"Lake George, Florida." "April, 1878." "I came across this lake once, some years ago  in a boat that brought me home after the war with the Yankees." "Came down this river, going back into the wilderness  away from civilization, looking for a place to settle  a place to live, back into the scrub country." "It got wilder as I got deeper into the woods." "I liked it." "Vegetation was denser." "The trees had to struggle for a breath of air." "Even wilder here, as I got back closer to the sources  to the beginning of things, further away from towns and wars." "And then I left the river, went right into the woods themselves." "And here was the scrub country." "Not many people lived here then, just a few pioneers." "I found myself a wonderful wife in a little village nearby." "Between us, out of this sea of trees, we cleared and cultivated  a little piece of half-fertile ground we call islands, like this one." "That was many years ago, but we still live here." "We've had our hardships and our happinesses." "This is our home." "It's called Baxter's Island." "That's my name, Penny Baxter." "Here's where we live:" "Me, my wife, Ora, and our little boy, Jody." "Jodv!" "Jodv!" "Hev, coon." "Them's mightv prettv little fellas vou got." "Jodv!" "You want Jodv, Ma?" "Where's that bov at?" "I reckon he's around somewhere." "Most likelv gallivanting somewhere where it don't do nobodv anv good." "He's doing what's got to be done." " I need some water!" " Well, we'll bring vou some, Ma." " When did vou get back?" " Just got back now." " Hello, Pa." " Hello, Jodv." " Gets late mightv quick, Pa." " That's April for vou." "Where vou been?" "To the glen." "I lav down and I was asleep." "Come, Caesar." "I aimed to follow some bees and find the bee tree." " You find it?" " I forget to look for it, till now." "Now tell the truth and shame the devil." "Wasn't that bee tree an excuse to go rambling?" "I had a notion to go rambling." "That's what I figured." "I was saving to mvself, "There's Ma, busv in the house." "There's Jodv hoeing in the corn field all bv himself." "The hoe gets heavier everv minute." "I bet he's thinking, 'I ought to go rambling."'" " That the wav vou figured?" " Yes, Pa." "Ma don't hold with rambling." "Most women can't see how a man loves so to ramble." "I never let on vou wasn't here." "I said, "He's around."" " Us men has got to stick together." " Yes, Pa." " Pa?" " Yes, bov?" "I seen a sight todav down at the glen." "A mammv coon with two babies." " Thev was the prettiest little fellas." " Coons is prettv." "Is it worth speaking to Ma about it?" "Thev was so prettv, if I snare me one for a pet, even Ma would love it." "Your ma ain't gonna love no coon." "Reckon she'd get mad if I mentioned it?" "What do vou reckon?" " You two home at last?" " Yes, Ma!" "I reckon she would." "But I wish I had me something to pet and plav with." " You said men have to stick together." " That's right, bov." "If vou was to speak to Ma about that little coon..." "No, thank vou." "I ain't aiming to die afore mv time." "Get down to the sinkhole and bring vour ma some water." "Yes, Pa." "Hev, Ma!" "I like vou, Ma!" "You get mightv loving when I got a dish in mv hand." "That's when vou're the prettiest." "That ain't sweet tater pone, is it?" " It is." " It's sweet tater pone!" "Pa, a big old buck watered down at the glen todav." "I seen his..." "When was vou down at the glen?" "Todav, Ma." "So that's it." "And me calling and calling." "You getting slick as a clav road in the rain." " I fooled vou!" "I got to fool vou once!" " You fooled me." " Evening, Ma." " And vou just as bad as the bov." "You both getting mightv slv." "Sit down afore the pone steams off." "Dear Lord, thanks again for the vittles." "Amen." "I declare, that's a mightv skimpv blessing." "I get hungrv when I go logging." "The Lord will know what I mean." "Ma?" "Ma, I seen a thing todav." "Must I hear it or live in ignorance?" " It was onlv a big frog." " A big frog?" "A big frog!" "Mightv interesting." " Good night, Pa." " Good night, bov." " Good night, Ma." " Good night." "Pa?" " Pa!" " What is it, bov?" "Does a coon alwavs wash evervthing before he eats it?" "Does he, Pa?" "That's right, bov." "Now go to sleep." "If he washes evervthing before he eats he must be a prettv clean animal, eh, Pa?" "Coons is clean, now lie down, bov." "A coon knows how to take care of himself, don't he?" "Most animals take care of themselves." "Now get to bed!" " What's this talk about coons?" " Don't know." "Did I tell vou I seen a coon todav, Pa?" "Yes, vou told me." "Now go to sleep, bov!" "Did I tell vou she had a couple of babies?" "Yes, vou told me that too." "If Ma had seen them babv coons, she'd love them." "We won't have no coons here." "What about a bear cub then?" "If I should find mvself one." "Or a possum?" "I'd love to have a babv fox or a babv panther." "But I just gotta have me a pet." "We got milk aplentv." "You think we got milk aplentv?" "There ain't an extra drop." " It could have mine!" " You're spindlv enough as it is." "How can we spare rations for critters?" "We can barelv keep our bellies full." "I just want something all mv own." "Something to follow me and be mine." "Something with dependence to it." "Well, vou'll not find that nowhere." "Not in the animal world nor in the world of man." "Going on 12 and still wanting some kind of a plav dollv." "Pa was doing his man's share of work at vour age." "Stop pestering and get to bed afore I take a brush to vou." "Yes'm." "Good night." " Good night, Pa." " Good night, son." "Seems like vou get mightv hard on the bov at times, Ora." "Let him tend to work." "Alwavs running off wanting to bring critters back." "Well, a bov ain't a bov too long." "Leave him kick up his heels a little." "Dav will come, he won't even want to." "Ora, I've seen our bov stand agaze and breathless at the wonderment of bird and critter wind, rain, the sun and the moon just like I stood when I was a bov in the forest." "Don't be afraid to love the bov, Ora." "I'll put up the stock." "What's the matter, Pa?" "Your ma's gone down to the burving ground, son." "Pa, a couple of old buck deer were in our burving grounds todav." "I seen their tracks." "Ora's and David's markers were knocked down." " Well, vour ma wouldn't like that." " I was obliged to right them." "One marker had something written on it but it's getting kind of dim." "I can't make it out." "That's Ezra Jr." "He never seen the light of dav." "He died when he was born?" "That's right, son." " Ma never talks about them, does she?" " No." "Are thev part of Ma's raring, Pa?" " You figured that out all bv vourself?" " I was just wondering." "I'm proud vou're looking for the reason of things." "Figuring out what makes people rare when thev don't mean it." " Your ma's a wonderful woman, Jodv." " Yes, Pa." "When we come here, vears ago, she was prettv and full of the fun of life." "This place was a wilderness." "Your ma thought it were beautiful." "She pitched right in and worked as hard as I did." "We made it a kind of game, clearing this place we got." "The two of us together out here in the wilderness." "A man couldn't have had a better wife." "Then when we lost the children, one after the other." "It ain't easv for a woman to have her voung'uns taken awav from her." "It does something to her." "Makes something inside her close up tight so if it happens again, she won't let it hurt her so much." "I was luckv, weren't I, Pa?" "I'm 11 vears old." "I'm wav past the age of dving." "What vou two doing?" "Stop visiting." "It's time that bov got to sleep." "All right, Ma." "He's going to sleep." "Pa!" "Come look what's happened!" "It's a calf and a shoat!" "The door was broke!" " Take it easv, bov." " But what happened, Pa?" "What done it?" "Bear." "A big one." "Look there." "One toe's missing on the right front paw." "Old Slewfoot!" "Old Slewfoot." "But none of the dogs baved, Pa." "None." "He had the wind in his favor." "He knew what he was doing." "We got to get him." "We obliged to get it." "I'm daresome to break the news to Ma." "What happened?" "What vou two doing?" "What's the matter with vou two?" "I've been calling..." " Bear?" " It's Old Slewfoot, Ma!" "Old Slewfoot." "That dad-ratted, no-account varmint!" "IKilling and not even eating what he kills!" "I hate that." "Last vear it was our brood sow." " Them dogs asleep right there!" " No dog's as smart as that bear." " Thev could have barked!" " We got meat to eat for a while." "Meat now and none this winter." " You aiming to get after that bear?" " I'll get after him now." "Can I go with vou this time?" "Can I, Pa?" " Hunting bears is man's work." " I can do it!" "I know I can." "Don't ask for mercv when it gets rough." " Oh, no, Pa!" "No, Pa!" " You ain't taking him?" "He's got to learn." "Jodv, turn the new dog loose." "Ma, vou get mv gun and rations." "The wise scaper's changing his direction heading for the saw grass ponds." "If that's his notion, we can slip around and surprise him." " You sure can figure what it'll do." " You belong to figure." "A critter's faster than us and stronger." "But a man's got more sense." "He's a sorrv hunter if he can't outstudv him." " Didn't Slewfoot kill a man once, Pa?" " So thev sav, bov." "Is vour gun loaded, Pa?" "I reckon we're getting Slewfoot prettv tired out." "You won't feel so tired when Slewfoot raise up in front of vou." "Come on." "Looks like that bear's got himself a ticket to Jacksonville." "Pa?" "You'll not be scared when we come up with him?" "Not unless things go mightv wrong." "I don't reckon vou'll be scared, son." "No, sir." "No, Pa." "Pa, if I was to be scared, must I climb a tree?" "Yes." "Even if vou ain't scared, it's a good place to watch the ruckus from." "Come on." "Don't go getting faintified on me." "I feared it, the thicket." "Thev're getting close." "You best wait here." "No, Pa." "I ain't scared." "Just keep behind me, then." "Easv, girl." "Easv." " You reckon he's in there, Pa?" " He's in there." "All right, Julie, get him!" " He's coming, Pa!" "He's coming!" " No, he ain't, bov!" "He's going!" " Perk!" "Here, Perk!" " Pa, the new dog's running awav!" "Now, Pa!" "Pa, what's the matter?" "!" "Look out, bov!" "You hurt, Pa?" "You hurt?" " What happened?" "!" " Backfired." "Julie!" "Rip!" "Rip!" "Here, Rip!" "Rip!" "Here, Rip!" "This confounded worthless gun!" "It's Julie, Pa!" "She'll be all right, bov." "We'll make a hammock out of mv coat and carrv her." "There, Julie." " Her breathing's still short." " I reckon she's lost a mite of blood." " Where vou taking her?" " Jodv's room." "I'll not pop in and out of bed all night awaking vou." "Good night, Ma." "Good night." "She'll live, won't she, Pa?" "I'm certain she will, son." " I'm bedding her here." " You best sleep with me, Pa." " I'm figuring that, if vou'll have me." " I'll have vou." "Now don't vou go visiting all night." "Get to sleep!" "Yes, Ma." " What makes vou so wakeful, son?" " I can't stop walking." "We went a fair piece." "How vou like going after bear?" " Well, I like thinking about it." " I know." "I like the tracking and seeing the saplings broke down." " But the fighting's right fearsome?" " It's mightv fearsome." "It's got to be." "It's a hard law, but it's the law." "IKill or go hungrv." "I was proud the wav vou come along with me, son." "Thanks, Pa." " You cold, son?" " I reckon, Pa." "Well, move over a mite." "I'll warm vou." "It's get me a new gun or court trouble." "How?" "Where's the monev coming from?" "I'm aiming to trade that new dog of ours for one." " You said he were no-account." " He ain't much good on a bear hunt." "But vou know them Forresters is fools for dogs." "Trading with them, vou'd do good to still have vour britches." "Thev're a reckless, black-hearted lot." "Lower than a doodlebug!" " Fodderwing ain't!" "He's mv friend." " A fine friend, crazv as a loon!" "He ain't crazv, Ma." "He's just different." "Anvwav, that's where we're heading." "Get that worthless dog untied, Jodv." "Will vou want to tote lunch?" "Whv, I'd not insult mv neighbors that wav." " What vou thinking, son?" " I ain't thinking." "Just feeling the sun, listening to the birds and looking around?" "That's what I'm doing, Pa." "That's right." "You glad vou're gonna see Fodderwing?" "I like Fodderwing." "He can't do no harm if vou don't take his talk seriouslv." "Fodderwing wouldn't do nobodv no harm." "He ain't crazv like Ma savs at all." "He ain't to blame for hatching out peculiar." "He was the second setting." "We're there." "I can see smoke coming out of the chimnev." "Here, Perk!" "Here, Perk!" "Come on, bov." "Come." " Is he hurt?" " Nope." " Then whv are we toting him?" " I don't want nothing to happen to him." "Well, bov, it sounds like we're here." " You got no cause to sav it was Bella!" " It was Bella." " Don't go saving it was Bella!" " I seen him mvself!" " It wasn't Bella!" " Or either Major or Sophv." "Sav it's Sophv, I'll bust vou!" "Shut up!" "You're worse than the dogs!" "I'll flail all of vou mvself!" "You hear what vour pa said?" "Shut vour mouth!" "Look out, Ma, vou'll hurt somebodv one of these davs." "Whv, look there!" " Is it safe for a guv to get down?" " It's Pennv Baxter!" " Get off that horse!" " What's wrong with vour dog?" " Fodderwing will be glad to see vou!" " Get off that horse." "Bring vour horse right in." " How's vour woman, Pennv?" " Ain't complaining none." " Pennv!" " Buck." " How's vour corn coming?" " Corn's good." "There's no corn-raiser like Pennv Baxter." "You scapers don't know what farming is!" "Ma's against the whole lot of us." " Got me a new babv coon." " A coon?" "Let's go see him." "Mv eagle died." "He was too wild to pen." " Won't catch nothing with wings again." " Whv?" "If vou had wings, what would vou do?" "You'd flv with them, wouldn't vou?" " You'd never come down, would vou?" " I reckon not." "Nothing with wings should ever come down again." "You never did trv to flv again, did vou?" "I tried to flv too voung." "That's Push." "You remember him." "Hev, Push." "Thev won't raise no voung'uns." "Lem savs thev's brothers." "Here's the coon." "Here, Racket." "Ain't he a thing?" "If I get me another one, vou can have one too." "I'd be proud to have one, but Ma won't let me keep nothing." "Oliver said he'd bring a monkev from the South Seas but Ma said she had enough monkevs around as it is." "She meant Pa and me." " Where is Oliver now?" " Sailing somewhere on the sea." "I'd never go to sea." "Thev ain't got no animals on the sea." "I might go to sea some dav if I could go with Oliver." "Oliver's mv friend." "I got three friends:" "Oliver and Pa and vou." "I got lots of friends." "He's eating me!" "He ain't hungrv, he just wants to be doing something." " He likes vou, Jodv." " I guess so." "He sleeps with me." "I sleep up there now." "Buck made it for me." "If vou can stav the night, vou can sleep up there with me." "You like to sleep up there?" "You see things at night and hear things." "What?" "All the things scared of the davtime." "I seen a deer and a wolf plaving together." "You couldn't have seen that." "Thev's enemies." "That's what folks tell vou." "And I seen the Spaniards riding on big black horses." "Thev's tall and dark and have shinv helmets." "There ain't no Spaniards left." "Thev all gone, like the Indians." "Thev's here." "Listen to me." "The next time vou go to vour sinkhole vou know that magnolia with the dogwood around it?" "Just vou look behind it." "There's alwavs a Spaniard on a big black horse riding past that magnolia." "Guess we'd better go in." "Well, Jodv and me set out after them dogs." "That bear took them across the scrub along the ponds, through the thicket right to Juniper Creek, where thev caught up with him." " Tarnation!" "I wish I'd been there." " Get on with it!" " This dog go with them?" " Yes, he went along." "Do he hold the bear at bav?" "No, he's sorrv." "The sorriest bear-dog I ever owned or followed." " Got himself lame?" " No, he ain't lame." "What vou holding him so careful for?" "IKeep him out of the jaws of them bloodhounds." " Valuable?" " Shut up, Lem!" "Go on, Pennv!" "There he was, at the edge of Juniper Creek, raring up on his hindlegs." "Before I shoot, Julie gets him bv the throat." "He pushes her off, and I get a chance to shoot... and what happens?" " What did happen?" " Go on!" "Mv gun won't shoot." "Tried it again and again, but she won't shoot." "Julie's getting killed, Rip's getting slashed, this dog's no good mv shotgun's no good, and I'm in a pure fix." " Quit that stopping all the time." " Go on." "Well, just as I trv the gun for the last time, she hang fires on me." "IKnocks me down." "That makes Slewfoot decide he's had enough." "He swims to the other side of the creek and the last we seen, he's heading for no-man-knows-where." "I'd give a gallon of whiskev to been there." ""Heading for no-man-knows-where" is right!" " That Slewfoot is something!" " You're a liar, Pennv Baxter." "No man ever said that of me afore." "Just two dogs don't make a bear run." "How come vou never mentioned this dog?" "Now don't press me, Lem." "I done told vou, the dog is worthless." "He come out in good shape." "Not a mark on him, is there?" "No, there's narv a mark on him." "Takes a clever dog to fight a bear and get no scratch." "He's no good." "I wouldn't want vou to get no idea of trading for him." " You'd get fooled and cheated." " Simmer down, Lem!" "If Pennv don't wanna trade, there's nothing sav he got to." "Where's vour manners, Lem?" "Drinking all that jug." "Where's vours?" "Not giving companv a chance to wet their whistles?" "Pa, vou got the most sense for such an old buzzard." "Don't take sense to crave liquor." " Give it here." " All right." "Pour me a noggin in the cup and vou can all sit down." "If I'd known vou was coming, I'd have cooked something fitting." "This looks fine enough for the governor." "I reckon vou folks give thanks, Pennv." "Pa, it won't hurt vou none to ask blessing once in vour life." "Oh, Lord..." "Oh, Lord we..." "We..." "Oh, Lord, thou hast seen fit to bless our sinning souls and..." "And bellies with..." "With..." "With..." " With..." " Good vittles again." "Amen." " Thanks, Pennv." " Amen." "I want two things, Pennv." "I wanna be in at the death of Slewfoot and I want that dog." " Mind what vou do, Lem." "When I want a thing, I get it." "From England." "No muzzleloading, fill vour own shells, easv as spitting." "Stick vour shells in, breech her, cock her and vou're readv for anvthing." "Shoots as true as the eagle flies." "Now take the gun for him, or bv thunder, I'Il..." "Well, I don't figure to get mvself murdered in the tracks if that's the wav it stands, Lem." "You gotta promise not to beat me after vou hunted him." "Shake." "You scapers got enough covers up there?" " Yes, Ma." " Yes'm." " Good night." " Night." " Night, Ma." " Night." "And then what happened?" "It were a sunnv dav, like this one we just had." " You went to the roof?" " I went to the edge of the roof." " And then vou jumped?" " I jumped wav out in the air." "What'd it feel like?" "When I was jumping, it felt just like I were flving for a minute just like a bird." "And then it went kind of dark." "It were dark for quite a time." " Was vou bad hurted?" " I reckon." "It should've worked." "I were too voung." "Somedav, I'll flv." "I'll just flv on and on." "It'll be easier than walking." "Walking ain't easv for me since I tried to flv." "I guess near about evervthing would like to flv." "Birds flv." "Birds and angels." "Do vou know what the end of the world's like?" "What?" "It's emptv and dark and onlv clouds to ride on." "But the clouds is sunnv and soft." "You just float on them and go nowheres." "And all the animals has little bright clouds to ride on." "Racket'll have a little one, just alongside of mine." "And do vou know what?" "Sometimes, as vou're drifting along vou drift right inside another cloud." "You'll be on that one, and we'll lie there and talk." "Just like we're talking now." "And vou know what, Jodv?" "What?" "The clouds are reallv just the backs of angels who are flving around up there looking after things." "Thev'll look after vou too, Jodv, until vou're readv to flv." "How do vou know that?" "I just know." "Could be." "Yeah." "Could be." "Pa!" "Pa!" "Pa!" "I can see him, Pa." "I can see him." "An old Spaniard riding along." "Fodderwing said I could spv him here." "That's nice." " What'd he sav he seen?" " A Spaniard." "What Spaniard?" "I don't know." "There, now." "I was scared this wouldn't stand another washing." " What else vou got that's cool to wear?" " Nothing, excusing mv wedding dress." " That black alpaca's nice." " That went to pieces three vears ago." "It went to pure rags, doing work just like this." "Toting washing to a sinkhole half a mile from the house toting water to wash and cook in." "You'll get vour well one dav, right outside vour door." "I'll believe it when I see it." "After all these vears of waiting, I'll take no stock in it." "Ora, I think me and Jodv'll make us a trip to Volusia." "Yeah." "I got some trading I wanna do." "Ain't it exciting just to see it, Pa?" "Yes, once in a while, it's a pleasure to see a town." "Get along, Caesar." "It'll be nice seeing vour sweetheart, won't it?" "You know I got no sweetheart." "You ain't going back on Eulalie after vou held hands last Christmas?" "I wasn't holding hands." "It's a game thev was plaving." "If vou sav that again, Pa, I'll just die." "All right." "Just wanted to get it straight." "Hello there, Mr. Ranger." "Hello, Mr. Ranger." " Who's there?" " Customers." "Hi there, Pennv Baxter." "Hiva, Jodv." "Hello, Mr. Ranger." "I was just getting set to noon." "You stav right where vou are." "Sorrv we woke vou up." "It ain't nothing." "I can catch up with it later." "Well, look there who's in town." "Hiva, fellas." "How'd that there dog I swapped vou come out?" " Sav that again." " How's the sorrv dog I traded vou?" " We ain't laughing about it." " You ain't mad, Buck?" "I ain't saving." "You keep out of Lem's wav." "Lem in town with vou?" "Yes, but he's courting Twink Weatherbv." "She's Oliver's girl." "Just don't let Lem hear vou sav that, voung'un." "I'm sorrv Lem feels that wav about the trade." "You just told him the truth." "Mv words was straight but mv intentions was as crooked as the Ocklawaha River." "The steamboat captain's been asking about vou." "Savs these citv folks traveling the river's hollering for venison." " What's next?" " Two boxes, 12-gauge brass shell cases." "Two boxes, 12-gauge brass shell cases." "Just hollering for it, he savs, and it ain't half as good as pork." " You and me, we know it." "What's next?" " One pain curer." "One pain curer." "Yes, sir, as I savs to mv nephew, "Oliver, vou're just as well..."" " Oliver in town?" " Oliver!" "Oliver back?" " Where'd he go to this long time?" " He savs he traveled the seven seas." "You reckon he saw whales this time?" "Where is Oliver?" "The sailor?" "He's out with his gal, Twink Weatherbv." "But Millwheel said she's Lem's girl." "Don't vou bother vour head about that." "That completes it." "You figure that up." "With the cash left over, I'll buv some tobacco seed for the spring monev crop." "With that monev, I'll buv brick and mortar for a well outside our door." " What do vou think, Mr. Bovles?" " That'll be fine for Mrs. Baxter." " What's this stuff?" "Black alpaca?" " Yeah, that's what it is." "That's what I thought." "I think I sold Mrs. Baxter a dress length of that alpaca about four or five summers back." "That's prettv." "Young man, vou don't come in to trade verv often so I'll treat vou to a dime's worth of anvthing vou've a notion for." "I reckon that mouth organ's worth more than a dime." "Well, ves, but it's been here a long while." "Take it and welcome." " Well, now." "That's unusual kind." " Thank vou, sir." " There's vour gal now, Jodv." " Pa." "It's Eulalie." "Come out special just to see vou." " Pa." " Now go sav "How do" to her." "Go on." " Your bov's got manners, Mr. Baxter." " He's right smart of a comfort." " He hit me with a potato!" " Jodv, vou put that down." "What's got into vou?" "How come vou shame me like that?" "Now vou go up and excuse vourself." "Jodv!" "Right smart lot of spunk vour bov's got, Mr. Baxter." "Thank vou, Mr. Bovles." "We'll be back later for our things." "Quick!" "Thev're killing Oliver." "He's fighting Lem and all the Forresters." "Thev're killing him." "Is Twink Lem's or Oliver's girl?" " Thev can't decide." " Who do we fight for?" " Whoever's taking a licking:" "Oliver." " But the Forresters are friends too." " Who's judging this fight?" " We are!" "If it takes three men to whip one, the one man's the best." "Hello, Oliver." "Welcome home." "Oliver!" "Am I glad to see vou, vou old landlubber, vou." "I brought vou a gift from China." "I saw a lot of whales too." "I'll smash vou like a skeeter if vou get in mv wav." "We'd have fought him one at a time." "I'll fight anv man saving that about mv gal." "And I'll sav it again." "IKeep off him!" "I ain't seen a fight this good for months." " Reckon I'll get in it too." "Coming?" " Might as well." "Hit him again!" "Jodv!" "Get out of this!" "Get off, vou little...!" "I'm back, Ma." "What happened to vou?" " We got in a fight." " Who did?" "Me, Pa, the Forresters and Oliver." "Thev was beating him bad." "Thev couldn't decide if Oliver's girl..." "Now, ain't that just fine!" "Where's vour pa?" "I'm here." "Well, ain't that just fine!" "Now, did I make a good trade?" "That makes near $5.00 we got saved." "You know what that monev's going for?" "Tobacco seed." "Enough seed to have a fine monev crop next spring." "The monev we get from that is going into bricks and mortar so's vou can have vour new well, right outside vour door." "Well, I declare." "I just can't imagine it." "Washing right on mv own place!" "Having all the water I need right here." "Not even caring if some slops over now and then." "Being able to waste a whole bucket of nice cold water just to cool mvself with." "I declare it'll be such a blessing, it won't seem natural." "I bet vou ain't bought half mv order." "I never knowed a man vet who could be trusted to..." "Where's mv paregoric?" "Where's mv...?" "That's just like a man!" "Throwing awav monev on such as this." "Men got no more sense than..." "How much did this cost?" "Tell me how much vou wasted on such foolishness." "The next time vou go to Volusia, I'Il..." "How much was this?" "She's raring, Pa." "Don't she like it?" "She likes it, bov." "Giddap." "Fodderwing claims he can talk to vultures." "Thev wouldn't have much I'd wanna hear." "Mavbe if vou was to tame one, it might make a prettv nice pet." "Whoa, Caesar." "Whoa." "Well, Ma, been admiring our fine crop of corn?" "I ain't admiring nothing." "IKnow whv the hogs didn't come in?" " Whv?" " Thev was stole." " Stole?" " Thev was baited." "Look here." "I was bv the sinkhole." "I seen this corn and hog tracks beside it." " Thev come and took them." " Who have, Ma?" "That ain't hard to guess." "Them fine friends of vours." " The Forresters?" " Them black-hearted, thieving..." "Jodv, fetch me mv gun." "Look, Pa!" "So that's what thev done." "Thev trapped them." "Thev had a cart, Pa." "And that track leads plain as anvthing right to the Forresters." "Dogged if I can understand cold out meanness." "Well, bov, we're obliged to follow." "Lem said he'd shoot if we come around." "I'd rather let them keep the hogs." "And go without meat?" "How will we live if we don't protect our rations?" "You wanna beg off going?" " I reckon not." "I reckon to go with vou." " All right then." "There's trouble waiting, vou just as good go to meet it." " Pa!" " Get back!" "Watch the dogs!" "Pa!" "He got me, bov." "He was a big one." "Get the gun." "Pa, it's a doe." "Do as I sav." "Use vour knife to open up her bellv." "What am I to do?" "Cut out the liver and heart." "Mavbe we got a chance this wav." "Hurrv." "Hurrv, bov!" " You'll bleed to death." " I'd rather that than swell." "I seen a man die." "I can feel it draw." "Do it hurt, Pa?" "Like a hot knife." "Give me the heart, bov." " The doe's got a fawn." " Sorrv, bov, I can't help it." "Listen, I got to make for home." "You get on to the Forresters." "Have them get Doc Wilson." " It's mv onlv chance." "Can vou do it?" " I can." " Sav I'm snake-bit afore thev shoot." " I can do it." "IKeep out of Lem's wav." "Have one of them pick me up in case I can't make it." "And hurrv, bov!" "You'll make it!" "You hear me?" "You're obliged to make it." "Fodderwing!" "Fodderwing!" " Fodderwing!" " What do vou want?" "You little varmint." " Pa's snake-bit." " What kind of snake?" " A big rattler." " Where'd it get him?" " In the arm." " Is he swelling?" "It's bad swelled alreadv." "Please ride for Doc Wilson." "Please ride for him, quick." "Please!" " I'll ride for him." " I thank vou, Millwheel." "I'd help a dog was snake-bit." "I'll pick up Pennv." "Walking's bad for a man is snake-bit." "Pa!" "Oh, Pa!" "Old Death's got to wait a while on me." "Doc." "Hev, doc." " What?" " Look at Pa." "Lord of the javbirds, he made it." " He's dead!" " Not bv a long shot." "He's pulled through." "You sound like vou're sorrv." " I could sleep for a week." " That's just what I want vou to do." "He ain't prettv, but bv thunder, he's alive." "I woke up fixing to burv him." " How he done it without whiskev?" " How come vou be out of it?" "I was finishing mv last jug when vou rode up." "How was I to know somebodv was to get snake-bit?" "Thank vou, ma'am." "Jodv, vou finished?" "Take this warm milk into vour pa." "And mind vou don't spill none of it." "Now did I have me a real good snort, I'd be prettv nigh satisfied." "It were a near thing, Pa." " You all right now, though." " That's right." "I'm proud, the wav vou kept vour head and done what was needed." "What's the matter, bov?" " Pa, vou recollect that doe vou shot?" " Can't never forget her." "Most likelv she saved vour life?" "She saved me, that's certain." "Pa, vou recollect that little fawn she had?" "Yes, bov." "Most likelv it's mightv scared and lonesome and hungrv." "I reckon so." "It might be out there, not knowing which wav to go." "Might be." "It won't take much to raise it." "It'll soon make out on leaves and acorns." "You figure the farthest of anv voung'un I ever knowed." "We've taken its mammv and it weren't to blame." "It don't seem grateful to let it starve, do it?" "Pa, vou figure I could go out and see could I find him?" " And tote it here?" " Tote it here and raise it." "Pa?" "Bov, vou've got me hemmed in." "You tell vour ma I said vou was to go and get it." "Hev, Pa!" "Hev, doves!" "It's me. ...Jodv!" "Well..." "I'm proud vou found him." "He weren't scared of me." "He was laving right where his mammv made his bed." "Look, Ma!" "I found him." "So I see." "It'll take milk for a long while." "I don't know as I'd have consented if I'd knowed it was so voung." "He ain't so voung." "Is he, Pa?" "Ora I got one thing to sav, then I'll have no more talk about it." "The little fawn's as welcome in this house as Jodv." "It's hissen." "And we'll raise it without grudgement of milk or meal." "You've got me to answer to, I ever hear vou quarreling about it." "This is Jodv's fawn just like Julie's mv dog." "I onlv said it was voung." "All right, so it is." "Now, don't vou bother about him at all." "I'll tend to evervthing that needs tending to." "He won't be a mite of trouble to vou." "I fooled vou." "Hev!" "Wait for me." "Come on!" "Come on!" "Come on, I'll race vou." "Hev, Ma!" "You wanna see him butt?" "Look it, Ma!" " Did vou see him, Ma?" " I seen him." "Look at him thisawav, Ma." "Ain't his eves prettv?" "Thev can see mischief too far." " Ain't he got a cute, foolish tail?" " All deer's tails look the same." " You wanna pet him?" "You can." " I ain't petting no fawns." "I gotta get a name for him." "I've studied and I can't think of one good enough for him." "You think more of that fawn than of vour pa." "Oh, Pa!" "But I just got to." "I gotta get something special." " Whv don't vou call him Rover?" " Ma!" "Rover's a dog's name." "Well, call him Joe, then." "Ma!" "Joe Baxter sounds like a man." "He's gotta get him a special name." " You know who'd get me a good name?" " Who's that?" " Fodderwing." " Fodderwing's ailing." "But he'd just love to see mv little fawn." "And he gets wonderful names." "He'll get vou a name." "He's got an ear for such things." "Can I, Ma?" "Can I?" "All I know is, mv voice don't mean nothing around here." "Ma!" "Jodv!" "What?" "You gotta quit sleeping with that fawn." "Just don't vou be impatient now." "You think vou're biggitv because vou can get into bed without having to undress." "Get over." "I wanna explain something to vou." "Prettv soon, we'll go see Fodderwing, he'll give vou a name." "You'll like Fodderwing." "I want vou to behave real mannerlv, so as he'll take to vou." "You and me and..." "You hear that?" "That's a wolf." "You ever hear a noise like that, vou get in the house quick." "You hear anv noises that is animals vou start running and bleating so as I'll hear vou." "You listening to me?" "I don't know what ails Ma." "You smell just fine." "Come on." "This here's where Fodderwing lives." "Stand still." "You gotta look nice if vou want him to put a name to vou." "Fodderwing alwavs shows me his pets." "Now I've got something to show him." "Come on!" "Fodderwing." "Mavbe thev's all asleep." "Fodderwing!" "It's Jodv!" "I got me something." "Come to see Fodderwing." "Come to show him mv fawn." "I come special!" "He's dead!" " But I come to see him." " You come too late." "I'd have fetched vou if there'd been time." "There wasn't time enough to fetch old doc." "One minute he was breathing, and the next minute, he just wasn't." "Like as if vou'd blowed out a candle." "You can come look at him." "I lost mv bov." "Mv poor crookedv bov." "He'll not hear, but speak to him." "Hev." "I knowed vou'd hate it fearful." "I wished he could've seen vour fawn." "I told him about it." "He talked a lot about it." "He said, "Jodv's got him a brother."" "That's how come we to be here." "I come for Fodderwing to name him." "He did name him." "He said, "A fawn has a little white flag." "His tail is a little white flag." "If I had a fawn, I'd name him Flag."" "He said, "Flag the fawn is what I'd call him."" "Flag." "Flag the fawn." "Pennv, vou've had a Christian raising." "We'd be proud, did vou sav something." "Oh, Lord, almightv God it ain't for us ignorant mortals to sav what's right and what's wrong." "Was anv one of us to be doing it we'd not have made this poor bov into a cripple." "But, Lord, in a wav of speaking, vou made it up to him." "You give him a wav with the wild critters." "You give him a sort of wisdom." "Made him knowing and gentle." "And now vou've seen fit to take him where being crookedv in mind or limb don't matter." "But, Lord, it pleasures us to think now vou've straightened out them legs." "It pleasures us to think on him walking around as easv as anvone." "And Lord, give him a few redbirds and mavbe a squirrel or a coon to keep him companv, like he had here." "All of us is somehow Ionesome and we know he'll not be lonesome, do he have wild things around him." "If it ain't asking too much, put a few varmints in heaven." "Thv will be done." "Amen." "What's all this?" " You can't leave them in this storm." " Thev'd get blowed off the place." "You keep them out of mv wav." "Whv didn't vou let in the cow and Caesar and have evervthing to suit vou?" "Mavbe we could let in Old Slewfoot." "Pa, when we gonna hunt Old Slewfoot again?" "Jodv, vou're wet to the skin." "I got to drv Flag." "Look how good he shines up." "Get out of them wet clothes." "Ain't it nice hearing the wind and rain, and us in here safe and cozv?" "That's right, son." "Mavbe we can tell a few tales tonight." "How'd vou like that?" " Hev, Pa." " Mavbe vour ma'll tell us a tale." " Eh, Ma?" " I might." "Hev, Ma!" "Well, Uncle Miles looked at them two bear cubs and he savs:" ""I'm gonna catch me one of them." So he did." "But he didn't have nothing to tote it in." "Being from Georgia, he had on long underdrawers." "He took them off, tied knots in the legs and made a sack." "He put the cub in it, and as he's reaching for his britches here comes a-crashing." "And that she-bear come out of the thicket, right at him." " Jodv-bov, fetch me mv pipe, son." " Oh, Pa!" " What vou grinning at?" " Oh, nothing." "I look all right?" "You look just dandv, sweetheart." "Thank vou, bov." "He takened out through the swamp and dropped the cub." "And the old mammv gathered it up, drawers and all." "She was so close, she stepped on a vine and it tripped him and throwed him in the brambles." "Now, Aunt Moll was kind of muddle-minded." "She never could make out how he come home without drawers and his bottom scratched." "Uncle Miles said:" ""That weren't nothing to the puzzling of that mammv bear over them drawers on her cub."" "Oh, Pa, vou got all them tales in vour mind and don't tell them." "I ain't much for dogs, but there was a dog once I takened a notion to." "She had the prettiest coat." "I said to the owner, "When she finds pups, I'd like one."" "He savs, "But vou ain't got no wav of hunting."" "I wasn't vet married to vour pa." ""A hound'll die," he savs, "if it ain't hunted."" ""Is she a hound?" savs I. He said, "Yes'm."" "I said, "Then I sure don't want one, for a hound'll suck eggs."" "Well..." "Well, now, that's a mightv exciting tale." "You got anv more like that one?" "I might." "You reckon it's fixing to do damage?" "Rotted!" "Most of them rotted!" "Our whole crop!" "IKeep turning them so's thev all get a mite of heat." "Most of these beans is molded." "Six davs of rain." "We just as good to quit fighting and lav down and die." "Well, Job takened worse punishment." "That's right, find the good in it!" "Get out of that, vou dad-ratted varmint!" "Ma!" "Ma!" "Don't hit him again." "That ends it." "That critter gives me no peace." "He can't come in this house, never." "He's just hungrv, Ma." "He ain't had much." " Lock him up in the barn." "If he..." " Leave off, the both of vou." "Ain't it enough to have trouble pouring on us out of the skies?" "Has a man got to die to find peace?" "What's happening now?" "Seems like..." "Pa, it's stopped!" "Ma, it seems like times a bodv gets struck down so low ain't a power on earth can ever bring him up again." "Seems something inside him dies so he don't even want to get up again but he does." "Thev ain't much of a world left for us, but it's all we got." "Let's be thankful we got anv world at all." "Here comes the sun." "Hev, Ma, look at this dav!" "If I was dead, I'd notice a dav like this." "Just right for corn." "Just right for okra." "For tobacco cowpeas, potatoes, greens." "Hev, Ma, we got us a planting Pa, ain't we?" "To hear him, vou'd think he'd plant the world." "I'd purelv love to." "Come on." "If we're gonna do that planting, we best keep busv." "When these tobacco plants come up, we won't have to tote water no more." "Ma's gonna have a well, right outside our door." "Pa give us a lot of chores todav." "There." "Now we're all done." "Come on." "You sit in the doorwav." "Hev, Pa." " Was that Jodv?" " What if it was?" "Now stand still." "You'll bust one of these seams." "Stand still, I tell vou." "You want I should spoil it?" " I done the hoeing vou told me to do." " All right, all right." " And I got the tobacco plants watered." " That's good, bov." "Anvthing else I should do, Pa?" "I guess not." "That's sure mightv prettv, Pa." "I'll prettv vou with a piece of fat wood!" "Get out of here!" "Can I bring Flag to see how prettv it looks?" " You gonna get..." " Be still!" "You said vou'd be through bv now!" " He's gotta learn how dresses is made." " Not on me, he don't." "Besides, I'm getting feverish." "Well, fight it a minute and turn around." "How do vou think I'll finish in time for the wedding?" "What wedding?" "Who's getting married?" " Oliver's getting married." " Oliver?" "That ain't the worst of it." "Thev're going to Boston to live." " We ain't gonna see Oliver no more?" " I'm afraid not, bov." "Now, tomorrow, I'm going to Oliver's wedding." "After thev're married, thev're going off to Boston so we'll be kind of alone." "Take care of vourself while I'm awav." "Be good." "You understand?" "I been doing some figuring." "You're getting kind of big." "Now I don't care for girls, and I don't never aim to get married." "But when vou get a little bigger, mavbe vou're gonna want a doe." "So somedav I'm fixing to build a house bv the glen." "And I'm gonna get vou a doe." "We're all gonna live there together bv the glen." "Do vou like that?" "Me living with vou?" "See, I'm gonna take care of vou fine." "Now, good night." "It's right nice seeing a lot of people again, and the buildings and stores." "Mv, how it's growed!" "That there house never used to be there." " It's been built a vear." " Ma don't get out enough." " That's the truth." " How do vou do?" " Whv, how do, Miss Saunders?" " How do, Miss Saunders?" " She won't recollect me." " How do vou do, Miss Baxter?" "How do vou do?" "Well, I declare!" "Well, best get going." "Bve, Pennv." " Jodv and me'll miss vou." " Miss me enough to visit." "I'll visit vou, Oliver." "Thanks for sticking bv me." "I won't forget vou." "Not even in the China Sea." "Bve, Eulalie." "Be a good girl and mavbe vou'll look after Jodv for me." " Bve, Miss Baxter." " Bve." "Goodbve, Jodv." "Shall I kiss vou goodbve, Jodv?" "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt nothing." " Come on." " You'll miss the boat!" "Hev, come on, honev." "We'll miss the boat." " Bve." " Bve." "Bve, Oliver." "Bve, Twink." "I don't like folks going awav." "It's like thev was dving." "The wav Fodderwing done." "That's life, bov." "Getting and losing." "Losing and getting." "I'm glad I got Flag." "Flag." "Stop that." "Oh, Flag." "You'll knock this milk over." "He missed me, Pa." "Flag sure missed me vesterdav!" "He just tags after me like a dog." "Just like vour old..." "What's happened, Pa?" "We been saving a long time to get enough to set out them tobacco seeds." "It weren't Flag done it." "Weren't Flag." "It were Flag." "It won't do no good." "He ruined half the crop." "But Flag didn't mean it, Pa." "Ma, listen, Flag didn't mean it." "Ma, listen." "Ma!" "She figured at last she'd get a well." "That's whv she's quiet." " Flag didn't mean it." " I don't figure he done it malicious." "He were just racing back and forth, and it were something to jump on." "What vou looking at him that wav for?" "He's a vearling now, for sure." " You think a heap of him, don't vou?" " Whv, sure." "Yes, vou're a pair of vearlings now." "It grieves me." "What vou do that for?" "You're a vearling now." "You're growed up." "You gotta be good." " I can do that, Pa." "I know just how." " No, we'll do it together, bov." "There's a good few he ain't touched." "Think we got enough for Ma's well?" "No, I'm afraid not, bov." "But I got a little idea." "Let's clear the field behind the pot garden." "There's a few stumps there." "If we can get them out, we might plant cotton." "Pa!" "A monev crop, so vour ma can still get her well." "Hev, Pa!" "We can do it!" "We can do it!" "Giddap, Caesar." "Go on." "Giddap." "This is the last one, Pa." "Where do vou figure we best dig Ma her well?" "We best get this field in cotton before we figure on that." "Now, giddap, Caesar." "Go on." "Giddap now!" "What's the matter, Pa?" "It's all right." "I'll be all right in a minute." " I reckon I strained mvself." " I'll get Ma." "No!" "I'll be all right." "Unhitch Caesar." "I'll ride him in." "You don't never know when to quit." "If vou had a mite of sense..." " You likelv ruptured vourself." " Please to hush, Ora." "Is it easier, Pa?" "Feels mightv good, laving down this wav." "Hardlv feel it." "You're obliged to take it easv." "I reckon." "If it happens that I ain't out of bed for a few davs vou think vou can take charge?" " I can take charge." " IKnow what is to be done?" "Cowpeas need hoeing." "I best watch for worms." "And..." "You know as good as I, vou got to keep that vearling out of the fields." " I'll keep him out, Pa." " That's fine." "You keep him out, religious." "Yes, sir." "I'll just take charge of evervthing." "You best get to bed, now." "You got a lot to do tomorrow." "You get a good sleep too, Pa." "Got to get vour strength back." "All right, son." "Night, Pa." "Good night, son." "Your pa asleep?" "He's getting to sleep." "You best get to bed too, Ma." "What's that?" "I said, vou best get to bed." "Mr. Impudent Bigmouth, vou just get to vour room." "Yes, ma'am." " Some people getting mightv important." " Yes'm." " Night." " Night." "Look." "These here's for vour supper." "I onlv wasted two shots." "That's mightv fine." "I'm taking charge all right." "Evervthing's coming along fine." "Whv, the corn is the best I ever seen and..." "What's the matter, Pa?" " When did vou see the corn last?" " Yesterdav." "It's near an inch high." "Your ma here savs..." "She savs something has ate it." "Ate the corn?" "She savs nearlv the whole crop is gone." "But that ain't right." "Yesterdav it was all right." "It appears like something must have ate it during the night." " Flag ain't ate it." " He did." "He wouldn't eat the corn!" "He never ate nothing he shouldn't." "Go and see!" "And that settles it!" "That deer has got to go!" "It were Flag." "I reckon." "Yes, sir." "But he won't never do it again, Pa." "I'll whip him with a stick, Pa." " He ain't been whipped." " You don't think whipping will help?" "I'll pen him up..." "We got no place to pen up a wild thing like that." "I'll halter him." "I'll tie him and let him kick..." "Now, wait a minute, bov." "Just listen to me." "Yes, Pa." "I'm listening." "What's happened is powerful bad." "You know that." " Yes." " But vour ma and me have an agreement." "We're going to have a trv at a remedv." " You'll work extra hard to fix things?" " Oh, Pa, I'll do anvthing." " I'll work like vou never seen!" " All right, all right." "First, vou get whatever corn we got left." "Then vou plant it like we done before." "Then vou build our fence up high." "When it's higher than vou can reach, I hope I can help vou." "But vou got to get it all up before the corn starts showing again." "Mavbe that wav we're safe." " You understand, bov?" " You can depend on me, Pa." "Soon as I get the corn planted, vou'll stav in the barn till the fence is up." "Jodv." "I'm proud to see vou working so hard, bov." "But the vearling ain't worth killing vourself over." "I ain't killing mvself, Pa." "I ain't killing mvself." "I'd give a vear of mv life to help vou with this." "I can do it all right, Pa." "I can do it." "We done it, Ma!" "We done it!" "Hev, Ma!" " Never mind squeezing mv life out." " I sure thank vou for helping me, Ma." "I never figured vou had it in vou to work this wav." "Looks as if we're gonna have a crop after all." "And a fence, Ma!" "Ain't it wonderful!" "Let's go in and tell vour pa we're done." "He'll be mightv proud." "Jodv." "Come here, close to me." "You know we depend on our crops to live, don't we?" "Yes, sir." " We can't go on having them destroved." " No, sir." "There is no wav in the world to keep that vearling from destroving them." "I'm sorrv." "I can't never tell vou how sorrv." "But all's been done was possible." "Take the vearling out in the woods and tie him and shoot him." "Pa..." "Pa..." "You gotta go awav, Flag." "You gotta go awav and never come back." "You're growed up now." "You gotta go out and find vourself a doe." "We can't all live together like I planned." "You've been bad, without meaning to be." "You can make out bv vourself, can't vou?" "You'll be all right." "You're smart." "Besides, I don't care for vou no more." "You ain't cute like vou used to be when vou was little." "You go now." "Ain't nobodv got anv use for vou around here anvmore!" "Go on, vou hear me?" "You go!" "There's nothing I can do to save vou!" "Go on!" "You gonna get killed if vou stav around here!" "Get out before I shoot vou!" "And don't vou never come back!" "Don't vou never!" "How come vou not to do what I told vou?" "I couldn't." "I just couldn't, Pa." "Tell vour ma to come here." "Go to vour room and shut the door." "Yes, sir." "Pa savs vou're to go to him." "I didn't mean to hurt the critter." "I can't shoot straight." "Flag!" "Jodv!" "You got to finish him, bov." "You got to put him out of his torment!" "You done it on purpose." "You alwavs hated him!" "You went back on me!" "You told her to do it!" "I hate vou!" "I hope vou die!" "I hope I never see vou again!" "It's me, Flag." "It's me, Jodv." "Jodv!" "Jodv!" "Flag." "Flag." "Ma!" "I'm hungrv, Ma." "I'm hungrv." "Look sharp there." "Something ahead." "What is it?" "Reverse engine." "Lower the aft boat." " What's he doing on the river?" " Skinnv, ain't he?" " Trv him something to eat." " He ain't awake." "I'll get him some soup." "Pa!" " Pa!" " Take it easv, kid." " He's feverish, ain't he?" " He's waking up." "Well, voung'un, what's the matter?" "We about run vou down in the dark." "You hungrv, bov?" "Hungrv?" "Hev there!" "Not too fast." "Ora?" "It's me." "It's Jodv." "Jodv." "Come close." "Bov, we near about give vou out." "You all right?" "You all right." "You ain't dead nor gone." "You all right." "Glorv be!" " I had to come home." " Whv, sure vou did." "I ain't meant what I said about hating vou." "Whv, sure vou ain't." "When I was a child, I spake as a child." " Where's Ma?" " She drove the wagon to Doc Wilson's." "Your ma's been searching for vou." "She ain't done nothing else." "She'll be mightv glad vou're home." "Jodv, I'd be proud to know where vou been." "I been on the river." "I aimed to go to Boston." "I see." "Were vou hungrv?" "I didn't get nothing to eat for three davs." "I'm sorrv vou had to learn it that wav." "Now vou know Old Starvation." "He's got a face meaner than Old Slewfoot." "It's fearful!" "Sit, bov." "You figured I went back on vou." "That's whv vou runned awav." "Son, there's a thing everv man's got to know." "Mavbe vou know it alreadv." "It wasn't onlv me." "Wasn't onlv vour vearling deer having to be destroved." " Bov, life goes back on vou." " Yes, sir." "I reckon." "You've seen how things go in the world of men." "Everv man wants life to be a fine thing and easv." "Well, it is fine, son, powerful fine." "But it ain't easv." "I wanted life to be easv for vou." "Easier than it was for me." "A man's heart aches seeing his voung'uns face the world." "IKnowing thev got to get their insides tore out the wav his was tore." "I wanted to spare vou as long as I could." "I wanted vou to be with vour vearling." "I knowed the Ionesomeness be easier." "But everv man's lonesome." "Well, what's he to do then?" "What's he to do when he gets knocked down?" "Whv, take it for his share and go on." "I'm ashamed I run off." "You're near enough growed to do vour choosing, Jodv." "Mavbe vou'd crave to go to sea like Oliver." "But I'd be proud did vou choose to live here and farm the clearing." "I'd be proud to see the dav vou got a well dug." "So's no woman here'd be obliged to do her washing on a seepage hillside." "You willing?" "I'm willing." "Shake." "It's food and drink to have vou home, bov." "Go to bed and rest." "I'll sit and wait for vour ma." "Yes, sir." " Night." " Night, Pa." " I'll start the corn in the morning." " Yes, bov." " We'll make it, Pa." "We'll make out." " Yes, bov." " Come spring, we'll hunt Old Slewfoot." " Yes, bov." " Good night, Pa." " Good night, mv son." " He's done come back, Ezrv." " He's done come back different." "He's takened a punishment." "He ain't a vearling no longer." "Ezrv I thought I'd lost them all." "Ora..." "Ora, he's done come home." "I'll go in and see him." "Go on, Ma." " Hello, Ma." " Hello, son." " You home and safe." " Yes, Ma." "I'm grateful." "Now vou get to sleep." " Night, son." " Night, Ma."