“Me? No; I ain't got to go anywheres. But 'twas you I was thinkin' of. Wouldn't want to leave the old man, hey?”
“To leave YOU! Oh, Uncle Cyrus!”
She was staring at him now and her chin was trembling.
“Uncle,” she demanded, “you ain't going to send me away? Haven't I been a good girl?”
The captain's lips shut tight. He waited a moment before replying. “'Deed you've been a good girl!” he said brusquely. “I never saw a better one. No, I ain't goin' to SEND you away. Don't you worry about that.”
“But Alicia Atkins said one time you told somebody you was going to send me out West, after a while. I didn't believe it, then, she's so mean, but she said you said—”
“SAID!” Captain Cy groaned. “The Lord knows what I ain't said! I've been a fool, dearie, and it's a judgment on me, I guess.”
“But ain't you goin' to keep me? I—I—”
She sobbed. The captain stroked her hair.
“Keep you?” he muttered. “Yes, by the big dipper! I'm goin' to keep you, if I can—if I can.”