gets a great strong pole, and puts it across his hams, two men at each
eend of the pole, and shoved away, and shoved away, till they progressed
a yard or so; when pony squatted right down on the pole, throwd over the
men, and most broke their legs, with his weight.

"At last, the captain fetched a rope, and fixes it round his neck, with
a slip knot, fastens it to the windlass, and dragged him in as they do
an anchor, and tied him by his bridle to the boom; and then shoved off,
and got under weigh.

"Steve and I sot down on the wharf, for it was a beautiful day, and
looked at them driftin' out in the stream, and hystin' sail, while the
folks was gettin' somethin' ready for us to the inn.

"When they had got out into the middle of the channel, took the breeze,
and was all under way, and we was about turnin' to go back, I saw the
pony loose, he had slipped his bridle, and not likin' the motion of the
vessel, he jist walked overboard, head fust, with a most a beautiful
splunge.

"'_A most refreshin' time_,' said I, 'Elder, that critter has of it. I
hope _that sinner will be saved_.'

"He sprung right up on eend, as if he had been stung by a galley nipper,
did Steve, 'Let me alone,' said he. 'What have I done to be jobed, that
way? Didn't I keep within the strict line o' truth? Did I tell that
Frenchman one mossel of a lie? Answer me, that, will you? I've been
cheated awful; but I scorn to take the advantage of any man. You
had better look to your own dealin's, and let me alone, you pedlin',
cheatin' Yankee clockmaker you.'

"'Elder,' sais I, 'if you warn't too mean to rile a man, I'd give you a
kick on your pillion, that would send you a divin' arter your hoss; but
you ain't worth it. Don't call me names tho', or I'll settle your coffee
for you, without a fish skin, afore you are ready to swaller it I can
_tell_ you. So keep your mouth shut, my old coon, or your teeth might
get sun-burnt. You think you are angry with me; but you aint; you are
angry with yourself. You know you have showd yourself a proper fool for
to come, for to go, for to talk to a man that has seed so much of the
world as I have, bout "_refreshin' time_," and "_outpourin' of spirit_,"
and "_makin' profession_" and what not; and you know you showd yourself
an everlastin' rogue, a meditatin' of cheatin' that Frenchman all
summer. It's biter bit, and I don't pity you one mossel; it sarves
you right. But look at the grave-digger; he looks to me as if he