and made their way up Bald Knob to a little meetinghouse
on its top where services were to be held. Very's encounter with the
outlaws had made him late in reaching the church, which caused some
surprise to those who had assembled, for they knew their pastor to be a
very punctual man. However, he thought it best not to mention the cause
of his delay. Simply remarking that he was unavoidably detained, he
began the services.

Early the next morning our three friends started down the knob, Jasper
Very to go to Judge LeMonde's house personally to thank Miss Viola for
her part in helping him to avoid the trap set for him, and Larkin and
Grimes to ride about fifteen miles down the river road to keep an
engagement to preach that night at a small hamlet called Bridgewater.

When Jasper Very dismounted at Judge LeMonde's barn gate, he was met by
Mose Williams, who burst forth with loud and eager words: "Hi! Hi!
Mas'r Very, ah knows dat yo' circumwented dem villians. Yo' don't ketch
dis coon nappin'. I war a-layin' low las' night to see de outcome of
dat amberscade, an' ah seed wid mah own eyes dat yo' won out."

"What did you see, Mose, and how did you see it?" asked the preacher.

"Ah war a-hidin' behin' de upper big post of de barn gate, an' ah hearn
hosses' hoofs beatin' up de road, an' soon de constables cum along wid
de prisoners. Wa'n't dem moonshiners mad, do? Jes' as dey war
'proaching de gate Sam Wiles said: 'Dat cantin' preacher has got me
'rested twice now, but he won't do it ag'in. Ah'll die 'fore ah'll let
him beat me 'n'ur time.' An' den dat monkey, Zibe Turner, fell to
cussin' yo' an' de constables an' de Jedge an' all de ch'ch people
permiscus. He said, ef he knew de rascal what giv' de plot away, he
would skin 'im alive an' hang up his skin in his back yard to skeer
away de ghosts. He swore sich drefful oaths ah was afeered de trees by
de roadside was gwine to fall on 'em. He mad mah blood run col', an' ah
war pow'ful glad he didn't 'spect me."

"Well, Mose, you are safe for the present anyway, for these wicked men
will be tried in court soon, and they will be sent to jail for quite a
while. Now put my horse in a stall, for I am going to make a call at
the big house."

Saying this, Jasper Very handed his bridle to Mose, and also gave him
two bits in silver. He then passed through a second gate and walked
toward the mansion, which was some two hundred yards distant. When he
got near the door, Sport, king of