He stopped as I came sobbing to his feet.
"Why, what's the matter ?" he asked gently, as he took the tea cup from my hand, and sat down upon his heels.
I could only fall into his arms and express myself in the grief of childhood.

He hugged me close and begged me to tell him what was the matter.
"That Wills boy stole my melon," I said, and the words came slow with sobs.
"Oh, no he didn't," said Uncle Peabody.
"Yes he did.

I saw a piece o' the rin'." "Well by--" said Uncle Peabody, stopping, as usual, at the edge of the precipice.
"He's a snake," I added.
"And you fit and he scratched you up that way ?" "I scratched him, too." "Don't you say a word about it to Aunt Deel.

Don't ever speak o' that miserable melon ag'in to anybody.

You scoot around to the barn, an' I'll be there in a minute and fix ye up." He went by the road with the tea and I ran around to the lane and up to the stable.