boy joined them. Soon, they were laughing and
giggling.
46 As The Young Speaker returned to his table, he found the principal
standing by it. "The dining hall monitor should
have handled that," announced the Principal. "I TOLD you, not to
interfere."
47 "The dining hall monitor didn't see it happen," answered The Young
Speaker, "and, they would have claimed it was an accident. They're good
at creating accidents."
48 The Principal nodded. "This time," he agreed, "I'll let it pass, but
be careful!"
49 "I always am!" The Young Speaker told him.
50 As they left the cafeteria, Thundering Hawk came up. "Can we talk?"
he asked.
51 "Anytime you want!" agreed The Young Speaker. "But to save you a lot of questions, just because someone you love
falls off a breakwater and drowns, doesn't mean that The Lords don't
exist. We do not always understand the loss of a loved one, but when
their time comes there is little we can do. If your mother had been
alive, she would have understood. Your father spoke from his
sorrow, and his words had little reason."
52 Thundering Hawk shook his head and backed off. "You're too much!" he
stammered. "You're just too much! You're damned scary!" He ran off into
the yard to join his friends. Someone cleared their throat behind him
and The Young Speaker turned around.
53 The girl who had been knocked down, was standing behind him. "I just
wanted to say thank you," she blushed. "You know, I've always been
scared of The Hawks, but those two are pretty nice when you realize
that the toughness is just a big show!"
54 "They only want attention," agreed The Young Speaker, "if they learn
the toughness isn't necessary to get it, they won't have to use it any