Cy in Chains Read Online Free PDF Page B

ain’t mad at me?”
    â€œHow the hell should I know? That’s all he said. Just do like the man says. If I was you, I’d sure want me a bath. You stink, boy!”
    The two men walked away. The hound sniffed at Cy’s leg and then, losing interest, followed his masters to the barn.
    Free, Cy raced to the outhouse, where he sat in the half-light. His chest was heaving, and he stayed there long after he’d finished his business, trying to calm down and figure out what to do next. Something wasn’t right. He didn’t know whether or not to believe what the Sconyers boys had told him. But he couldn’t think of anything else to do but go to the cabin.
    He was headed down the hill when he heard Uncle Daniel calling. The old man caught up with him. Cy could tell he’d been crying. Together, they walked toward the quarter.
    â€œThey told me to go home and stay there,” Cy told him.
    â€œThat’s right. Mist’ John say for me to tell you the same thing. He tol’ Dorcas an’ me what happen. I’s suppos’ to take that horse and rub him down good. They gon’ wash and dress that po’ child, and Mist’ John say we got to dig his grave next to Miz Annie’s.”
    â€œWhat happened, Uncle Daniel? How Mist’ John find Travis an’ me?” Cy had been wondering this on and off ever since the point of Strong’s boot had wakened him at dawn. Had Uncle Daniel betrayed the two boys? He didn’t want to believe it, but how else could Strong have known how to find them?
    â€œHe come ’round to our place ’bout four in the mornin’, knockin’ on the door fit to bust it down and shoutin’, ‘Where Travis?’ I didn’t like to let him know the truth, but I was afeared to lie, so I told him.”
    â€œAw,
why
you do that? You shouldn’t o’ said nothin’!”
    â€œPlease don’t be angry with me, son. I cain’t stand it if you is. I never thought things could turn out thisaway.” Tears coursed down his cheeks.
    Cy felt sorry for him. “It’s all right, Uncle Daniel. You didn’t mean no harm. What happen then?”
    The old man wiped his nose on his sleeve. “Mist’ John an’ me went over to yo’ place and looked in, and we didn’t see you, so I knowed you wasn’t back yet. Yo’ daddy was still sound asleep, so Mist’ John say to leave him be.”
    â€œWhere Daddy now?”
    â€œI’s comin’ to that. Strong say he was gon’ to get some help to look for you boys and for me to stay ’round the place. At dawn I was suppos’ to find Pete and tell him to get to work first thing and see to the plowin’, considerin’ how the wet weather done kept him outta the field till now and it so important to get that seed into the ground. I did like he told me. Mist’ John was actin’ calmed down by then, like you boys bein’ gone warn’t really no big thing—he just wanted to find y’all, and them Sconyers boys got theyselves a good trackin’ dog.”
    Uncle Daniel’s explanation still didn’t make sense. “He for sure ain’t mad at me?” Cy asked.
    â€œNot now, son. He allowed that maybe back at the river he was mad, but he don’t blame you none. He say he had time to think it over while y’all was walkin’ back, and he realize it all jus’ a accident. ‘A terrible accident,’ is how he put it. And he say he ’preciate how you tried to save his boy.”
    â€œIs that really what he say?” None of it sounded like the John Strong Cy knew.
    â€œGod’s truth. And also he know you must be all tuckered out after tryin’ to save Travis and for you to rest. You can tell yo’ daddy what happen when he get back from the fields. Strong say he send word later when he finish makin’ plans ’bout when we gon’ bury