Me'n Bandershanks ain't see'd no
pigs. No pigs a-tall!"
Mama was surprised to see Shoogie. And she was afraid we had
both just about played our dresses to pieces.
Papa helped Mama up into the buggy, and she held Miss Dink's
gun and the reins till he could climb in.
"Nannie, I doubt if this old thing can be fixed. Just look,
both hammers are rusty as all get-out. What's Miss Dink's idea,
anyway?"
"Well, she's sick and worried, of course. The gun belonged to
her husband, and she thinks it'd be some protection-now that her
and Ophelia and the young'uns are by themselves all the time."
"I'll oil it up and see what I can do. But it's not any
'count." I tried to get Papa to let me look at Miss Dink's
shotgun, but he wouldn't. He said guns were not for girls. He
laid it across his knees and took the reins from Mama.
Papa gave Dale a light slap with the reins, and we drove on
toward home. We didn't even stop to talk to Mister Wes Bailey,
even though he was standing out on his front porch as we passed
by. He and Papa just raised their hands to each other, the way
men always do.
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