The Runaway

It had now rained steadily for a week, and the mud and drip everywhere made all outdoors unpleasant. But in the Hill home the indoors was even more disagreeable. The new home was near the engines. Mr. Hill was in the house much of the time, and he was never pleasant among his children. Austin could not work in the woods because of the rain, and his presence irritated his father all the time. They were never in the house together but what something unpleasant was said between them, and Austin’s spirit was becoming worn with the constant rasping. He thought he could not endure it much longer, and since his presence made the home so filled with contention he doubted whether he was doing right to stay.

“Austin, how much longer are you going to lie around this house? You have not done a day’s work in weeks. I can’t stand your idleness much longer. Why can you not be like your brothers?” growled Mr. Hill one morning a day or two after Thanksgiving.

Austin said nothing, for he had exhausted all his arguments; but at that instant a determination formed itself in his mind to put a stop to the whole affair. When his father had gone to the engine-room he went to the attic and brought down his best suit of clothes and, coming into the kitchen, prepared to brush and press them. When he put the irons on the stove, Amy noticed what he was about to do.

“You can’t press those clothes this morning, for I am going to use the irons,” she said in a fretful voice.

“I shall have to use them, Amy, but it will not take long.”

“You can’t have them, so there! You always want to do just your way, no matter what we want to do.”

“Did you hear what Father said this morning?” asked Austin.

“He didn’t say any more than he is always saying,” she said a little less fretfully.

“He will not have to say anything of the kind again, for I am going to find work and not coming back till I have it,” said Austin.

“Austin, you can’t go away. What shall we children do!” exclaimed Amy, all her vexation leaving at the thought.

“I do not know; but it cannot be much worse than having Father so angry all the time. I will get work on the river if I can, and will see you all as often as possible,” answered Austin soothingly.

Amy said no more about the irons, but turned to her dishwashing with tearful eyes, her heart almost standing still at the thought of home without Austin. The other children who had heard the conversation stood about with consternation written on their little faces. Harry, who was a child to act when he thought he might help, hurried out to the engine-room and told his father what had occurred. Henry Hill had been vexed because Austin’s wages were longer coming in; but he had no thought of sending the boy away. He knew too well that Austin’s presence was needed in the home. Yet the seed of animosity that had been sown in his heart against Austin during the past summer was now bearing fruit, and he took a sort of pleasure in annoying the boy. He saw that Austin was sensitive about being dependent and he enjoyed seeing him wince. At Harry’s alarm he only grunted a word of disapproval and went on with his work. He believed Austin was only trying to bluff him. He did not think the boy could be driven away from the children.

An hour later Harry was back again at his father’s side, his face bathed in tears and his breast heaving with sobs. “Papa, Austin is going. He has his suitcase all packed and is ready to start.”

Henry Hill jumped to his feet, his face red with anger. Could it be possible that Austin had such an idea in his head? If so, he would soon frighten it out of him. This looked too much like defiance in the boy!

“I will show him how to run away, the rascal. Harry, go to the barn and bring the buggy whip,” and saying this the father rushed across the little opening between the two buildings and stamped into the kitchen. Austin was on his knees fastening his suitcase, which was all packed and ready for his start. He had not meant to bid his father goodbye, nor to tell him any of his plans. He was too angry and his heart too defiant to want even to look at him again. When his father came in, Austin rose from his knees and faced him.

“What is up here, young man? I will let you know right here that there is going to be no running away from this ranch! You get that grip where it belongs, in a hurry,” thundered the irate father.

“I am going away to find work. I shall take care of myself from this time on,” said the boy resolutely facing the angry man.

“Take care of yourself,” sneered his father, “you could not exist a month on your own resources. You take those clothes out of that grip and stop this nonsense!”

“I am going away, and you need not try to hinder me,” said Austin in firm, even tones.

A fearful oath escaped the father’s lips and he grabbed the whip which the sobbing Harry had brought; for as much as Harry loved Austin he dare not disobey his father’s command. Turning again to Austin, the man thundered, “I’ll thrash you within an inch of your life. Don’t you dare to tell me you are going away when I forbid it. For once you will obey me.”

Just then the engine gave a warning sound, which meant that without immediate attention it would stop running, so the enraged man turned about without another word and went out, leaving the frightened children looking after him. But the pause was only for a moment. Austin seized his opportunity and, picking up the suitcase and bidding the children a hasty farewell, he bolted out of the door and across the lot to freedom. He had been running as hard as he could go when still he heard the wails of the children and heard them calling to him. He took a course across the unbroken lands where there was not so much as a footpath. While cutting timber he had become familiar with the lay of the land and took this rough way on purpose that his father might have difficulty in following him. He ran for almost a mile before he slackened his pace, and at every step he seemed to feel his father right behind him. He knew that now his father would be so angry as to have no sense at all, but would beat him nearly to death.

When he stopped to take a breath, at the edge of the river bottom, he found that he was wet to the skin and that he had stepped into low places where the water had come up over his shoe tops. And he remembered, too, that he had not a penny in his pockets, nor a bite to eat. A more forlorn boy could not be found than Austin as he stood there and looked across to the farmhouses along the river. But he smiled wryly to himself as he thought, “I am one fellow who actually ran away from home. It was no walk away.”

As he approached the river he found the lowlands much more wet and marshy than it had been in the hills, and he had to wade above his shoes a good deal of the time, and still the heavy drizzle kept up. He made for a farmhouse where he hoped to get work. As he came up he wished in his heart that the man would ask him no questions about his condition; for he saw that besides the wet and mud, he had torn his clothes in several places. But he was determined that if any questions were asked he would tell the truth, just as it was. He would not shield either his father or himself. His cause should stand upon its own foundation. He believed that almost anyone would approve of his leaving home under the circumstances.

He knocked at the farmhouse door, and the man of the house answered his rap and hospitably invited the boy in. It was a temptation; but Austin remembered his soppy condition and did not like to soil the housewife’s floors, so refused to enter.

“I am looking for work. Have you anything I can do?” he said.

“Are you not that Hill boy who wanted work a few weeks back?” asked the man kindly.

“Yes, and you thought you might have something for me later,” replied Austin hopefully.

“If you had come yesterday I should have hired you; I found a man over at town last night, and he will be here today to begin. I am sorry I did not know you were still wanting the place.”

With a heavy heart Austin turned from the door and journeyed on in the rain and mud. He had little hope of getting work at any of the other farms, and he did not know where to go. But he determined to do his best in seeking employment, and so stopped at every house he passed, asking the same question.

At last he reached the river at a place where a footbridge crossed it. To cross this bridge seemed to him to be cutting off the last retreat home. Here he must make his final decision. He stood with one foot on the bridge and one hand on the railing and pondered. Should he go on, or should he go back and face his father? He knew the taunts he would receive even if he were not beaten; but he would bear all that if it was his duty. Then there came to his mind the picture of his father that day he had come home after his drunken spree and found the boys trying to start the engine. At the thought his loathing of his father overcame him, and he turned and walked across the bridge. Never would he go back to live in the same house with that drunken fellow. If Henry Hill had realized the effect his life was having on his children even he would have considered.