fairly ensconced themselves on their
perch, the latter looked carefully round to make sure that no one was
in the way, and then he tuned the valve, which let on a full head of
steam.

For a second the monster did not stir. The steam had not fairly taken
'hold' yet; then he raised one immense spiked foot and held it
suspended in air.

'That's a great contrivance, ain't it?' exclaimed Ethan,
contemptuously.

'Can't do nothin' more than lift his foot. Wait till you see more!
he's goin' to dance and skip like a lamb, or outrun any locomotive you
ever sot eyes on!'

'Bad luck to the loikes of yees, why d' yees go on?' exclaimed the
irate Irishman, as he leaned forward and addressed the obdurate
machine. 'Are yees tryin' to fool us, bad luck to yees?'

At this instant, the feet of the steam man began rising and falling
with lightning like rapidity, the wagon being jerked forward with such
sudden swiftness, that both Ethan and Mickey turned back summersets,
rolling heels over head off the vehicle to the ground, while the
monster went puffing over the prairie, and at a terrific rate. Baldy
was about to start in pursuit of it, when Johnny, the deformed boy,
restrained him.

'It won't run far; the steam is nearly out.'

'Be jibbers! but me head is caved in!' exclaimed the Irishman, rising
to his feet, rubbing his head, and looking at his hand to see whether
there was blood upon it.

'Jerusalem! I thought she had upset or busted her b'iler!' said the
Yankee, looking around him with a bewildered air.

The two spectators were laughing furiously, and they could scarcely
stand the trick which had been played upon them.

'Let your old machine go to blazes!' muttered Ethan. 'If it acts that
way, I don't want nothin' to do with it.'

In the mean time the steamer had gone rattling over the prairie, until
about a quarter of a mile distant, when it rapidly slackened, and as
quickly halted.

'What's the matter wid it now?' asked Mickey; 'has it got the cramps
and gi'n out?'

'The steam is used up!' replied the dwarf, as he hurried after it; 'we
can soon start it again!'

All four made all haste toward the stationary figure; but the light
frame and superior activity of little Johnny brought him to it
considerably in advance of the others. Emptying a lot of wood from the
wagon, he was busily engaged in throwing it into his stomach when the
other two came up. His eyes sparkled, as he said:

'Jump up there, and I'll give y