ought to, instead of laughing and
chuckling over it."

"That may be, mister, but ye see you don't own it, and may be I'd get
myself into trouble if I were to run my sled agin it purposely. Should
like to oblige ye, neighbor, but guess I'd better not. Charcoal!
Charcoal! Hard and soft charcoal!" he shouted, jerking the reins for
the old horse to move on.

"Gee, Buck! Haw, Barry!"

It was a farmer driving his oxen drawing a load of wood, swinging his
goad-stick, who shouted it. The team came to a standstill by the
figure.

"What's up?" the farmer inquired.

"The Sons of Liberty have perpetrated a rascally trick, by setting
this effigy in front of this gentleman's store," said Mr. Richardson.

"What'd they do that for?"

"'Cause he agreed not to sell tea, and then, finding he'd made a bad
bargain, backed out of it; and now I'd like to have ye hitch yer oxen
to the thing and snake it to Jericho."

"'Fraid I can't 'commodate ye; got to go down to widow Jenkins's with
my wood. Gee, Buck! Haw, Barry!" said the farmer, as he started on.

"Rich, why don't ye pull it up yourself," said an apprentice.

"Better get an axe and chop it down, if it's such an eyesore to ye,"
said another.

"Get a crowbar and dig it up. A little exercise will be good for ye,"
said a third.

"Has Lillie engaged ye to get rid of the thing?" another asked.

"Did the Sons of Liberty smuggle it ashore during the night?"

Tom Brandon asked the question, which nettled Mr. Richardson
exceedingly. Possibly the informer could not have said why he was so
zealous for the removal of the effigy. He would not have been willing
to admit that he was seeking to advance himself in the estimation of
Hon. Theodore Newville, commissioner of imposts, and Hon. Nathaniel
Coffin, his majesty's receiver-general. Quite likely he could not have
given any very satisfactory reason for his activity in attempting to
remove the figure. He knew that the selectmen would be obliged to
clear the street of the obstruction, but a display of loyalty to the
king might possibly inure to his benefit. Boys on their way to school
began to chaff the informer.

"Say, Poke Nose; how much are ye going to get for the job?" shouted
one of the boys.

"You mind your own business."

"That's what you don't do."

"Don't ye call me names, you little imp," shouted the informer,
shaking his fist at the boy.

"Poke Nose! Poke Nose! Poke Nose!" the chorus of voices.

"Take that, Poke No