arned the music he had never learned before."

The Bear opened the other eye, and once more reached for his fiddle.
This time he got hold of it, but before his other paw touched the bow he
was asleep again. Bo waited a moment. Then he suddenly began singing to
the other part of the tune:--

[Illustration: Music]

"Yes, he learned it all so neatly and he played it all so sweetly
That he fell in love completely with the boy without a home;

[Illustration: Music]

And he said, 'No matter whether it is dark or sunny weather
We will travel on together till the cows--come--home.'"

Before Bosephus finished the first two lines of this strain Horatio was
sitting up straight and fiddling for dear life.

"Once more, Bo, once more!" he shouted as they finished.

They repeated the music, and Horatio turned two handsprings without
stopping.

"Now," he said, "we will go forth and conquer the world."

"I could conquer some breakfast first," said Bo.

"Do you like roasting ears?"

"Oh, yes," said Bo.

"Well, I have an interest in a little patch near here--that is, I take
an interest, I should say, and you can take part of mine or one of your
own if you prefer. It really doesn't make any difference which you do
just so you take it before the man that planted it is up."

"Why," exclaimed the boy as they came out into a little clearing, "that
is old Zack Todd's field!"

"It is, is it? Well, how did old Zack Todd get it, I'd like to know."

"Why--why I don't know," answered Bo, puzzled.

[Illustration: "ONCE MORE, BO, ONCE MORE"]

"Of course not," said the Bear. "And now, Bosephus, let me tell you
something. The bears owned that field long before old Zack Todd was ever
thought of. We're just renting it to him on shares. This is rent day. We
don't need to wake Zack up. You get over the fence and hand me a few
of the best ears you can get quick and handy, and you might bring one of
those watermelons I see in the corn there, and we'll find a quiet place
that I know of and eat it."

Bo hopped lightly over the rail fence, and, gathering an armful of green
corn, handed it to Horatio. Then he turned to select a melon.

"Has Zack Todd got a gun, Bosephus?" asked the Bear.

"Yes, sir-ee. The best gun in Arkansaw, and he's a dead shot with it."

"Oh, he is. Well, maybe you better not be quite so slow picking out that
melon. Just take the first big one you see and come on."

"Why, Zack wouldn't care for us