A FAVOR FOR A FRIEND

            "I sure 'nough 'ppreciate this, Mr. Boyles," Penny Baxter said.

            "That's quite a'right. I know you need it for a right important reason. Lucky these here newfangled things been invented. Pity I cain't rightly give you privacy, but I got a business to run."

            Penny waved that away, and assured him, "Don't matter. You know what this's 'bout, good's I do. Ain't no secret." He reached tentatively for the receiver of the newly wall-mounted telephone and gingerly lifted it from its cradle. "'Sides, ain't your fault these here things cain't be put in folks' homes."

            "That'll never happen," the shopkeeper assured him with a chuckle, turning away to serve a newly-entered customer.

            Penny muttered under his breath, "Now see kin this here piece o' paper tell me how I'm s'posed to call Boston on this gadget."

            The Boston operator agreed to summon the requested party or parties as promptly as possible, and to have him or her return the call to the Volusia, Florida, General Store. Penny waited anxiously for the returning ring. He only had to fidget for about an hour, and then grabbed the receiver on the first ring.

            "Ezra?" Mrs. Hutto answered in surprise. "Oliver and me's both here. This must be mighty important iffen hit couldn't wait for a letter. What's wrong??"

            "Olivia! Oliver! Please come home! We need you...right bad!"

            Oliver demanded, "Somebody sick? What's happened?!" Penny envisioned both of his listeners awkwardly trying to grasp the salt-shaker-shaped receiver between them.

            "I...cain't 'splain too good on the phone. Hit's a long story! Jest please come!"

            "Ezra...," Mrs. Hutto said hesitantly, but sternly. She didn't want to let her old friend down, but she couldn't face risking her son's life for any but the most dire reason, and not even then without some reassurance. "We cain't go back to Floridy. You know that."

            "Olivia," Penny assured her firmly, "I kin guarantee that you nor Oliver'll be in no danger at all."

            After a bit more discussion, they agreed, still reluctantly, to meet him in Grahamsville, Florida: the nearest that they would dare to approach.

            A few days later, the two transplanted Bostonians met an anxious, rather frantic Penny Baxter at the appointed place.

            After brief hugs, and without verbal preliminaries, Mrs. Hutto demanded, "Now, Ezra, you takened respons'bility for Oliver's safety: jest how kin you guarantee he ain't in no danger?!"

            Penny stated flatly, "'Cause the Forresters is all in jail. Ever' one of 'em."

            Olivia and Oliver stared.

            Penny clarified, "Well, I mean, all six o' them fellers. Not the parents. But Mr. and Mrs. Forrester ain't no danger to nobody; I reckon you know that."

            Oliver nodded briefly. "But...why??" He visibly couldn't decide whether or not to laugh.

            "For murder. For murderin' you."

            There was a rather long, pregnant pause.

            Then Oliver made a sound of derision. "I admit they beat hell outen me. But...murder me???"

            Penny shook his head at Olivia. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But Oliver, we lied. The Forresters burnt your house."

            The sailor blinked and stuttered incoherently.

            Olivia emitted an unaccustomed curse, and shook her head hard at the unfortunate revelation of her lie to her son.

            Penny stammered on, "The sheriff figgers they burnt you to death. That they beat you...or shot you...and left you to die in the fire that they set." He waited.

            Oliver tried and again failed to respond in any complete, recognizable sentence.

            Penny laid the verbal coup de grace, "The sheriff aims to hang 'em. Now, I know you two hate 'em. But do you really want they should hang...for a murder they ain't done?"

            Oliver gave up trying to speak and stared, stunned.

            Penny hung his head. "I know you two've allus hated the fact that the Forresters is our friends. Our only friends, 'cept for the two o' you. But now you two're gone from our lives. The Forresters is all we got left. We don't wanta lose 'em. We cain't lose 'em. You don't know how many times they saved our lives. Buck and Mill-wheel saved me after I was snakebit. Buck takened keer of us for a week whilst I recovered from the snakebite. All of 'em saved us from the pack o' wolves that was attackin' oncet. They often fetch us along on their hunts, Jody and me, which keeps us a heap safer'n goin' alone, jest my boy and me by ourselves." He hesitated. "The plain truth is we need 'em. We cain't make out in the scrub alone. They been good to us. They even...forgave us...for takin' your side in the fight." He waited.

            Oliver asked softly, "What is it you need from us?"

            Penny's head rose. "Go see the sheriff. Show him you ain't dead."

            Olivia broke in sharply, "But then them devils'll see Oliver. Sheriff's office ain't but one room!"

            "Don't matter," Penny said. "The Forresters is b'hind bars. They cain't touch you."

            "But after I prove 'em innocent o' murder, the sheriff'll let 'em out!" Oliver shivered. "And they'll git me!"

            Penny assured soothingly, "I a'ready talked private to the sheriff. He knows he needs to give you two time to git away safe, 'fore he turns 'em a-loose, so's he'll not have a real murder on his hands."

            With clear misgivings, and at least somewhat against their better judgment, Oliver and Olivia Hutto followed Penny Baxter to the sheriff's office.

            As planned, Penny stepped inside first, to verify that the sheriff was indeed present, and that the Forresters were still firmly behind bars. He said, "Sheriff, I promised to show you proof that these fellers ain't kilt Oliver Hutto."

            The sheriff looked interested. From behind bars, the Forresters appeared hopeful.

            Penny then stepped aside, permitting the two Huttos to gingerly slide inside from behind him.

            Self-consciously, Oliver met the Forresters' eyes. To his amazement, their expressions, to a man, were not hostile, ...but grateful.

            "Thanks for comin'," Buck actually said.

            "I'm...glad we ain't...kilt you," Mill-wheel offered.

            "I'm glad you're glad," Oliver stammered awkwardly. Then, impulsively, he blurted, "Lem...? I'm sorry."

            Lem hesitated. "For what, 'xactly?"

            Oliver let out a long sigh. "She loved both of us. She picked me 'cause o' the fight. What you-all...done to me...scared hell outen her. She decided you-all was jest too dangerous to mess with."

            Lem wondered, "Then, ...why're you sorry?"

            "'Cause I started the fight."

            Lem blinked.

            "Course I had no idee t'would have that effect on her, but...."

            Arch asked awkwardly, tentatively, clearly trying to spare Lem's feelings. "Uh, ...you and her married?"

            Oliver nodded wordlessly.

            Pack suggested, "Then you ought to be glad that fight skeered her 'way from us."

            Oliver chose his words carefully. "I...wanted to win her heart fair and square, ...not by skeerin' her half to death."

            Visibly, the Forresters' respect for him increased. Solemnly, slowly, Buck approached the front of the cell and extended his hand through the bars, offering it for Oliver to shake.

            Instinctively, Olivia seized her son's arm and tried to jerk him backward, away from the offer, muttering, "He could grab you, pull you agin the bars, and hit you! Or one o' them others'd hit you!"

            Buck said gently, "We'll never beat you agin. Less'n you start another fight."

            Provisionally, Olivia loosened her restraining grip, reached up and affectionately caressed her son's face, agreeing, "My young leetle hot-headed fool."

            The Forresters murmured laughter, not unkindly. "Not so leetle, Ma'am," Gabby observed with a chuckle.

            "B'lieve me," Oliver breathed with certainty, "I'll never start a fight with you-all, never agin!" He moved forward gingerly, and accepted Buck's hand.

            Olivia watched all six Forresters like a vulture, but made no further attempt to hold back her son.

            After his brother's heartfelt handshake with Oliver, Mill-wheel asked, "Hey, uh, you two like Boston?"

            Oliver shrugged, "Hit's a'right, I reckon."

            Everyone, including Oliver, looked at Olivia.

            She clenched her jaw, clearly hesitant to admit the truth, but then blurted, "No! I hate the damn Yankees, and I hate the dratted cold!"

            Oliver's eyes widened as he stared at her.

            So, she admitted more quietly, "Twink don't like it none, neither."

            Eyes even wider, Oliver demanded, "Whyn't you tell me?!"

            She retorted, "How'd we 'xpect you to fix homesickness?! We knowed we couldn't go back! We ain't wanted to make you feel guilty. Nor risk your life!"

            Oliver was once more at a loss.

            Buck said mildly, "You two...I mean three...don't really b'long up there."

            Very softly, Oliver confessed, "No. We don't."

            "You could come back," Arch suggested softly.

            "We'd not hurt none o' you," Pack agreed.

            Hesitantly, Mill-wheel offered, "We could maybe he'p you rebuild."

            Oliver was astonished. "That's...a right generous offer." He glanced reluctantly at Lem. "But, ...wouldn't it be awkward...with her here?" He whispered the last three words.

            Lem shook his head somberly. "No. I'd leave her be. Or jest say 'Howdy' and go on. You kin tell her that. She don't need to fear me. Or us."

            "Wow," Oliver managed in a hushed voice.

            Obviously wishing to lighten the mood, Buck smiled fondly, and said, "'Sides, Ms' Hutto, we'd like to have you back; you're a real fine dance partner." His eyes twinkled.

            Remembering the event that sparked that remark, the Forresters guffawed.

            Oliver queried her, "Ma???"

            Olivia blushed.