The lad opened his mouth, closed it again, licked his lips and spoke.

"I'll pay you if you'll let me store my machine in the barn a little while, until I go into the city, and return," spoke the lad.

"I know, lad," Cynric spoke out of the hut's darkness.

The lad drew the water in a glum silence, and hardly spoke as it was heating.

"Madman," I exclaimed, "how can the lad speak while you are choking him?"

Never mind, lad, I spoke out of turn.

I admitted reluctantly that the blue lad had spoken naught, and that was no good sign.

The lad spoke too precisely for his apparent age as if he'd had intensive schooling during his formative years.

The lad spoke excellent Attic Greek and served as interpreter.

So speak your mind as you will, lad, but my orders stand.