these here devil flies. You reckon hit’ll eveh git changed into something diff’ent — some kind er a bird?”

“A bird? No, no. When he becomes a f — fly, he’s finished and done for.”

“P’r’aps ther is some folks that-a-way, too. You reckon that’s what ails me?”

“You? Why, — why what ails you?”

“You reckon p’r’aps I mount git changed some way outen this here quare back I got, so’t I can hol’ my hade like otheh folks? Jes’ go to sleep like, an’ wake up straight like Frale?”

The old doctor turned and looked down a moment on the child sitting hunched