He'd
gamble with hundreds, and then give back half of his winnings if he'd
broke the gent that run the bank. Them was the sort of things that Jack
Hollis would do. And I had my head full of him. Well, about the time that
he come to the neighborhood, I sneaked out of the house one night and
went off to a dance with a girl that I was sweet on. And when I come
back, I found Dad waiting up for me ready to skin me alive. He tried to
give me a clubbing. I kicked the stick out of his hands and swore that
I'd leave and never come back. Which I never done, living up to my word
proper.
"But when I found myself outside in the night, I says to myself: 'Where
shall I go now?'
"And then, being sort of sick at the world, and hating Dad particular, I
decided to go out and join Jack Hollis. I was going to go bad. Mostly to
cut up Dad, I reckon, and not because I wanted to particular.
"It wasn't hard to find Jack Hollis. Not for a kid my age that was sure
not to be no officer of the law. Besides, they didn't go out single and
hunt for Hollis. They went in gangs of a half a dozen at a time, or more
if they could get 'em.
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