Blowhard,"
as he would often call him (the Gray was a bit wheezy),--the Big Gray
without his dinner!

"Hully gee! Look at de bloke a-jollying Jinnie, an' de Blowhard
a-starvin'. Say, Patsy,"--lifting him down,--"hold de line till I git
de Big Gray a bite. Git on ter Carl, will ye! I'm a-goin'--ter--tell
de--boss,"--with a threatening air, weighing each word--"jes soon as she
gits back. Ef I don't I'm a chump."

At sight of the boys, Jennie darted into the house, and Carl started for
the stable, his head in the clouds, his feet on air.

"No; I feed da horse, Cully,"--jerking at his halter to get him away
from Cully.

"A hell ov 'er lot ye will! I'll feed him meself. He's been home an hour
now, an' he ain't half rubbed down."

Carl made a grab for Cully, who dodged and ran under the cart. Then a
lump of ice whizzed past Carl's ear.

"Here, stop that!" said Tom, entering the gate. She had been in the city
all the morning--"to look after her poor Tom," Pop said. "Don't ye be
throwing things round here, or I'll land on top of ye."

"Well, why don't he feed de Gray, den? He started afore me, and dey
wants de Gray down ter de brewery, and he up ter de house a-buzzin'
Jinnie."

"I go brang Mees Jan's apron; da goat eat it oop."

"Ye did, did ye! What ye givin' us? Didn't I see ye a-chinnin' 'er
whin I come over de hill--she a-leanin' up ag'in' de fence, an' youse
a-talkin' ter 'er, an' ole Blowhard cryin' like his heart was broke?"

"Eat up what apron?" said Tom, thoroughly mystified over the situation.

"Stumpy eat da apron--I brang back--da half ta Mees Jan."

"An' it took ye all the mornin' to give it to her?" said Tom
thoughtfully, looking Carl straight in the eye, a new vista opening
before her.

That night when the circle gathered about the lamp to hear Pop read,
Carl was missing. Tom had not sent for him.

VII. THE CONTENTS OF CULLY'S MAIL

When Walking Delegate Crimmins had recovered from his amazement, after
his humiliating defeat at Tom's hands, he stood irresolute for a moment
outside her garden gate, indulged at some length in a form of profanity
peculiar to his class, and then walked direct to McGaw's house.

That worthy Knight met him at the door. He had been waiting for him.

Young Billy McGaw also saw Crimmins enter the gate, and promptly hid
himself under the broken-down steps. He hoped to overhear what was going
on when the two went out again. Young Billy's inordinate curiosity
was