Bill said he'd spear him with a boathook as soon as he hove in sight for fear he'd get away.

Ace was sure the hunchback was a witch[3] who had spirited off my folks; and looked upon the situation without much hope.

He would agree to sing out if he saw this monster; but that was as far as he would promise to help me.
[3] "Witch" in American dialect is of the common gender.

"Wizard" has no place in the vocabulary .-- G.v.d.M.
The summer went by with no news and no hunchback; and that winter I stayed with an aunt of Captain Sproule's, taking care of her stock.

I got five dollars a month, and my keep, but no schooling.