Mother won't like it as 'tis." "Whip you ?" "'Spect so; don't mind it if she does." Ezra brought a great show of courage to balance the other's immunity from danger.

"Don't mind nothin' 'bout a little whippin'," he added, with a brave and contemptuous air.

He whistled as he went on.
Ephraim stood watching him.

He had enough brave blood in his veins to feel that this contempt of a whipping was a greater thing than not being whipped.

He felt an envious admiration of Ezra Ray, but that did not prevent his calling after him: "Ezra!" "What say ?" "You ain't goin' to tell my mother ?" "Didn't I say I wasn't?
I don't tell fibs.