"Gi' them up to me, father! You shan't have them--you shan't touch them--there! What do you mean? You take 'em away to work at I knows not what?--and they no more nor seven years old! Let 'em be--they're my lads, and you shan't harm a hair of their heads." The boys clung to her, with white faces. The man, savage and amazed at this unexpected resistance, stood wavering for an instant. At that moment it seemed to Bet as if a thousand furies possessed her, and a thousand strengths were given to her. All the accumulated anguish of the past week seemed to gather vehemence now, and to lend iron force to her muscular arms. She wrenched the little captain quite away from the red-faced, bloated man; and then, both arms freed for a moment, she actually pushed him before her to the door, and, before he could utter a word, or collect his scattered forces, she locked him out. "There! lads," she said, turning round with a triumphant half laugh, "you see as Bet's as good as her word." "You're a born fighter," said the captain, in a tone of admiration. He recovered his spirits and his courage on the spot, and in a few moments he and the general were amusing themselves in acting the scene which Bet had just gone through. "Boys," said their sister's voice, after ten minutes had passed, and no attack been made on the door, she concluded that Granger had for the present withdrawn himself--"Boys, I'm a wanting to go out." "Oh, no, Bet, no--father'll come back." "But the door's werry strong. I'll lock it from the outside, and make off with the key. I won't be long, boys; I'm a hungered to see somebody--my heart draws me, and I'm in pain. You won't be in any danger, dear lads, and I'll be back werry soon. I jest want to set eyes on one face that I'll never see no more. You won't be afeard, ef there's a locked door between you and father." The rare tears which scarcely ever came to her stood in Bet's eyes. "No, we won't be afeard," said the captain, running up to his sister--"there ain't nought to be afeard of. You're wanting to see your sweetheart--ain't yer, Bet?" "No," said Bet, with an almost-cry--"I han't got a sweetheart now. All the same, I hungers for the sight of a face. And I'll be back soon. Don't you be fretting, lads. There'll be a locked door atween you and harm." She wrapped her shawl about her, waited for no further words, locked the door on the little prisoners, and rushed downstairs. As she said, her heart was drawing her. Nothing but that passionate hunger would have caused her to forsake the children at this supreme moment. The house was intensely quiet, for most of the lodgers had gone out on their day's avocations. Not a sign of Granger was to be seen.