horse manifested no feeling of partiality toward either of the
parties, and seemed as willing to do his best for Harry as for his
master.

"Stop! Stop!" shouted George Leman, astounded at the new phase which
the chase had assumed. "Stop! and I will let you go."

That was quite reasonable. It was natural that he should prefer to let
the fugitive escape, to the alternative of losing his horse. George
Leman was noted for three things in Redfield--his boat, his ugly dog,
and his fast horse; and Harry, after stealing the boat and killing the
dog, was in a fair way to deprive him of his horse, upon which he set
a high value. The boy seemed like his evil genius, and no doubt he was
angry with himself for letting so mean a man as Jacob Wire persuade
him to hunt down such small game.

Harry did not deem it prudent to stop, and in a few moments had left
his pursuers out of sight. Then he began to breathe freer. He had
played a desperate game, and won the victory; yet he did not feel like
indulging in a triumph. The battle had been a bitter necessity, and he
even regretted the fate of poor Tiger, whose ribs he had stove in with
a rock.

He passed through Rockville. All was still, save the roaring of the
waters at the dam, and no one challenged him.

"I am safe, at any rate," said he to himself, when he had passed the
village. "What will be the next scrape, I wonder? Confound it! They
will have me up for stealing a horse next. But I didn't steal him.
George Leman is a good fellow, and only for the fun of the thing, he
wouldn't have come out on such a chase. I wouldn't steal anybody's
horse. Whoa!"

Harry hauled up by the roadside, and fastened the horse to the fence.

"There, George, you can have your horse again; but I will just put the
blanket over him, for he is all of a reeking sweat. It will just show
George, when he comes up, that I don't mean him any harm. I hope his
dog wasn't killed."

Taking the blanket which lay in the bottom of the wagon (for George
Leman was very careful of his horse, and though it was October, always
covered him when he let him stand out at night), he spread it over
him.

"Now, for Number One again," muttered Harry. "I must take to the
woods, though I doubt if George will follow me any farther."

So saying, he got over the fence, and made his way across the fields
to the woods, which were but a short distance from the road.

CHAPTER VIII

IN WHICH HARRY KILLS A BIG SNAKE, AND MA