"I hates to lie, Mister Jodie, but I gwine t' do it for Stray. This mornin' Mister Wes passes by early. Say he be fetchin' the Law! I gets plum worried!"
"If Mister Wes does bring the sheriff, he—"
"I wants you to take me to town, Mister Jodie, quick as you can. I gwine t' tell the Lawmens I killed Mister Ward 'fore I lets them take the boy!"
"No, Ned! No! That wouldn't do! It'd just make matters Worse!"
"Papa, come look here at my shell!"
"Baby, don't bother me right now!"
"See? Stray's got lots of them. He just give me one, and Shoogie one."
"One what?"
I could tell Papa wasn't half listening.
"A done-shot shell, Papa. See? It's pretty yellow. See? And Stray may give me his best one, too!"