Little Lion by Ann Hood Read Free Book Online Page A

colonies?” he said.
    â€œI . . . I guess so,” Felix said thoughtfully, realizing that, of course, if the Declaration of Independence hadn’t been signed yet, the United States didn’t exist. “Yes. The colonies.”
    â€œYou must tell me everything about them,” Alexander said, slapping Felix on the back. “Of course, New York is the one that truly interests me. My friend Neddy is there at King’s College.”
    â€œThere’s no such college,” Maisie blurted, finally able to find her voice.
    Alexander laughed. “Don’t tell Neddy that. He’s been studying there for two years.”
    â€œWe’re
from
New York,” Maisie said. “King’s College—”
    Alexander pointed a finger at her. “I thought you were from Rhode Island,” he said.
    â€œWe are now,” Maisie said. “We moved there from New York.”
    â€œThen you know it’s between Barclay and Murray Street. Neddy says it sits on a bluff overlooking the Hudson.” Alexander sighed. “What I would give to get there myself.”
    â€œMe too!” Maisie said, drawn even more to this young man.
    â€œAh!” he said, nodding. “So you are trying to get back there?”
    â€œMore than anything,” Maisie said. “Our mother wants to be in Rhode Island,” she muttered.
    Sadness crossed Alexander’s face. But then he took a breath and forced a smile at them.
    â€œI’ll buy you some of Saint Croix’s best fish if you’ll tell me all about New York. And Rhode Island, too,” he said.
    â€œThat would be great,” Felix said, his stomach grumbling. “We haven’t eaten in a while.”
    Alexander threw his arm around Felix’s shoulder. “Come then,” he said. “Right across King’s Street on the wharf we can get the freshest fish in Christiansted.”
    They stepped back outside into the sunlight.
    â€œChristiansted is the capital?” Felix asked. He kind of wished Alexander would take his arm off his shoulder, but the boy kept Felix firmly in his grasp.
    â€œThe capital of all nineteen miles of this island,” Alexander said. He motioned to the hills that rose above the town. “There are three hundred and eighty-one plantations up there, covering about thirty thousand acres.”
    â€œWhat do they grow?” Felix asked.
    â€œSugar, mostly. But cotton, too. And coffee,” Alexander said.
    The street was now even more crowded, but Alexander seemed to know everyone. Passing men tipped their hats to him or wished him a good day.
    â€œYou’re pretty popular,” Maisie said as they pushed through the crowd.
    â€œYes,” Alexander said proudly. “I know just about everyone on the island. And I know about everything, too. I ran the entire business for Mr. Cruger when he got sick last year,” Alexander continued boasting. “For six months! I had to negotiate prices for cargo shipments to and from New York, collect the monies. Everything involved with imports and exports. When he came back from New York in March, he told me that without me he couldn’t have kept things going.” Alexander straightened his back. “And all this at only seventeen years old. Impressive, eh?”
    â€œIt looked like you were just a bookkeeper or something,” Maisie said.
    Alexander’s violet eyes flared angrily. “I’m back to my old job as a clerk,” he said. “But not for long. Just watch me.”
    By this time they had reached the wharf again, and the smell of fish and sweat was even stronger in the afternoon sun and heat.
    â€œWhich ship did you arrive on?” Alexander asked them.
    Maisie and Felix exchanged a glance.
    â€œIt’s gone already,” Maisie said.
    Alexander looked out at the ships crowding the harbor.
    â€œHow odd to arrive and depart so quickly,” he said. “It was a bark?”
    When