“ ‘Tain’t so, ma! Don’t you believe him!” vociferated Tommy, with unblushing falsehood.
“I don’t believe it,” said Mrs. Brackett, forcibly. “I know he is telling lies about you, my angel!”
Andy was not in the least excited, but he was rather amused.
“You may believe it or not, Mrs. Brackett,” he said. “I only tell you that it is so.”
“Tain’t so! ’tain’t so!” yelled Tommy.
“Of course it isn’t,” said his mother. “I won’t believe any of that bad boy’s lies. Go back to your work, you young brute; and take care how you touch my darling boy again.”
“You had better advise him not to touch me again, Mrs. Brackett,” said Andy.
And, without waiting for an answer, he went back to his work.
Not a word was said to Tommy about what he had done, and he was emboldened to continue his persecutions.
Five minutes afterward, he went out into the yard again and shied a stone at Andy’s head.