ded with great
pride.

And now, the plank being as full as it would hold, they all returned to
the hotel to arrange the table. But after the table was set the
excitement was all over, for there was nobody to be the guest.

"Ef Ole Billy wan't so mean," said Chris, "we could fotch 'im hyear in
de omnibus. I wush we'd a let Chubbum an' Suppum come; dey'd er been
Lord Bugon."

"I b'lieve Billy would let us haul 'im," said Diddie, who was always
ready to take up for her pet; "he's rael gentle now, an' he's quit
buttin'; the only thing is, he's so big we couldn't get 'im in the
wheelbarrer."

"Me 'n Chris kin put 'im in," said Dilsey. "We kin lif 'im, ef dat's
all;" and accordingly the omnibus was dispatched for Lord Burgoyne, who
was quietly nibbling grass on the ditch bank at some little distance
from the hotel.

He raised his head as the children approached, and regarded them
attentively. "Billy! Billy! po' Ole Billy!" soothingly murmured Diddie,
who had accompanied Dilsey and Chris with the omnibus, as she had more
influence over Old Billy than anybody else. He came now at once to her
side, and rubbed his head gently against her; and while she caressed
him, Dilsey on one side and Chris on the other lifted him up to put him
on the wheelbarrow.

And now the scene changed. Lord Burgoyne, all unmindful of love or
gratitude, and with an eye single to avenging this insult to his
dignity, struggled from the arms of his captors, and, planting his head
full in Diddie's chest, turned her a somersault in the mud. Then,
lowering his head and rushing at Chris, he butted her with such force
that over she went headforemost into the ditch! and now, spying Dilsey,
who was running with all her might to gain the lumber-pile, he took
after her, and catching up with her just as she reached the gin-house,
placed his head in the middle of her back, and sent her sprawling on her
face. Diddie and Chris had by this time regained their feet, both of
them very muddy, and Chris with her face all scratched from the roots
and briers in the ditch. Seeing Old Billy occupied with Dilsey, they
started in a run for the lumber; but the wily old sheep was on the
lookout, and, taking after them full tilt, he soon landed them flat on
the ground. And now Dilsey had scrambled up, and was wiping the dirt
from her eyes, preparatory to making a fresh start. Billy, however,
seemed to have made up his mind that nobody had a right to stand up
except himself,