Jethro reached for the whip like he had intentions of taking a lick at us, but he changed his mind.
“You know all the kids in Wicksville,” says he. “This was a strange one—one you hain’t never seen before. See sich a one?”
“No,” says Mark. “What’s he runnin’ away for?”
“’Cause he’s a ongrateful little skunk,” says Jethro. “If you see any strange kids sort of hidin’ around, you tell me and I’ll give you a dollar.”
“You’re Mr. Wigglesworth’s man, hain’t you?” says Mark, like he didn’t know.
“Yes,” says Jethro.
“Didn’t know you had a b-boy,” says Mark.
“He wasn’t mine. I was sort of guardian over him.”
“Oh!” says Mark. “And he’s run off and you want us to help you f-find him?”
Jethro didn’t say anything for a minute, but thought it over. Then he says to himself something about kids being all over creation and seeing everything that goes on. After that he says to us: