverything,an’showedyoueverything,an’niverwantednothin’fromyou.An’there’syourhorn-handedknife,thenasyougi’enme.”HereBobflungtheknifeasfarashecouldafterTom’sretreatingfootsteps.Butitproducednoeffect,exceptthesenseinBob’smindthattherewasaterriblevoidinhislot,nowthatknifewasgone. HestoodstilltillTomhadpassedthroughthegateanddisappearedbehindthehedge.Theknifewoulddonogoodonthegroundthereitwouldn’tvexTomandprideorresentmentwasafeeblepassioninBob’smindcomparedwiththeloveofapocket-knife.Hisveryfingerssententreatingthrillsthathewouldgoandclutchthatfamiliarroughbuck’s-hornhandle,whichtheyhadsooftengraspedformereaffection,asitlayidleinhispocket.Andthereweretwoblades,andtheyhadjustbeensharpened!Whatislifewithoutapocket-knifetohimwhohasoncetastedahigherexistence?Notothrowthehandleafterthehatchetisacomprehensibleactofdesperation,buttothrowone’spocket-knifeafteranimplacablefriendisclearlyineverysenseahyperbole,orthrowingbeyondthemark.SoBobshuffledbacktothespotwherethebelovedknifelayinthedirt,andfeltquiteanewpleasureinclutchingitagainafterthetemporaryseparation,inopeningonebladeaftertheother,andfeelingtheiredgewithhiswell-hardenedthumb.PoorBob!hewasnotsensitiveonthepointofhonour,notachivalrouscharacter.ThatfinemoralaromawouldnothavebeenthoughtmuchofbythepublicopinionofKennelYard,whichwastheveryfocusorheartofBob’sworld,evenifitcouldhavemadeitselfperceptiblethereyet,forallthat,hewasnotutterlyasneakandathiefasourfriendTomhadhastilydecided. ButTom,youperceive,wasratheraRhadamanthinepersonage,havingmorethantheusualshareofboy’sjusticeinhim,—thejusticethatdesirestohurtculpritsasmuchastheydeservetobehurt,andistroubledwithnodoubtsconcerningtheexactamountoftheirdeserts.Maggiesawacloudonhisbrowwhenhecamehome,whichcheckedherjoyathiscomingsomuchsoonerthanshehadexpected,andshedaredhardlyspeaktohimashestoodsilentlythrowingthesmallgravel-stonesintothemill-dam.Itisnotpleasanttogiveuparat-catchingwhenyouhavesetyourmindonit.ButifTomhadtoldhisstrongestfeelingatthatmoment,hewouldhavesaid,“I’ddojustthesameagain.”ThatwashisusualmodeofviewinghispastactionswhereasMaggiewasalwayswishingshehaddonesomethingdifferent.