“Back!” says Mark. “If we do any walkin’ it’ll be ahead.”

“Sixteen miles to Sunfield,” says I.

Mark turned around to the liveryman. “Got a good horse to rent us?”

“Nary horse,” says the man. “Every rig I got’s engaged. Travelin’ men rented ’em last night.”

“Anybody else r-rent horses here?”

“Nobody,” says the man.

“We g-got to git to Sunfield,” says Mark. “How’ll we manage it?”

“Walk,” says the man.

“Hain’t there an automobile?” says I.

“Nary a soul in this burg owns one of them things,” says he.