Free In a Class of Their Own by Millie Gray Page A

Carrie. We’ve got to think of a wey o partin’ Granddad from his dough,” said Sam, scratching his head as he tried to figure out a way of doing just that.
    “That’s easy,” said Hannah. “We steal it.”
    Carrie yelped before breaking out of the circle. “Steal it! Look, Hannah, stealing money is different from us finding tatties in a field that need dug up and apples needing shaken out of a tree.”
    “You think so?”
    “I do, Hannah, I do! Because, as you know, stealing money is breaking God’s commandment, and Jesus isn’t too keen on it either.”
    “But it’s just like the food and coal that Sam and you found,” Hannah argued before becoming aware that Sam wasn’t listening. “Are you still part of this family, Sam?”
    “Aye.”
    “Right then. Now listen, both of you. I’m convinced that Jesus knows it’s a fiver we need and that’s exactly why he sent Granddad up here to visit us. Now d’you think you can get the money away from him, Carrie?”
    “Me?” shrieked her sister, looking aghast at the others.
    “Yes! Surely, if he’s to be robbed by anyone, it would be kinder if it was his favourite.” Hannah smirked. “That’s you, Carrie. Isn’t it?”
    “Don’t talk rubbish,” said Carrie. “But I will do it cos when I took Granddad through to the bathroom I looked in on Paul. Lying asleep like a wee angel, he was. Only thing is that Alice isn’t there beside him. But she soon will be when I take the money.”
    “Dinnae, Carrie,” interrupted Sam. “See, when you start on like this ye’re the only yin that can mak me want to greet. But ye’re richt. We hae to keep this roof ower oor heids for Paul and Alice’s sakes. There’s nae wey they could survive in a Hame. They’re just too wee.”

    Just before Gabby reeled back into the scullery, Carrie started to write out an IOU.
    “Surely you’re not going to put that in his pocket?” exclaimed Hannah.
    “No. I’m going to put it behind the gas meter.”
    “You’re what?”
    “Come on, Hannah, you know that’s where we keep the pawn tickets and when we have the money we go and take them out and get our stuff back. It’s just the same with this IOU. Yes, when I have the money to pay Granddad back, I will,” Carrie replied solemnly as she got up and hid the IOU behind the gas meter.
    “Ye’re no the full shillin’, Carrie, so ye’re no,” began Sam, but Hannah broke in before he could go on.
    “Ssssssh! Here he is.”
    Gabby duly appeared bearing a half-bottle of whisky in his hand. Unscrewing the top, he lifted the bottle unsteadily to his mouth and took a long hard swig before dragging his hand across his lips.
    “Drink up, Granddad,” Sam encouraged, pulling up a chair.
    “That I will, son,” and with that he took another long swig. “Here’s tae us an’ wha’s like us. Damn few and …” Gabby didn’t finish his recitation. Nor did he sit down on the chair. Instead he began gradually to sink to the floor. The bottle dropped from his hand and the pungent liquid seeped into the worn faded linoleum.
    “He’s asleep,” pronounced Hannah.
    “Deid drunk, ye mean,” said Sam, giving Gabby a kick with his foot.
    “Whatever. But it’s safe now. So go on, you two.”
    “And what’ll you be doing, Hannah?” asked Carrie.
    “I’m going to sit beside Paul, naturally. We don’t want him waking up in the middle of all this.” Hannah flounced out of the scullery, leaving Sam and Carrie to exchange glances.
    “Right,” said Sam at last. “Let’s get started.”
    “But, Sam, I’m scared. What if we get caught?”
    “Then they’ll just hing us.”
    “Hang us?”
    “Just joking, dopey! Ye dinnae get hung at twelve. They jist birch ye wi’ a cat o nine tails.”
    “What!” shouted Carrie, backing away.
    “But dinnae worry. It doesnae break yer neck; it only taks the skin aff your erse.”
    Carrie jumped again when Gabby let out a loud snore. “I suppose,” she remarked stoically, “that