The Well by Mildred D. Taylor

to lend him some reason. “Come on, I’ll go with ya.”
    Hammer’s look stopped me. “I’ll get it my ownself.” He went over to the tree, unknotted the rope that heldthe sack, and let it fall. Then he opened the sack and looked in. He turned his face away. The white boys laughed, all except George Melbourne.
    â€œGo on, take it out!” called Charlie.
    â€œYeah, go on, put your hand right on in there and take it out!” taunted Ed-Rose.
    Hammer looked cold-eyed at Charlie, then looked into the sack, and to my surprise he reached inside. He pulled out a skunk. The white boys howled with laughter, all except George Melbourne.
    â€œNow, how’d ya like t’ find that floatin’ in that fine well of y’alls?” laughed Ed-Rose.
    Hammer walked slowly towards them, holding the skunk by its neck. “Don’t bring it over here!” cried Charlie. “Go find yo’self a place t’ get rid of it.”
    â€œI already know where to get rid of it,” said Hammer, and tossed the skunk right at Charlie’s face. Charlie reached up to ward the skunk off, but it was right then the skunk let go a powerful stream of stink on Charlie. Dewberry Wallace and Ed-Rose standing closest to Charlie got some of it too. All three cursed, but for the moment they were too overcome with stink to do anything, so Hammer just turned and started away, with me at his side. George Melbourne started away too, headed back towards his place. “You a part of this?” asked Hammer.
    George looked back at the Simmses and Dewberry Wallace. They were out of hearing range, and too caught up in their own stink, even if they could hear his words. “I ain’t put that skunk in there, that what you askin’.”
    â€œBut you know’d it was there.”
    â€œLook,” said George, “maybe some things they do, I wouldn’t do. But don’t you be puttin’ me in this thing ’tween y’all and them. I can’t be takin’ sides with y’all.”
    â€œYeah,” said Hammer. “Yeah. Just be thinking on that next time you and your daddy come up to get some more of our water.”
    Hammer went on through the woods, and I followed fast as I could. I could feel George Melbourne’s eyes on us.
    When we got back up towards the Simmses’ house, Charlie and Ed-Rose and Dewberry Wallace came running after us, but Old Mr. McCalister Simms he come out and smelled their stink. “Y’all get on ’way from here and get that stink off!” he yelled before they could lay a hand on us.
    â€œBut, Pa!” cried Charlie. “Them little niggers, they—”
    â€œI ain’t wantin’ t’ hear it!” cried Old Man McCalister Simms. “Y’all boys can’t keep a skunk’s stink offa ya while two niggers can, best not come cryin’ t’me! Now, y’all get that stink on ’way from here! You niggers, y’all come on t’ the fields. There’s work t’ do!”
    Old Man McCalister Simms, he turned and stomped off. Hammer and I looked at each other and we followed, and I was thinking it was kind of funny that Old Man McCalister Simms had actually saved us from getting a beating that day. But I ain’t laughed. Neither did Hammer. Hammer had turned the tables on Charlie and Ed-Rose, but neither one of us took any rejoicing in it. Next day, out of sight of Old Man McCalister Simms, Charlie and Ed-Rose and Dewberry caught up with Hammer alone and they beat him. They beat him bad. Old Man McCalister ain’t said a word about it when he saw Hammer, all bloodied up. He ain’t said one word. He just told Hammer to get back to work.
    All that putting up with the Simmses wasn’t easy to take, but I took it. My biggest trouble was trying to make sure Hammer took it. Fact of the matter, he did pretty well for awhile, but then Charlie and Ed-Rose, they began to pick on