“I reckon he's back at Belle Plain by this time. You see we left him in Raleigh along after noon to 'tend to some business he had on hand. I never seen a gentleman of his weight so truly spry on his legs—and all about you, Nevvy; while as to mind! Sho—why, words flowed out of him as naturally as water out of a branch.”
Of Hannibal's relationship to the judge he said nothing. He felt that was a secret to be revealed by the judge himself when he should see fit.
“Uncle Bob, who'm I going to live with now?” questioned Hannibal anxiously.
“That p'int's already come up, Nevvy—him and me's decided that there won't be no friction. You-all will just go on living with him.”
“But what about you, Uncle Bob?” cried Hannibal, lifting a wistful little face to Yancy's.
“Oh, me?—well, you-all will go right on living with me.”
“And what will come of Mr. Mahaffy?”
“I reckon you-all will go right on living with him, too.”
“Uncle Bob, you mean you reckon we are all going to live in one house?”
“I 'low it will have to be fixed that-a-ways,” agreed Yancy.