“Yes, Dixie’s here,” coaxed Suly, “and I’m here and Thad’s here with the wagon and we’re goin’ to carry you right home to your gran’daddy.”
By now Thaddeus was beside them. “Well, what about it!” was all he could say, but he acted promptly upon Suly’s bidding and lifted the boy into the wagon.
Suly wrapped him in a time-worn blanket of confederate gray that had been doing duty as a cushion and set him between them.
“Now where was you a-goin’ to?” interrogated the amazed Thaddeus, taking up the reins and driving slowly on.
“I—don’t—know,” sobbed the child.
“Why he was going home,” kindly assisted Suly.
“Where have you been at?” persisted Thaddeus.
“I—don’t—know.”
“Well how’d you git here, anyway?”
“Now Thad, you quit pesterin’ him,” commanded Suly.