They struggled madly to climb
over their parents, and failing this--under them. But the
opening that served as a door to the shanty being small, and
being as it was completely stoppered by their father and mother
who were in no mood to yield an inch, they distributed themselves
in quest of convenient holes in the bark edifice through which to
peer at the pore gentleman. And since the number of youthful
Cavendishes exceeded the number of such holes, the sound of
lamentation and recrimination presently filled the morning air.
"I kin see the soles of his feet!" shrieked Keppel with
passionate intensity, his small bleached eye glued to a crack.
He was instantly ravished of the sight by Henry.
"You mean hateful thing!--just because you're bigger than Kep!"
and Constance fell on the spoiler. As her mother's right-hand
man she had cuffed and slapped her way to a place of power among
the little brothers.
Mr. Cavendish appeared to allay hostilities.
"I 'low I'll skin you if you don't keep still! Dress!--the whole
kit and b'ilin' of you!" he roared, and his manner was quite as
ferocious as his words.
But the six little Cavendishes were impressed by neither. They
instantly fastened on him like so many leeches. What was the
pore gentleman saying?--why couldn't they hear, too? Then they'd
keep still, sure they would! Did he say he knowed who throwed
him in the river?
"I wonder, Connie, you ain't able to do more with these here
children.
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