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"Ho!" said Ike with a snap, and he bent down to chop an enorave it a flip with the

corner of his spade, and sent it flying up into a pear-tree, where I saw

it hanging across a twig till it writhed itself over, when, one end of

its long body being heavier than the other, it dropped back on to the

soft earth with a slight pat

Still Ike did not speak, and all at once I heard Old Brownso now, Ike," I said, "I'll come back and say `Good-bye'"

"And after the way as I've tried toto hisso remorselessly

"It isn't ain as

soon as I can"

"Who said it war your fault?"

"No one, Ike," I said humbly "Don't be cross withhis spade

"You seeain as soon as I can," I repeated

"Nobody don't want you," he growled

"Grant!"

"Co away as

hard as ever he could, without looking atthat I ratefully to hiht of how cal , and that I reeable kind of lad, since, with the exception of Mrs Dodley and

the cat, nobody seemed to care whether I went away or stayed