human
Please, miss, I made bold to come here, to thank you for having cleared me.
gpt
But I couldn't help clearing you, Reuben, for you see, I knew it wasn't you.
human
Well, miss, it was very kind, all the same; and I am very much obliged to you.
gpt
But why do you get into scrapes? the girl said.
human
If you didn't, you wouldn't be suspected of other things. Mamma said, the other day, you got into more scrapes than any boy in the village; and you look nice, too. Why do you do it?
gpt
I don't know why I do it, miss, Reuben said shamefacedly.
human
I suppose it's because I don't go into the fields, like most of the other boys; and haven't got much to do. But there's no great harm in them, miss. They are just larks, nothing worse.
gpt
You don't do really bad things?
human
No, miss, I hope not.
gpt
And you don't tell stories, do you?
human
No, miss, never. If I do anything and I am asked, I always own it. I wouldn't tell a lie to save myself from a licking.
gpt
That's right,