"Being the oldest in a large family was in many ways a blessing." "In other ways, it could be a burden." "For one thing, it meant I gave up earlier some of the carefree and irresponsible joys of being young." "It wasn't until I was spending some extra time at home during a break between semesters that I realized I was not only being big brother to my own family, but to the world at large." "Hey, that's a good idea, Ben." "Well, it's better than throwing everything on the floor." "Yeah." "Don't you think maybe your supports ought to be a little bit wider?" "Oh, they're wide enough." "Well..." "You using these?" "Well, I'll tell you, what you need are your eightpenny nails, you see..." "You see what I mean?" "See right there?" "You need the eightpenny nails." "They're down in the barn." "I'll go get you some if you want." "No, they're big enough." "You know, if you're gonna build a shelf, you might as well build it right, Ben." "Well, John-Boy, when you make your own shelf, you can do everything your way, including the eightpenny nails." "Jim-Bob, what are you doing with that thing?" "You spent hours carving that bird." "I thought you were proud of it." "Eunice Margaret thinks it's dumb." "When I gave it to her, she laughed at me." "Oh, she did, did she?" "Well, this is none of my business, Jim-Bob, but if you want my advice, the thing that you..." "Just a second." " They're ready to go." " I'll get down there." "What's all the excitement about?" "Building some new docks down at Newport News." "They're gonna spend more than a half a million dollars, they claim." "I'm going down there to see if I can get the contract, or some of it." " Oh, they'll use a lot of lumber." " Well, good luck." "Now, wait a minute, Jim-Bob." "I was telling you, this is none of my business." "But if you wanna know what I would do," "I certainly would not smash up that bird of mine." " What would you do?" " I'd save it for the next girl." "Jim-Bob." "All right, now, how much you got?" " $33.37." " Great." "There." "I've turned the collar on your shirt and it's almost as good as new." "Your suit's pressed." "Son, when you get yourself in these pants she's pressed for you, watch out." "You could cut yourself on the crease." "How are these, Daddy?" "Well, now, Son, that's a real professional job." " Thank you." " And I helped you with your plusses." "Yes, you did, honey." "With all your help, I'm liable to make that bus tomorrow morning." " You need a new suit." " Oh, come on, Liv." "I'm not going down to Newport News to get in a contest for best-dressed man." "Come on, you, move over." "You're probably gonna be bidding against a lot of big lumber men from all over, aren't you?" "I guess I am, but I'm ready to wrestle all of them to the ground." " Oh, good." " Now, you mind yourself down there." "That's a port city, and it's just filled with temptations for a country man." "Take me with you, Son." "If anybody goes with him, it ought to be Livie." "Well, how about that, Livie?" "You wanna go?" "You really want me to?" "Yeah, I really want you to." "Well, then, we better start getting your things together." "It won't take me very long." "I've been mending and pressing, just in case." "That's a good idea, Mama." "Jim-Bob, you've been acting kind of strange." "What's the matter?" "Nothing, Daddy." "Duck." " I feel so wicked." " Well, relax and enjoy it." "Oh, don't you worry for one minute, Mama." "Morning." " Sheriff!" " Morning, Ep." "Well, you're all set for traveling, looks like." "Liv and me, we're going down to Newport News." "Well, it'll be nice this time of year." " Here she goes." " Here we go." " She's on time." " All right." " You have a good time, Daddy." "Good luck." " Now, listen." "If we're more than two or three days, I'll call you at Ike's." "All righty." "You have a good time." "Listen, I'm gonna be picking you up at 5:30 on Thursday afternoon unless you call." " Now, you keep an eye on the kids." " Don't worry." "Everything will be fine." " You have a good time, Mama." " Enjoy yourselves." "Have a good time." " Enjoy yourselves." " Bye." "Enjoy yourselves!" "Oh, they get so nervous when they leave the family." "I'm glad Mama got to go, though." "She dearly loves to travel." "Any two people deserve a little pleasure, it's your daddy and mama." " What is that?" " Oh, no." " It's that burglar alarm." " Burglar alarm?" "Yeah, Delilah Millhouse had it put in." "Every time a nervous flea jumps down off her old bulldog, it starts that fool thing jangling." "I know it don't signify a thing, but I gotta check it out." "Make sure it ain't John Dillinger or Pretty Boy Floyd." "If it's anything I could write up in the newspaper, you let me know?" " Okay." " Thanks a lot, Sheriff." "Well, hello, there." "You look like you could use a friend." "Listen, I hate to tell you this, but this is my car." "I gotta be moving on home now." "Are you all right?" "I promised my mother not to speak to strange men." "Oh, I see." "Well, I can understand that." "I probably ought to introduce myself." "My name's John Walton, Jr." "Everybody around here calls me John-Boy." " Bridget Maloney." " How do you do?" "Only nobody ever calls me Bridget." "They call me Muffin." " Muffin, huh?" "Where are you from, Muffin?" " Lancaster, Pennsylvania." "You are a long way from home, aren't you?" "Well, I expected Mama to be on that bus." "On that bus?" "What do you mean, you expected your mama to be on that bus?" " Well..." " It's all right." "You can tell me." "She and I are running away from Mr. Hapwell in Lancaster." "Who's Mr. Hapwell?" "Mama's husband." "Not my father." "My daddy's dead." "Sometimes he's so hard on Mama." "He even hurts her." "He's very strict with me." "How did you get separated from your mother?" "She put me on the bus yesterday, promised to meet me here." "We're going to Raleigh, North Carolina." "My Aunt Clewtie lives there." "Only I don't have a ticket to go on to Raleigh and no money to buy one." "Well, I think the best thing to do is to go over" " and talk to Sheriff about this." " No!" "Why not?" "Mr. Hapwell, he's gone to the law to fetch me and Mama back." "Only this time I won't go back." "I'd rather starve." "Well, nobody's gonna let you starve." "You certainly can't wait around here, sticking around sitting on people's running boards, can you?" "Well, I have to wait for Mama." "Well, there's no more bus here from the north till tomorrow." " I'll get along." " You'll get along, will you?" " Have you had anything to eat?" " I'm not hungry." " Have you got a place to sleep tonight?" " Well, there's no reason you should worry." " Nothing to you." " Wait a minute, wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "You've had nothing to eat." "You got no place to spend the night." "What do you expect me to do, just leave you around here?" "I'll tell you what." "I got a big family, and what about if I took you over to them tonight and we give you a nice, hot supper and a place to spend the night, and tomorrow I just bring you back here and you can meet your mama, all right?" "It's really the only sensible thing to do, you know." "You can trust me." "All right?" " So, you're 12 years old, huh?" " Do you have any brothers or sisters?" " Where do you live?" " Lancaster." " Do you go to school there?" " Live there long?" " Yeah." " Really?" "What grade are you in?" " Eighth." " How long have you been living there?" "Look, you children, will you stop leaning over like that, breathing into her face?" "Come on." "Come on, out." "Out." "Out." " Grandma, we just wanna talk to her." " Come on, out." " Grandma..." " I want her to eat in peace." "Come on." "Grandma." "Don't mind." "Jim-Bob, did you hear me?" "They're just trying to be friendly." " Is there enough jelly on your bread?" " Yes, ma'am, it's fine." "Well, if you want more milk, you just help yourself." "I'm worried about her, too, but will you quiet down?" "She came in the bus yesterday." "Where did she stay last night?" "She stayed in a barn on the edge of town." "Well, I can't think why her mother would send her off alone." "It's because she had to get away from her stepfather." "Why didn't they both get on the bus to Raleigh?" " What?" " I don't know." "There's something going on in her little old mind." "There's a look in that girl's eye..." " Oh, Grandpa!" " Zeb!" "I think she's a runaway." "Grandpa, she is not a runaway." "You should've taken her right over" " to the Sheriff's office." " I explained to you why I could not take her to the Sheriff's office." " He has heard lots of sad stories before." " Wait a minute." "All I know is this." "When I found the child, she was frightened and she was hungry and she needed somebody to take care of her." " And she needs a place to stay tonight." " Exactly." "All right!" "Simmer down, you Good Samaritans." "She can stay for the night." "Good." "Thank you very much." "But you get her to Rockfish in the morning, and if her mother isn't on the bus, you better hand her right over to the Sheriff." "I will." "I promise, I will." "Okay, let's go tell her of it." "Come on." "Grandpa, thanks." "Muffin?" "Hey, Muffin." " How you doing?" " Just fine." " What is that?" " What are you doing?" "Oh, good Lord." "Look what this child's done while we were out there a-hemming and hawing around." " I hope it was all right to keep busy." " Well, it certainly was." "A couple children I know could take a lesson." "Well, it's all settled." "You're gonna spend the night with us." "Not knowing anything about me, you'd let me stay?" "Well, you don't exactly look like the FBI's after you." "Anyway, we got you outnumbered." "Thank you, but are you sure?" "I wouldn't wanna stay if my being here would cause any kind of trouble between you all." "Everybody wants you to stay for the night." "What are you looking at?" "Get out of here." "Muffin?" "Muffin, what are you doing in here?" "Oh, I felt a little bit tired, so I thought I'd get ready for bed." "Well, you're not gonna sleep in here." "We got a cot fixed up for you in the girls' room." "Oh, I wouldn't wanna crowd them." "Besides, Chance likes company." "Well, I'm sure she does, but we'd much rather have you inside with us." " Are you sure?" " Of course I'm sure." " Come on, let me take your bag." " No, I'll take it." "No, it's all right." "Don't be silly." "I've got it." "John-Boy?" "Thank you." "You know, you don't have to keep saying that to me." "Well, thank you for worrying and taking care of me." "All the time I was growing up by myself, I always wanted to have a big brother." "Now, for a little while, I do." "Good night, Jim-Bob." "Good night, Elizabeth." " Liv, will you stop it?" " I can't sleep." "Well, neither can I." " Don't those city folk ever go to bed?" " I guess not." "What are they doing out there?" "Restaurants are open, and movie houses, dance halls." "Wanna go dancing?" "Get dressed and go dancing in the middle of the night?" "Why not?" " Can we afford it?" " How much can it cost?" " Let's do it." "Let's go dancing." " Okay." " Will I look all right in this dress?" " Well, you looked all right out of it, honey." "John!" "Isn't this just the craziest thing?" "That music's coming from the Silver Slipper Dance Palace." "What would Grandma say if she could see us now?" ""Good Lord!"" "You know, Liv, we don't have to leave the room." "Oh, yes, we do." "You promised me you were gonna take me dancing in the middle of the night, and that's exactly what we're gonna do." "All right." "I don't know what the ladies at the Baptist Church are gonna say about this." " John, you wouldn't." " Oh, yes, I would." " Oh, yes, I would." " No!" " Yes, I would." " John!" "You..." " On your way?" " Thank you for everything." "I'm gonna miss having somebody that collects the eggs and milks the cow without being asked to." "Yeah, well, have yourself a rare old time in Greensboro, young lady." "It's Raleigh I hope to get to, Mr. Walton." "Raleigh, huh?" "Well, worst comes to worst, you can always go back to Dorchester." "I don't ever wanna go back to Lancaster." "Come on, Muffin, it's time to go." " Goodbye, dear." " Goodbye." "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, just doubting that innocent child." "Esther, if you look deep into those baby blue eyes, you'll see someone older than time." "Everybody else thinks that she's an angel." "But you, no, no, you have to be contrary." "Well, I've got nothing against angels in their place." "But Miss Muffin Maloney is just too good to be true." "Here's the key." "I got it off the nail in the kitchen." "Well, thank you very much, Muffin, but that's a spare." "This one is mine." "Jim-Bob, would you put this back for me?" "Thank you." " Well, goodbye." " Bye, Muffin." " Good luck." " Maybe you'll come back again sometime." "Well, goodbye, Jim-Bob." "Well, maybe you will come back sometime." "Maybe." " Well, we gotta go." " Okay." " Bye." " Bye-bye." "Let's get to work." "Well, Muffin, I don't know what to tell you." "I really think the only thing to do is to take you down to the Sheriff's office." "No." " What are you doing?" " Maybe I can hitchhike back to Raleigh." "Oh, no." "You're not gonna hitchhike anyplace." "I'm not gonna let you set out on your own." "I was alone when you found me." "Look, I'll go down and talk to the Sheriff myself, all right?" "I promise I won't mention your name." "I won't say anything about you at all." "I'll just..." "I don't know." "I'll just tell him that I'm looking for a story for the newspaper." "Maybe that way I'll hear something about your stepfather, whether he's looking for you or whether there's been word from your mama." "Maybe there'll be a message from your mama." "I don't think so." "Well, anyway, would you please just wait here for a few minutes while I go speak to him, and I'll be right back, all right?" "Okay." "I'm gonna look in the windows while you're gone." "All right." "I'll be right back." "Miss Emily, Miss Mamie." " Oh, John-Boy, how nice to see you." " How do?" "Nice to see you." "You're out very early today." "Well, Papa's clock is gaining more and more." "We arose this morning at what we assumed to be our usual time..." "And then the man on the radio advised us it was a whole hour earlier than we thought." "So we thought instead of wasting the hour, we'd drive into town and see some friends, do a little shopping." " Well, good." "I hope you enjoy yourselves." " Our regards to your parents." "I certainly will do." "Have a pleasant day, ladies." " Well, there's no accidents." " Well, then, how about missing persons?" "You know, children, missing children." "That's..." "We got a few runaway reports, if that's what you want." "Richmond, Roanoke..." " How about out of state?" " ..." "Fredericksburg..." "You know, Pennsylvania, maybe?" "Lancaster, Pennsylvania?" "No Pennsylvania." "No, sorry." " Morning, Sam." " Goodbye." "Remember us to Velma." " Poor Sam." "He's not looking too well." " No." "Oh, Sister, what have we done?" "Oh, my dear, be careful." "You'll cut yourself." "But this is the medicine for my baby brother." "He's been so sick." "I just spent the last $2 we have for it." "What am I going to do?" "Oh, hush, dear, hush." "But it was our fault you spilled the medicine." "Sister..." "Now, don't you cry anymore, dear." "Now, here." "Here are $2." "You go buy yourself another bottle." "I can't take your money." " Oh, please, dear, you must." " Otherwise we'd never forgive ourselves." "Well, in that case, thank you." "Now, you go buy another bottle and hurry home to the little brother." "God bless you." " The brave little thing." " Oh, isn't that a shame?" " Well, there's no news, huh?" " I'm sorry." "You're a newspaperman?" "I want to talk to you." "Oh, well..." " Who's that?" "What's he in for?" " Who, Nifty?" "Nifty's a con man." "He's a bunco artist, a second-rate swindler." "You see before you an innocent victim of a gross miscarriage of justice." "Falsely accused, falsely arrested, falsely held here in this backwoods pokey!" "And he can go on like that for hours." "Really?" "Well, thanks, Sheriff." " Yeah." "Drop in anytime, John-Boy." " All right." "Little game of cards, Sheriff, pass the time?" "Tell you, Nifty, I'd sooner play solitaire." "At least I'll have some chance of winning." " Good morning." " Morning." "Our Sunday school class baked cookies to give the unfortunates." "Anybody locked up in jail is surely on our list." "Well, I don't know." "Sunday school cookies might not be fancy enough for Nifty, but I'll sure see he gets it." "Oh, please, could I give it to the unfortunate myself?" "Why, sure." "Might do the old fraud some good." "Nifty, put on your spirit of righteousness." "You got company." "Go ahead." "Hello, sir." "My name is Clarissa Winkleman, and on behalf of our Sunday school class" "I've brought you some home-baked cookies." "A T-bone steak would be more appreciated." ""For inasmuch as we do it for the least of these my brethren," ""you do it unto me."" "How you doing, Grandpa?" " Where have you been?" " This is food for your body." "Now let me give you some food for your soul." "I've got to raise $25 bail or I'm stuck in this sardine can for 30 days." "Why don't you try a verse?" "I have half of it." "I'll have the rest in a day or two." "I've connected with a whole family of easy marks." "Well, very good, and enjoy yourself." "Remember, I'll be praying for you." "I'll remember you in my prayers also, Sheriff." "You do that, honey." "You promised to wait for me." "Well, I just can't ask your family to do anything else for me." " Get in." " No, you've already done so much." "Look, I got it all figured out." "You get in, we'll go home." "We'll raise the bus fare and we'll send you to Raleigh." "That's so much money." "We can do it." "You and your mama can pay me back later." "Come on, get in." "I'll get your suitcase." "Muffin, would you ask the blessing, please?" "Thank you for this warm house, good food and kind friends." "Share your most choice blessings with this family as they share theirs with me." " Amen." " Amen." "Amen." "That's a nice blessing." "Let's pass the ham down here." "How much will it cost to go to Raleigh on the bus?" "John-Boy says I should have $11." "That's for my ticket and money to buy food on the way." "$11?" "I've never even seen that much money all at once." "Me, neither." "Well, Lilymae Orcutt owes me a quarter." "I'll try and collect it tomorrow." "And I have a bucket of choice walnuts that Ike wants to buy." "I might be able to get as much as 75 cents for them." "But you have other things you wanna do with your money." "Well, nothing as important as you getting back with your family." "Besides, when people owe me money, I feel rich." " When I have it, I just spend it." " Get away from my suitcase!" "I'm sorry, Elizabeth." "I didn't mean to yell at you." "It's just that..." "Well, everything that I have in this suitcase is all that I have to remind me of my mother." " Please say you forgive me." " It's all right." "We understand." "Elizabeth, you shouldn't have been snooping around." "Friends?" "75, 85, 95, $1." "25, 35, 45," "50." "Dollar and a half." "I'll keep the six cents." " That's really gonna help, Grandma." " Thank you, Mrs. Walton." "Well, you thank the hens." "They did all the hard work laying." " I've got 27 cents you can have." " Thank you." "Well, I've been saving up to buy myself a new tire, and here's $1 of that money." "Well, if you need the tire, John-Boy..." "The old one's just gonna have to hold out a little bit longer, that's all." "Come on." "Let's go see how much" "Ike will give me for these walnuts." "Well, I'll tell you something." "If you tell him it's for a good cause, he'll probably..." "John-Boy, are you telling me how to bargain?" "Like telling a fish how to swim." " That's true." " Thanks, Grandma." " Give me one of those walnuts." " Come on." " Elizabeth!" " All right, all the walnuts back." "The more we get, the more money we get." "Grandma, I really do appreciate you giving up your egg money." "Well, I like that child." "Never asks for anything." "You wanna help her, fine." "But she's not begging." "That's the truth." "Well..." " Hi, Grandpa." " Hi, Grandpa." "Hi, lad and lasses." "Zeb, where've you been?" "Oh, I've been over calling on neighbor Thornley." "Why, I never knew you to give that man the time of day." "Neighbor Thornley happens to have spent most of his life in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina." "Raleigh?" "You thought maybe he knew Muffin's aunt?" "I copied down the address you gave me, and neighbor Thornley happens to know most all of the highways and byways of the city of Raleigh, North Carolina." "It seems that address is located almost square in the middle of the city dump." "Where?" " City dump." " That's impossible." "Oh, he couldn't remember that." "Well, he didn't rely on his memory." "He had a recent map, and he showed me on it, 8300 West Garner is located almost in the middle of the Raleigh city dump." "Grandpa, there's obviously an explanation for it." "Oh, yes, I am looking forward to that." "City dump!" "Gee, Ike, this is the first time you ever paid me that much for walnuts." "And it's the last time, too." "Well, I guess it's a good cause." " How much we got?" " What we have is four, about." "Two, two, eight, seven..." " Probably a little over $4." " We need about three times as much." "And that's a lot of walnuts." "Let me count again." "Mr. Godsey, my grandmother gave me this." "I was wondering if you might perhaps buy it." " Pretty, Muffin!" " It looks like an amethyst." " That's Corabeth's birthstone." " Mine, too." "And my grandmother's." "Well, it sure is beautiful, but, you know, it belonged to your grandmother." "Mr. Godsey, all my friends have given up things they wanted so they could help me, and I do have to get to Raleigh." "It would be a nice surprise for Corabeth." "Yeah." "Well, how much were you thinking about asking for it?" " Say what you could give me." " Well, I mean, I don't know..." "Well, I'd say a ring like that, you'd pay at least $10 for it." " $10?" "That's a lot of money." " $7.50?" "Well, I'll think about it, and I'll sound out Corabeth on that." "You know, fundraising takes a lot of energy, and..." "Well, I'll tell you what." "I'll give everybody some candies." " Gee, thanks, Ike." " Thanks, Ike." "Oh, no." "Hey, come on, kids." "Those are my walnuts now, huh?" "Let's pick them up." " It's okay, Ike." "There's no harm done." " All right." "Oh, there's a whole lot of them down there." "Forget it, kids." " I'll sweep it up later." " Oh, it's okay, Ike." "And you didn't get your candy yet." "Here." "You get your candy." " Oh, I didn't get any, either." " Me, either." "Okay." "Didn't anybody get some before?" "Well, I guess we really should be going." "Okay." "And I'll decide what I'm gonna do about the ring, and I'll let you know." " Oh, no!" " What happened?" " The setting!" " The beautiful amethyst is gone!" "Well, now, that stone was in the ring when I put it down there." " I know it was, a minute ago." " Must have rolled on the floor." "Oh, be careful." "Don't step on it." " It's gotta be right here somewhere." " I don't see it." "It's gotta be down here someplace." " Did anybody find it yet?" " Oh, no." "What am I gonna do?" "We'll find it sooner or later." "Don't worry about it." "But I hoped to be on the bus going to Raleigh tomorrow." "I'll tell you what I'll do." "I'll give you those $7.50, and then when I find the stone, I'll have it set and I'll give it as a gift to Corabeth." "I can't let you do that, Mr. Godsey." "A ring without a setting?" "Oh, I'll find it." "Don't worry about it." "Here you go." "Five, six, seven, and a shiny new 50-cent piece." "$7.50." " You did it, Muffin." "You got your bus fare." " Here's your bus fare." "Thanks to all of you." "Especially you, Mr. Godsey." "Thank you." " Thanks, Ike." " Gee, thanks, Ike." " Bye-bye." " Now you got your bus fare." "Hope you find it." "We'll have you on the bus tomorrow morning." "It's gotta be here somewhere." "Muffin?" "I'd like you to have this." "It's just beautiful." "Well, I made it myself." "And I thought if you had it, you might remember, you know?" "I will." "Thank you, Jim-Bob." "Pioneers crossing the prairie didn't have any more food than what you're giving her." "Child's gonna be on that bus a long time." "Oh, well, with what's left over, she could always open up a restaurant." "Call it Muffin's City Dump Café." "Zeb, now, I don't know what's got into you." "You just..." "I'm gonna put Muffin on the southbound bus and then I'm gonna pick up Mama and Daddy, all right?" "Oh, it'll be good to have them back." "Muffin!" "Eyes..." "Don't!" " Hey, Ben!" " Okay, eyes closed." "John-Boy, you explain to the driver so he can keep an eye on her." " I will." "I know, I will." " She'll be driving the bus" " by the time they get to Lynchburg." " Grandpa!" "Zeb." " Is that the Baldwins?" " Yeah." "It's an odd time of day for them to come calling." "Well, Miss Emily, Miss Mamie, how are you this morning?" "Good morning!" " How are you today?" " I hope we're not intruding." "Well, you're never intruding." "You know you're always welcome here, ladies." " Morning." " Morning." "It's always a pleasure to see you, ladies." "Well, Mr. Godsey told us about your campaign to reunite a little girl and her mother." "And Sister and I would like to be part of it." "Oh, that's very sweet of you, ladies, but we've already got the bus fare raised, and that's really all we need." " Oh, here she is right now." " Oh..." "Oh." "No." "No." "Oh, hello, dear." "And how's your baby brother?" "This is the little girl whose little brother was so ill." "What?" "Yes, and we gave her $2 to buy some more medicine." "You what?" "Hey, wait a minute." "Hold on, hold on." "Hold on." "You young ones stay here." "It's your brother's responsibility." "Let him handle it." "All right." "Let's have it." "Come on, I'm waiting." "Wait till you turn blue." "I don't owe you any explanations." "You owe everybody, and not just explanations." "You owe $2 to the Baldwin ladies." "You owe $1.50 to my grandma, and an amethyst ring..." "You even pulled a switch on Ike Godsey, didn't you?" "Who are you?" "What's the true story?" " Whatever you want it to be." " What's that supposed to mean?" "The truth is whatever you want it to be." "I tell people what I figure they wanna hear." "That makes them feel good, right?" "While they're feeling good, I touch them for a buck or two." " That's completely dishonest!" " Who cares?" "It works." "It works?" "Using people?" "Taking advantage of people's generosity works?" "Grow up, big brother." "Everybody takes advantage." "Everybody uses everybody else." "You were even using me." " That isn't so." " Now who's dishonest?" "Helping me made you feel good." "Set you up as being so noble and wise and generous." " Oh, you are wrong." "You're wrong." " No." "Whatever I took from you, the old girls, the rube storekeeper, they all got something in return." "They were all happy." "Well, they're not happy now." "Well, what did you expect?" "A lifetime of happiness for two bucks?" "You're gonna return that money to the people you took it from." "Okay." "We'll make a deal." "I give you the money and you let me take a powder." " No." " Why not?" "'Cause I'm gonna take you down to Sheriff Bridges' office." "Why, you flannel-mouthed poke-nose!" "Who asked you what you think is best?" "Oh, you don't know your ear from your elbow." "Turn me over to the Sheriff!" "Well, you're the one who needs a keeper!" " Well, that may be so." "I'm not..." " Yeah!" "But I know that one thing is true for certain." "I can't take care of you anymore." "I'm not supposed to take care of you." "And you're gonna stay down there with Sheriff Bridges until we find someone who can." " Now come on." "Come on!" " Leave me alone." "Better stay away from me or you'll get contaminated." " Well, I hope you've learned your lesson." " Yes, ma'am." "Crime doesn't pay." "I still like you just as much as ever, Muffin." "Yeah?" " I hope you feel the same way about me." " Exactly." "If you really like me, you've gotta go into Rockfish with me." " I want to, but John-Boy says I can't." " He would." "Well, I asked him." "He just won't let me." "Listen, if you really like me, you'll find a way." " There's a rumble seat." " Yeah, but..." "All right, let's go." "You ready?" "Mrs. Walton, may I have a drink of water?" " Come on." " I'm thirsty." "Well, now, goodbye and good luck." "Only suckers count on luck." "So you still think you know all the answers." "Come on." "You're pretty smart." "I know, Esther, that's one of the things about me you find hard to forgive." "I've never been so completely taken in in all my life." "Since you married me." "All right, now, you wait right here." "I'm gonna go in and talk to the Sheriff." "I can see you from in there, so don't you try to do anything like run away." "All right?" " Jim-Bob?" " Yeah?" "Do you know a woman named Delilah Millhouse?" "Sure." "Well, when he takes me into the jail, go over to her place." "Then when you see the bus come into town, go in and set off the alarm." "Okay, let's go." "Come on." "Now, there's a professional bunco artist's kit if I ever saw one." "Who are you, kid?" " Shirley Temple." " Muffin!" "Under this wig are all my beautiful curls." "All right." "Now, that's enough." "You were in here the other day passing out Sunday school cookies, weren't you?" "Sheriff, my mama and daddy are coming in at the bus depot right now from Newport News, and I think maybe I ought to go over there and pick them up." "I'll be back, I guess." "All right, now, what were you doing in here the other day?" "I like jails." "Oh, no." "All right, you." "Come on, in here." "You wouldn't put a little child in a cell, now would you, Sheriff?" "Yeah." "It's just till I turn off the burglar alarm." "Won't be long." "Be right back." "Grandpa, quick, give me that cane." " Mama." " John-Boy." "Car's..." "Oh, sorry." "The car's parked over by the jailhouse." "Well, I can tell by the smiles it must have been a great trip." "Your daddy got himself a fine lumber contract." "Your ma was the belle of Newport News." " Everything all right here?" " Well, yeah, everything's pretty good." "I have something I have to talk to you about later." " But..." " All right." " What's Jim-Bob doing with the Sheriff?" " I don't know." " Jim-Bob!" " Look out!" " Hey, that's Nifty." " That's my car!" "I know." "Come on." "We'll get my car and go after them." "Come on!" "Wait here." "We'll be right back." " Jim-Bob, what is going on?" " It's a long story." "You reckon Nifty was a relative, Sheriff?" "Her grandfather, probably." "I think she was trying to raise bail money for him." " There's your car, John-Boy." " Yeah." "Well, that's the tire I've been meaning to change." "Hey, John, I'm gonna go on a ways." "'Course, they're probably in the next county by now, I hope." "Bye, Sheriff." "Thank you." "Looks like Jim-Bob found himself another loser." "Yeah." "I should have let him smash this up while he had the chance." "I guess he'll just have to handle it." "Come on, Son." "Let's get this tire changed and get home." " So tell me about that..." " You mean about this little girl, huh?" "You would expect that after such an experience," "I would have given up trying to be a big brother to everyone I met." "I did for a while, but it wasn't long until I had lapsed back into the comfortable and familiar role" "I had learned to play." "In fact, I suspect that even today, if I found Muffin Maloney sitting on my running board," "I might say, "Hi, there." "You look like you need a friend."" " John-Boy?" " Yes, Ben?" "You know those shelves I put up?" "They all fell down." " Is that so?" " I wish I'd listened to you." "Wider supports, eightpenny nails." "Well, they probably would have fallen down anyway, but at least it would have been your fault." " Good night, Ben." " Good night." "English"