,
that were now thrown open. Inside he heard shouts, mingled with
Horatio's fierce growls. His friend was still alive.

Without pausing he rushed through the doors and saw a circle of negro
men gathered about the big wooden trough where the Bear was a prisoner,
snapping and growling and trying to get free. The little pickaninny who,
in spite of his fright, had slept all night in the corner, was there,
too, and the men with axes and other weapons had entered with Bo. There
was not a second to be lost.

"Wait!" screamed Bo; "wait!" And tearing through the astonished crowd he
thrust the violin into Horatio's hands.

"Play!" he shouted. "Play for your worthless life!"

Horatio did not need to be told again. He reached for the violin and
bow, and sitting in the now solid sugar struck the strings wildly.

"Rooster in de chicken coop, crowin' foh day;
Horses in de stable goin' 'Nay, nay, nay;'
Ducks in de yard goin' 'Quack, quack, quack!'
Guineas in de tree tops, goin' 'Rack-pot-rack!'"

Horatio fiddled furiously, while Bo shouted and sang and the crowd
joined in. They all knew this song, and as they sang they forgot all
else. Axes and guns and clubs were dropped as young and old fell into
the swing of the music.

"Keemo, kimo, kilgo, kayro;
Fleero, fliro, flav-o-ray;
Rop strop, periwinkle, little yaller nigger,
Cum a rop strop bottle till de break--of--day!"

You could hear the noise for a mile. They danced and shouted and sang,
and work was forgotten. After a long time, when they were tired out, Bo
took one of the axes and carefully broke the now solid sugar away from
Ratio's feet and set him free. Then they brought water and washed his
hind paws and he danced for them.

After dinner, when the friends started out on their journey, the crowd
followed them for nearly a mile. When all were gone Horatio turned to Bo
and said:--

"I am glad you came just as you did, Bo."

"I should rather think you would be," said Bo, grimly.

"Because," continued Horatio, "if you hadn't I might have damaged some
of those fellows, and I know you wouldn't have liked that, Bosephus." He
looked at the little boy very humbly as he said this, expecting a severe
lecture. But the little boy made no reply, and down in his heart the big
Bear at that moment made a solemn and good resolve.

CHAPTER VIII

SWEET AND SOUR

[Illustration: Music]

"Oh, we're down in the land where the jasmine blows