"That Wills boy stole my melon," I said, and the words came slow with sobs.
"Oh, no he didn't," said Uncle Peabody.
"Yes he did. I saw a piece o' the rin'."
"Well by—" said Uncle Peabody, stopping, as usual, at the edge of the precipice.
"He's a snake," I added.
"And you fit and he scratched you up that way?"
"I scratched him, too."
"Don't you say a word about it to Aunt Deel. Don't ever speak o' that miserable melon ag'in to anybody. You scoot around to the barn, an' I'll be there in a minute and fix ye up."
He went by the road with the tea and I ran around to the lane and up to the stable. Uncle Peabody met me there in a moment and brought a pail of water and washed my face so that I felt and looked more respectable.
"If Aunt Deel asks ye about them scratches you just tell her that you and Hen had a little disagreement," said my uncle.