'e waggin." He had gathered from our conversation that Joe was going
somewhere, and, wherever it was, he was willing to bear him company.

"W'er my 'at?" he asked, trotting about in search of that article, as
Joe drove up to the door with the horses and light wagon.

"Your hat is under your crib, dear, but you can't go with Joe to-day."

"'Ess; me doin'," he returned, obstinately, securing the hat, while I
was carrying the Bible out to Joe.

"Now, Joe, take good care of it!" I counseled him, as he stooped down
to take the bulky volume from my arms.

"Keer? Ha! I reckons I'se boun' fur tek' keer ob dat book! Lots ob
folks w'at done all sorts ob t'ings, shet up 'atween de leds ob dat
book. Some good t'ings dey done, an' a mighty lot o' bad ones, an' I
ain' goin' let none ob 'em git out! Leslie, chile, I'se gwine sot on
dat book, an' keep dem folks squelched 'til we all roun's up in front
ob de 'lan' office; yo' kin count on dat!"

Placing the book on the wagon-seat, he spread a blanket over it, then
planted himself, squarely and with emphasis, upon it. "Dere, dey's
safe!" He gathered up the lines; the outfit was in motion when its
progress was suddenly arrested by a piercing cry from Ralph:

"'Top, 'top, Joe! Me's doin' wiv' 'oo, me is!"

The little fellow was standing beside the wagon, his arms upstretched
to be taken, and the tears streaming down his cheeks. Joe looked at
him, and scratched his head in perplexity. "I'se wisht' yo'd stayed
asleep till I'se done got away, honey, chile--I does so!" he muttered,
ruefully.

"Me's doin'!" Ralph insisted, taking advantage of the halt to swarm up
over the wheel-hub, and to get his white apron covered with
wagon-grease.

"Me is doin'!" he repeated.

"Train up a chile in de way w'at he wants ter go, an' w'en he is ole
he won't depart from it!" Joe quoted, with fatal aptness. "Dat chile
cain't be 'lowed fur ter run t'ings dish yer way; he cain't be 'lowed
ter go to town, noway; but I tell yo' w'at, honey, yo' might jess
slip er clean apern on ter him an' let him ride down ter Wilson's
'long 'er me. Dat Mis' Wilson, she always bein' tickled when she see
Ralph."

"'Ess; me do see Mif' 'Ilson," Ralph declared, brightening. It was
true that the good ranchman's wife had always made much of him, and
was glad to have him with her, and I had a particular reason for being
glad of the temporary freedom that his going over there would give me.
I made haste to change his soil