I guess you most hadn't oughter gone unbeknownst to your mother, sonny." "Barney's sled jest beat Ezra's all holler." "It did, hey?
That allers was a good sled," returned the old man, chuckling.
Caleb went into the pantry again, and returned rattling a handful of corn.

"Want a game of holly-gull ?" he asked.

"I've got a leetle time to spare now while mother's gone." "Guess so," replied Ephraim.

He dragged his chair forward to the hearth; he and his father sat opposite each other and played the old childish game of holly-gull.

Ephraim was very fond of the game, and would have played it happily hour after hour had not Deborah esteemed it a sinful waste of time.