That's what I says, says I." To this general remark Dr.Small assented in his invisible--shall I say _intangible_ ?--way.
"I allers think, maybe, that some folks has found it best to leave home and go away.

You can't never tell.

But when people is a-bein' robbed it's well to lookout.

Hey ?" "I think so," said Small quietly, and, having taken his hat and bowed a solemn and respectful adieu, he departed.
He had not spoken twenty words, but he had satisfied the news-monger of Flat Creek that Ralph was a bad character at home and worthy of suspicion of burglary.
FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 18: The original from which this character was drawn is here described accurately.

The author now knows that such people are not to be put into books.