bed. We drew straws and the lot fell to
me to go. So ma let me down by the sheet. No sooner did I reach the
ground than bang went the dining room window and the man was after me.

I went over the first fence like a deer, the man after me. I ran up the
road, took the back fence of Montgomery's place, and ran up the arbor
way. I knew the land, the feller after me didn't. I lost him somewhere.
In a minute I was under George's window, calling. He was still up and he
came right down with his walking stick and a pistol, just as good
natured and comfortin' as he could be.

[Illustration: Catching Doc Lyon]

George went all through the house, but found no one. Then we went to the
barn, but found nothing. As we were coming back, I saw some one drop
down behind the raspberry bushes. George saw it too, and made for the
fellow. He fired at us. The bullet whizzed past Mitch's head, and we
dropped in the grass. But George went on, shooting as he went, and
finally got up to the fellow and struck his arm down as he was about to
fire. Then he grabbed him and took away his pistol. And there was Doc
Lyon!

CHAPTER VI

[Illustration: Dinah]

The next morning Nigger Dick came to beat carpets, for ma was cleanin'
house; and Mitch and me were makin' garden, and talkin' to Nigger Dick.
He was the funniest nigger you ever saw and the best hearted, except
when he was drunk, then he was cross and mumbled to himself. His wife
was Dinah who wore circle ear-rings and used to cook for the Bransons
when they had lots of company. The Bransons were the richest people in
town and had lots of parrots and poodles, and Mrs. Branson et snuff.
They was from Virginia, ma said; and Mitch and I used to talk to Dinah
over the back fence when she was cookin' there. She wore a red bandanna
around her head, and she used to say, "Look heah, you boys, if you see
that nigger drinkin', you come and tell me, cuz I ain't goin' to live
with him no more if he drinks." Then she'd hand us out cookies or
somethin', and say go along.

Nigger Dick was singin':

Nicodemus was a slave of African birth,
Who was bought for a purse full of gold,

and beatin' carpets, and doin' whatever ma told him. She kept changing
her mind and would say: "Here, Dick, help me with this picture. Now you
can leave that and set out this geranium. Here, Dick, that can go for a
while, go down to the barn and bring up that barrel there and put this
stuff in it."

Dic