nin' to his wife, arter a spree. A leetle crest fallen for what he
had got, a leetle mean for the way he looked, and a leetle skeered
for what he'd catch, when he got to home. The way he sloped warn't no
matter. He was a pictur, and a pictur I must say, I liked to look at.

"And now Squire, do you take him off too, ingrave him, and bind him up
in your book, and let others look at it, and put onder it '_the Elder
and the Grave-digger_.'"

"Well, when we got to town, the tide was high, and the vessel jist ready
to cast off, and Steve, knowin' how skeer'd pony was of the water, got
off to lead him, but the critter guessed it warn't a bridge, for he
smelt salt water on both sides of him, and ahead too, and budge he
wouldn't. Well, they beat him most to death, but he beat back agin with
his heels, and it was a drawd fight. Then they goes to the fence and
gets a great strong pole, and puts it across his hams, two men at each
eend of the pole, and shoved away, and shoved away, till they progressed
a yard or so; when pony squatted right down on the pole, throwd over the
men, and most broke their legs, with his weight.

"At last, the captain fetched a rope, and fixes it round his neck, with
a slip knot, fastens it to the windlass, and dragged him in as they do
an anchor, and tied him by his bridle to the boom; and then shoved off,
and got under weigh.

"Steve and I sot down on the wharf, for it was a beautiful day, and
looked at them driftin' out in the stream, and hystin' sail, while the
folks was gettin' somethin' ready for us to the inn.

"When they had got out into the middle of the channel, took the breeze,
and was all under way, and we was about turnin' to go back, I saw the
pony loose, he had slipped his bridle, and not likin' the motion of the
vessel, he jist walked overboard, head fust, with a most a beautiful
splunge.

"'_A most refreshin' time_,' said I, 'Elder, that critter has of it. I
hope _that sinner will be saved_.'

"He sprung right up on eend, as if he had been stung by a galley nipper,
did Steve, 'Let me alone,' said he. 'What have I done to be jobed, that
way? Didn't I keep within the strict line o' truth? Did I tell that
Frenchman one mossel of a lie? Answer me, that, will you? I've been
cheated awful; but I scorn to take the advantage of any man. You
had better look to your own dealin's, and let me alone, you pedlin',
cheatin' Yankee clockmaker you.'

"'Elder,' sais I, 'if you warn't too mean to r