"Shut up!" retorted Jenny derisively, jerking her sleeve free. "I'm not having you ordering me about!"
"Better leave her alone," Geika teased Nick, "or she'll clock you one."
"Who? Me?" Nick was stung to the quick. "What's she got?
Nothing but nails!
Me, I've got real muscles. Here, look at these biceps! Feel that? And calves too!"
"She'll clock you one anyway—muscles or no muscles.
Hey, fellows, watch out!
Timur's going up to Kvakin."
Idly swinging a branch which he had broken off one of the trees, Timur was making to cut across Kvakin's path.
Kvakin saw him and halted.
His vacant features registered neither surprise nor fear.
"Hiya, Commissar!" he said quietly, cocking his head on one side. "Where you off to in such a hurry?"
"Hiya, Chief!" Timur replied in the same tone. "I was off to meet you."
"Glad to see you. Pity I haven't anything for you.
Except this. .. ." He fumbled in his shirt and produced an apple.
"Stolen?" asked Timur, biting into it.
"That's right," Kvakin said. "Golden Sap.
Only trouble is, it's not really ripe yet."
"Sour as vinegar!" Timur made a face and tossed the apple away. "Look here: did you notice a sign like this on the fence of No. 34?" Timur pointed to the star embroidered on his blue shirt.
"Well, and what if I did?" Kvakin was on his guard. "Brother, I keep my eyes peeled day and night."
"Then take my advice, and when you see this sign anywhere, day or night, run like a scalded cat."
"Say, Commissar, you're a bit of a fire-eater!" drawled Kvakin. "That'll do—enough said."
"Say, Chief, you're a bit of a mule," answered Timur without raising his voice. "This is our last parley, so keep it in mind and pass it on to your gang."
Nobody watching this scene would have thought that those two were anything but the best of friends.
So it was not surprising that Olga, standing at the gate with her milk jug, should have asked the milkwoman whether she knew the boy who was talking to that ruffian Kvakin.
"No, I don't," said the milkwoman vehemently. "I suppose he's just another one of them hoodlums.
I've seen him hanging around your house lately.
Watch out they don't go knocking your little sister about, dearie."
Olga was disturbed.
She shot a hostile glance at the two boys, walked back to the porch, put away the jug of milk, locked the door and went out to look for Jenny, who had not set foot in the house for more than two hours now.
On his return to the loft Timur told the boys about his talk with Kvakin.
They decided to send the gang a written ultimatum the following day.
The boys climbed down noiselessly from the loft and ran back to their homes, some crawling through gaps in the fences, others clambering over them.
Timur turned to Jenny.
"Well?" he said. "Is everything clear now?"
"Absolutely," she replied. "Only not quite.
Make it simpler."
"All right, but first climb down and follow me.
Your sister isn't at home now."
When they reached the ground Timur gave the ladder a push and sent it toppling over.
It was growing dark now, but Jenny followed Timur with complete confidence.
They halted at the old milkwoman's house.
Timur glanced around.
There was no one in sight.
He drew a tube of oil paint out of his pocket and went up to the gate. The upper left-hand point of the red star drawn on it was indeed all wavy like a leech.
He straightened the line with a steady hand and tapered the point nicely.
"What are you doing that for?" Jenny asked. "Please, tell me what it's all about."
Timur put the tube back in his pocket, wiped his stained finger with a burdock leaf, and, looking Jenny straight in the face, said:
"That star means a man living in this house has gone to the Army.
And that from now on this house is under our care and protection.