"And I'll bring his letter the next time he can't come." "Were you scared this time ?" I told her about that Something in the dry bed, the wolves, wildcats, Paddy Ryan, and the Gypsies.
"You little goosie," said the Princess.

"I am afraid that brother Leon of yours is the biggest rogue loose in this part of the country.
Didn't it ever occur to you that people named Wolfe live over there, and they call that crowd next us 'wildcats,' because they just went on some land and took it, and began living there without any more permission than real wildcats ask to enter the woods?
Do you suppose I would be here, and everywhere else I want to go, if there were any danger?
Did anything really harm you coming ?" "You're harmed when you're scared until you can't breathe," I said.
"Anyway, nothing could get me coming, because I held the letter tight in my hand, like Laddie said.

If you'd write me one to take back, I'd be safe going home." "I see," said the Princess.

"But I've no pencil, and no paper, unless I use the back of one of Laddie's letters, and that wouldn't be polite." "You can make new fashions," I said, "but you don't know much about the woods, do you?
I could fix fifty ways to send a message to Laddie." "How would you ?" asked the Princess.
Running to the pawpaw bushes I pulled some big tender leaves.

Then I took the bark from the box and laid a leaf on it.
"Press with one of your rings," I said, "and print what you want to say.