And what'll I say ?" Winslow turned and looked at him.
"Seems to me, Sam," he answered, "that if that thing happened there'd be only one thing to say.

You'd just have to tell him that you'd listen to his reasons and if they seemed good enough to let the boy off, for your part you'd vote to let him off.

If they didn't seem good enough--why--" "Well--what ?" "Why, then Leander'd have to go to war and his dad could go to--" "Eh?
Go on.

I want to hear you say it.

Where could he go ?" Jed wiped the surplus paint from his brush on the edge of the can.
"To sellin' hardware," he concluded, gravely, but with a twinkle in his eye.
Captain Sam sniffed, perhaps in disappointment.