The Mountain Girl by Emma Payne Erskine Chapter 23 Page 15

The child’s eyes glowed. He pulled David down and held him with his arm about his neck, and whispered in his ear, and what he said was: —

“When they’re a-pullin’ on me to git my hade straight an’ my back right, I jes’ think ‘bout the far — far-away sea, with the ships a-sailin’ an’ how hit look, an’ hit don’t hurt so much. I kin b’ar hit a heap bettah. When you comin’ back, brothah David?”

“Does it hurt you very much, Hoyle?”

“I reckon hit have to hurt,” said the child, with fatalistic resignation. “I don’t guess he’d hurt me ‘thout he had to.” He released David slowly, then pulled him down again. “Don’t