Place Called Estherville by Erskine Caldwell Read Free Book Online Page B

sir.”
    “Like hell you don’t,” Pete said derisively. “You’re a big liar. You know goddam well your daddy was a white man—if your mammy was a nigger. I’ll bet anything I’ve got you never saw your daddy in your whole life. Ain’t that right?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Pete nudged Hank with his elbow. “I told you so, Hank. I knew damn well he was half-and-half. Those kind only smell half as strong as the all-blacks.”
    Ganus tried to move along the side of the fence beyond reach of Hank’s threatening motions. Vern Huff picked up a stick and made him go back. He glanced appealingly at Robbie Gunsby.
    “You leave Ganus alone now,” Robbie said.
    “You know what I’m going to do to you?” Hank asked him, paying no attention to Robbie.
    “No, sir, I sure don’t, but please, sir, don’t do anything with that knife.”
    “I’m going to cut your pod off, that’s what,” Hank told him. “You ought to be tickled about it, because it’ll keep you out of a lot of trouble from now on.” He made a slashing motion with his arm. Ganus looked at Robbie again. “Just because your daddy was a white man, you’d better not think you can get away with anything you want. You’re still a nigger, because your mammy was a nigger. That’s why you ought to be glad I came along. Hell, I’m doing you a big favor, if you only knew it.” He nudged Pete with his elbow. “Ain’t that right, Pete?”
    “It’s one hell of a big favor,” Pete agreed. “Not every nigger who comes along gets a big favor like that. Boy, you ought to be falling all over yourself to, say how glad you are.”
    “White folks, please, sir, you must be all mixed up about me, because I don’t aim to be anything except what I am. I always stay in my place. I never did try to do anything but just that. That’s the truth, and the Good Man knows it. I wouldn’t step out of my place, please, sir.”
    “Maybe so, but you might just accidently forget it once. Then you’d be in a mighty bad fix. It never pays to take a chance on what a nigger might forget.”
    “Don’t forget to cut his gizzard out, too, while we’re about it,” Pete said. “That’ll save him the trouble of having to come back to get it cut out.”
    Ganus looked hopefully at Robbie.
    “Please you tell them I always mind my own business, Robbie,” he begged the little boy. “You know that’s the truth, don’t you, Robbie? When I shot marbles with you up there in Mr. Charley’s backyard, didn’t I always act like I ought to? Didn’t I always treat you fair and square? I never nudged on you a single time, did I, Robbie? And I never tried to beat you out of your agates, either, did I? Won’t you tell them that for me, Robbie? Please tell them that.”
    “Robbie, are you going to let the coon talk to you like that without calling you ‘mister’?” Hank said tauntingly.
    Robbie burst into tears. He caught Pete by the arm and held to him, refusing to be shaken off.
    “Don’t hurt Ganus any more, Pete!” he cried. “He plays marbles with me everytime I ask him and he never cheats or nothing. I don’t want you to hurt him—you hear!”
    Pete succeeded in pushing Robbie away.
    “Who let that cry-baby come along with us, anyhow?” Hank said, scowling at Pete and Vern. He shoved Robbie to the other side of the alley. “Go on home to your mama and get your ditty, Robbie. You ought to know better than stay out past your ditty-time. And after this stop trying to hang around with grown-up boys like us. You’re too little.”
    “You stop hurting Ganus, Hank Newgood!” Robbie cried.
    “Please, sir, Mr. Hank,” Ganus said desperately, “why do you white boys want to do that to me? I haven’t done anything wrong. That’s the truth. The Good Man knows that.”
    “Why don’t you tell him why, Hank?” Vern said.
    “Hell, the nigger knows why. That’s just a nigger way of trying to beg off. I’ve seen them do that before.”
    “Please, sir, Mr. Hank, I don’t know