now if you want to swat the bee.'
Because Judith was so determined to impress her new friend, she didn't think about the consequences any longer. She reached out to slap the bee, but as soon as she felt the flutter of its wings against the palm of her hand, it tickled her so, she instinctively closed her fingers.
Then she started wailing. Frances Catherine bounded off the rock to help the only way she knew how. She started wailing, too.
Judith ran around and around the rock, screaming so vigorously she could barely catch her breath. Her friend chased after her, screaming just as fiercely, though in sympathy and fear rather than in pain.
Frances Catherine's papa came running across the field. He caught hold of his daughter first, and when she'd stammered out her problem, he chased down Judith.
In a matter of minutes the two little girls had been properly soothed. The stinger had been removed from the palm of Judith's hand and cool wet mud applied. Her friend's papa gently mopped away her tears with the edge of his woolen plaid. He sat on the punishment rock now, with his daughter cuddled up on one side of his lap and Judith cuddled up on the other.
She'd never had anyone make such a fuss over her before. Judith turned quite shy because of all the attention she was getting. She didn't turn away from the comfort, though, and in fact edged a little closer to get even more.
'You two are a sorry pair,' the papa announced when they'd quit their hiccuping and could hear him. 'Screaming louder than the trumpets sounding the caber toss, you were, and running in circles like hens with your heads cut off.'
Judith didn't know if the papa was angry or not. His voice had been gruff, but he wasn't frowning. Frances Catherine giggled. Judith decided her friend's papa must have been jesting after all.
'It was paining her considerably, Papa,' Frances Catherine announced.
'I'm certain it did pain her,' he agreed. He turned his gaze to Judith and caught her staring up at him. 'You're a brave little lass to help my daughter,' he praised. 'But if there be a next time, try not to catch the bee. All right?'
Judith solemnly nodded.
He patted her arm. 'You're a pretty little thing,' he remarked. 'What's your name, child?'
'Her name's Judith, Papa, and she's my friend. Can she have her supper with us?'
'Well now, that depends on her parents,' her father replied.
'Her papa's dead,' Frances Catherine announced. 'Isn't that pitiful, Papa?'
'It surely is,' he agreed. The corners of his eyes crinkled up, but he didn't smile. 'She's got the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen, though.'
'Don't I have the prettiest eyes you've ever seen, too, Papa?'
'Aye, you do, Frances Catherine. You've got the prettiest brown eyes I've ever seen. You surely do.'
Frances Catherine was so pleased with her father's praise, she scrunched up her shoulders and giggled again.
'Her papa died before she was even borned,' Frances Catherine told him then. She'd only just remembered that information and was certain her papa would want to hear it.
He nodded, then said, 'Now daughter, I want you to keep real quiet while I talk to your friend.'
'Yes, Papa.'
He turned his attention back to Judith. He found it a little unnerving, the way she was intently staring up at him. She was such a serious little thing, too serious for someone of her young age.
'How old are you, Judith?'
She held up four fingers.
'Papa, do you see? She's just my age.'
'No, Frances Catherine, she isn't just your age. Judith's four in years and you're already five. Remember?'
'I remember, Papa.'
He smiled at his daughter, then once again tried to talk to Judith. 'You aren't afraid of me, are you?'
'She's not afraid of anything. She told me so.'
'Hush, daughter. I want to hear your friend speak a word or two. Judith, is your mama here?'
She shook her head. She started twisting a lock of her white-blond hair around and around her finger in a nervous gesture, yet kept her gaze fully directed on the papa. The man's face was covered with red whiskers, and when he spoke, the bristles wiggled. She wished she could touch the beard to find out what it felt like.
'Judith? Is your mama here?' the papa repeated.
'No, Mama stays with Uncle Tekel. They don't know I'm here. It's going to be a secret, and if I tell, I won't ever be able to come back to the festival. Aunt Millicent told me so.'
Once she started talking, she wanted to tell everything she knew. 'Uncle Tekel says he's just like my papa, but he's only mama's brother and I never sit on his lap. I wouldn't want to if I could, but I can't so it doesn't matter, does it?'
Frances Catherine's father was having difficulty following the explanation, but his daughter wasn't having any trouble at all. She was filled with curiosity, too. 'Why can't you if you wanted to?' she asked.
'He got his legs broke.'
Frances Catherine let out a gasp. 'Papa, isn't that pitiful?'
Her father let out a long sigh. The conversation was getting away from him. 'Aye, it surely is,' he agreed. 'Now, Judith, if your mother's at home, how did you get here?'
'With Mama's sister,' Judith answered. 'I used to live with Aunt Millicent and Uncle Herbert all the time, but Mama won't let me anymore.'
''Cause why?' Frances Catherine asked.
''Cause Mama heard me call Uncle Herbert 'Papa.' She was so fuming mad, she gave me a smack on the top of my head. Then Uncle Tekel told me I had to live with him and Mama for half the year long so I'd know who I belonged to, and my aunt Millicent and uncle Herbert would just have to do without me. That's what Tekel said. Mama didn't want me to go away even half the year, but Tekel hadn't started his after-supper drinking yet, so she knew he would remember what he told her. He always remembers when he isn't drunk. Mama was fuming mad again.'
'Was your mama fuming mad because she was going to miss you half the year?' Frances Catherine asked.
'No,' Judith whispered. 'Mama says I'm a bother.'
'Then why didn't she want you to go?'
'She doesn't like Uncle Herbert,' Judith answered. 'That's why she was being contrary.'
'Why doesn't she like him?' Frances Catherine wanted to know.
''Cause he's related to the damn Scots,' Judith answered, repeating what she'd heard time and time again. 'Mama says I shouldn't even want to talk to the damn Scots.'
'Papa, am I damn Scots?'
'You most certainly are not.'
'Am I?' Judith asked, her worry obvious in her voice.
'You're English, Judith,' her friend's papa patiently explained.
'Am I damn English?'
Her friend's papa was clearly exasperated. 'Nobody's damn anything,' he announced. He started to say more, then suddenly burst into laughter. His big belly jiggled with his amusement. 'I'd best remember not to say anything in front of you two little tarts I don't want repeated.'
''Cause why, Papa?'
'Never you mind,' he answered.
He stood up, holding his daughter in one arm and Judith in the other. Both little girls let out squeals of delight when he pretended he was going to drop them.
'We'd best find your aunt and uncle before they start in worrying, Judith. Point me the way to your tent, lass.'
Judith immediately became frightened inside. She couldn't remember where the tent was located. Since she
