Saturday."

"Yep, Pappy Lon."

"And yer brother be fifteen on the same day, you bein' twins."

"Yep, Pappy Lon."

"Yer brother's been taken into my trade," proceeded the squatter, "and
it ain't the wust in the world--that of takin' what ye want from them
that have plenty. It's time for ye to be doin' somethin', too. Ye'll go
to Lem's Scow, Flea."

"To Lem's scow?" exclaimed Flea. "That ain't no place for a kid, and
nobody ain't a wantin' me, nuther! I know there ain't!"

"Ain't there nobody a wantin' her in yer scow, Lem Crabbe?" grinned Lon.

"Ye bet there be!" answered Lem, with an evil leer.

Flukey, who had approached the group, placed himself closer to his
sister. "Who--who be wantin' Flea, Lem Crabbe?" he demanded.

"It's me, it's me!" replied Lem, wheeling savagely about.

[Illustration: "LET ME--STAY A BIT--I'LL GO UP FOR TWICE MY TIME."]

For a short space of time nothing but the splash of the waves could be
heard as they rolled white on the shore. A change passed over Flea, and
she clutched fiercely at her brother's fingers. It was as if she had