l me Ratio, too, see?

'Oh, ridy-diddy, diddy-diddy----'

how does it go? Give me a start, please."

Bo brightened up at once. He liked to teach things immensely, and
especially to ask questions.

"Why, of course, Ratio," he said, condescendingly; "I shall be most
happy. And I can make up poetry, too. Ready, now:--

"I am glad to be the teacher of this kind and gentle creature,
Who can play upon the fiddle in a----"

"Wait, Bo! wait till I catch up!" cried Horatio, excitedly. "Now!"

"Hold on, Ratio. I want to ask a question!"

"All right! Fire away! I couldn't get any further anyhow."

"Well," said Bo, "I want to know how you ever learned to play the
fiddle."

Horatio did not reply at first, but closed his eyes reflectively and
drew the bow across the string softly.

"Oh, raddy daddy dum--daddy dum--dum--dum---

"I took a course of lessons," he said, presently, "but it is a long
story, and some of it is not pleasant. I think we had better go on with
the music now:--

"Oh, there was a little boy and his name was Bo,
Went out into the woods when the moon was low,
And he met an Old Bear who was hungry for a snack,
And his folks are still awaiting for Bosephus to come back."

"Go right on with the rest of it," said Bo, hastily.

"For the boy became the teacher of this kind and gentle creature,
Who can play upon the fiddle in a very skilful way."

"But I say, Ratio," interrupted Bo again, "how did it come you never
learned to play the second part of that tune?"

Horatio scowled fiercely at first, and then once more grew quite
pensive. He played listlessly as he replied:--

"Ah," he said, "my teacher was--was unfortunate. He taught me to play
the first part of that tune. He would have taught me the rest of it--if
he had had time."

Horatio drew the bow lightly across the strings and began to sing, in a
far-away voice:--

"Oh, there was an old man, and his name was Jim,
And he had a pet bear who was fond of him;
But the man was very cruel and abusive to his pet,
And one day his people missed him, and they haven't found him yet."

"Oh!" said Bo; "and w-what happened, Horatio?"

Horatio paused and dashed away a tear.

"It happened in a lonely place," he said, chewing reflectively, "a
lonely place in the woods, like this. We were both of us tired and
hungry and he grew impatient and beat me. He also spoke of my parents
with disrespect, and in