She says she's afraid something has happened to him." Jerome stuck his spade upright in the ground and stared at her.

"What does she s'pose has happened ?" he said, slowly.

Jerome had no imagination for disasters.
"She thinks maybe he's fell down, or some wood's fell on him, or Peter's run away." "Peter wouldn't ever run away; it's much as ever he'll walk lately, an' father don't ever fall down." Elmira fairly danced up and down in the fresh mould.

She caught her brother's arm and twitched it and pushed him fiercely.

"Go along, go along!" she cried.