Johnnie fell back. And into his own face, twisted and wet with grief, there came an expression of a terrible wonder--the wonder that Big Tom, or any one, could be so cruel, so heartless, so contemptible. And there flashed into his mind something he had once heard Father Pat say: "There's not so many grown-up people in the world; there's plenty of grown-up bodies, but the minds at the top o' them, they're children's minds!" And, oh, how true it was! For Barber was like that--had a mind younger than Johnnie's own--the boy knew it then. Further, it was as mean and cruel and little as the minds of those urchins who shouted "old clothes," and "girl's hair." Yes, Barber had a man's body, but the brain of an ignorant, wicked boy! "Look at my face all y' want t'!" he was saying now. "But there's _one_ thing sure: after this we'll know who's boss 'round here!" "This is the only place you can boss!" retorted Cis, turning wild, defiant eyes upon him. "A crippled old man, and a couple of young folks! But you bet you mind Furman!" "_A-a-a-a-a-ah!_" The cry was wrung from Johnnie. For with another loud laugh, Big Tom had dropped the scout hat upon the flames. "Coward!" charged the girl, again writhing in her ropes. "Low, mean coward!" It was beyond Johnnie's strength to watch what was happening. He threw up an arm to shut out the sight of Big Tom, and faced the other way. "Oh, don't!" he moaned weakly. "Oh, don't! Don't!" A strange, unpleasant odor was filling the room. He guessed that was the hat. Smoke came wafting his way next--a whole cloud of it--and drifted ceilingward. "Oh, Cis! Cis!" he moaned again. Some one was in the hall--Mrs. Kukor, for the steps rocked. "Chonnie?" she called now. "Chonnie! Talk sometink!" It was Big Tom who talked. "Oh, you go home, y' busybody!" he answered. "Mrs. Kukor! Mrs. Kukor! He's burning everything of Johnnie's!" shouted Cis. "Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!" burst out Barber, as if this had delighted him. Into the fire he thrust the khaki breeches and the coat, poking them down upon the coals with a hand which was too horny to be scorched by the fire. "The medal!" mourned the girl. "Oh, I hope they'll punish you for that! And there's something you don't know, but it's the truth, and it'll mean a lot that _you_ won't like!" "Ye-e-e-eah?" Barber was waiting for the breeches and coat to burn. "Yes! Johnnie's rich! He's got money! Lots of it! You'll see! You won't have so much to say to-morrow!" Big Tom laughed. "T'morrow," he said good-humoredly, "I'm goin' t' have y'r brain examined." The room was half full of smoke now; he fell to coughing, and went over to pull down the upper half of the window. When he came back he thrust the leggings into the stove.