said Daisy. "He's a-fixing to powder his face white and then hang himself, I'll bet."
"Spell 'suicide,' boy," said Martin.
"S-U-I-C-I-D-E," said Arthur Stuart.
"No credit," said Vanderwoort.
Mock laid down some coins on the counter. Vanderwoort looked at it a minute. "Six feet of rope."
Mock just stood there.
Vanderwoort just stood there.
Alvin knew it was more than enough money for what Mock wanted to buy. He couldn't hardly believe Vanderwoort was raising his price for a man about as poor but hard-working as any in town. In fact, Alvin began to understand a little about why Mock stayed so poor. Now, Alvin know there wasn't much he could do about it - but he could at least do what Horace Guester had once done for him with his master Makepeace - make Vanderwoort put things out in the open and stop pretending he wasn't being as unfair as he was being. So Alvin laid down the paper Vanderwoort had just written but for him. "I'm sorry to bear there's no credit," Alvin said. "I'll go fetch the money from Goody Guester."
Vanderwoort looked at Alvin. Now he could either make Alvin go fetch the money or say right out that there was credit for the Guesters, just not for Mock Berry.
Of course he chose another course. Without a word he went into the back and weighed out the flour. Then he measured out twelve feet of half-inch rope. Vanderwoort was known for giving honest measure. But then, he was also known for giving a fair price, which is why it took Alvin aback to see him do otherwise with Mock Berry.
Mock took his rope and his flour and started out.
"You got change," said Vanderwoort.
Mock turned around, looking surprised though he tried not to. He came back and watched as Vanderwoort counted out a dime and three pennies onto the counter. Then, hesitating a moment, Mock scooped them off the counter and dropped them into his pocket. "Thank you sir," he said. Then he went back out into the cold.
Vanderwoort turned to Alvin, looking angry or maybe just resentful. "I can't give credit to everybody."
Now, Alvin could've said something about at least he could give the same price to Blacks as Whites, but he didn't want to make an enemy out of Mr. Vanderwoort, who was after all a mostly good man. So Alvin grinned real friendly and said, "Oh, I know you can't. Them Berrys, they're almost as poor as me."
Vanderwoort relaxed, which meant it was Alvin's good opinion he wanted more than to get even for Alvin embarrassing him. "You got to understand, Alvin, it ain't good for trade if they come in here all the time. Nobody minds that mixup boy of yours - they're cute when they're little - but it makes folks stay away if they think they might run into one of them here."
"I always knowed Mock Berry to keep his word," said Alvin. "And nobody ever said he stole or slacked or any such thing."
"No, nobody ever told such a tale on him."
"I'm glad to know you count us both among your customers," said Alvin.
"Well, lookit here, Daisy," said Martin. "I think Prentice Alvin's gone and turned preacher on us. Spell 'reverend,' boy."
"R-E-V-E-R-E-N-D."
Vanderwoort saw things maybe turning ugly, so of course he tried to change the subject. "Like I said, Alvin, that mixup boy's bound to be the best speller in the county, don't you think? What I want, to know is, why don't he go on and get into the county spelling bee next week? I think he'd bring Hatrack River the championship. He might even got the state championship, if you want my opinion."
"Spell 'championship,'" said Daisy.
"Miss Larner never said me that word," said Arthur Stuart.
"Well figure it out," said Alvin.
"C-H-A-M-P," said Arthur. "E-U-N-S-H-I-P."
"Sounds right to me," said Daisy.
"Shows what you know," said Martin.
"Can you do better?" asked Vanderwoort.
"I'm not going to be in the county spelling bee," said Martin.
"What's a spelling bee?" asked Arthur Stuart.
"Time to go," said Alvin, for he knew full well that Arthur Stuart wasn't a regular admitted suident in the Hatrack River Grammar School, and so it was a sure thing he wouldn't be in no spelling bee. "Oh, Mr. Vanderwoort, I owe you for two crackers I ate."
"I don't charge my friends for a couple of crackers," said Vanderwoort.
"I'm proud to know you count me one of your friends," said Alvin. Alvin meant it, too - it took a good man to get caught out doing