' Price always expects to have notice taken. She
was in great sperits. Said 'Liza Jane concluded to sell off most of
her stuff rather 'n have the care of it. She 'd told the folks that
Mis' Topliff had a beautiful sofa and a lot o' nice chairs, and two
framed pictures that would fix up the house complete, and invited us
all to come over and see 'em. There, she seemed just as pleased
returnin' with the bird-cage. Disappointments don't appear to trouble
her no more than a butterfly. I kind of like the old creatur'; I don't
mean to see her want."

"They 'll let us have the dog," said John York. "I don't know but I
'll give a quarter for him, and we 'll let 'em have a good piece o' the
coon."

"You really comin' 'way up here by night, coon-huntin'?" asked Isaac
Brown, looking reproachfully at his more agile comrade.

"I be," answered John York.

"I was dre'tful afraid you was only talking, and might back out,"
returned the cheerful heavy-weight, with a chuckle. "Now we 've got
things all fixed, I feel more like it than ever. I tell you there's
just boy enough left inside of me. I 'll clean up my old gun to-morrow
mornin', and you look right after your'n. I dare say the boys have
took good care of 'em for us, but they don't know what we do about
huntin', and we 'll bring 'em all along and show 'em a little fun."

"All right," said John York, as soberly as if they were going to look
after a piece of business for the town; and they gathered up the axe
and other light possessions, and started toward home.

III.

The two friends, whether by accident or design, came out of the woods
some distance from their own houses, but very near to the low-storied
little gray dwelling of Mrs. Price. They crossed the pasture, and
climbed over the toppling fence at the foot of her small sandy piece of
land, and knocked at the door. There was a light already in the
kitchen. Mrs. Price and Eliza Jane Topliff appeared at once, eagerly
hospitable.

"Anybody sick?" asked Mrs. Price, with instant sympathy. "Nothin'
happened, I hope?"

"Oh, no," said both the men.

"We came to talk about hiring your dog to-morrow night," explained
Isaac Brown, feeling for the moment amused at his eager errand. "We
got on track of a coon just now, up in the woods, and we thought we 'd
give our boys a little treat. You shall have fifty cents, an' welcome,
and a good piece o' the coon."

"Yes, Square Brown; we can let you have the dog