Nat looked at the ground.  "I've lived as a boy since after leaving the city when the folks were killed.  I was too old to be adopted by good families and I heard about how some girls get taken for couples to be not as a family situation," she glanced at Jimmy not wanting to say what she had heard by the prostitutes near the younger boy.  She looked to Mr. Appleton.  "I learned to behave by watching the boys that lived on the streets.  Then I worked and got stronger as I got older.  I am very strong and I work hard."  She assured him.  "That I didn't lie about."

"I didn't lie about finishing school either.  I do have my certificate but it had my full name on it so I couldn't show it without my secret coming out."  She explained.