two others, who, straddling the ridge-pole,
were waiting for him. Then the unfortunate Clark disappeared over the
top of the cabin, sliding down out of sight on the farther side. The
mob set up a wild cheer, and some of them shouted, "We don't want any
Yankee votes in this yer 'lection!"

"Shameful! Shameful!" burst forth from Mr. Bryant. "I have heard of
such things before now, but I must say I never thought I should see
it." He turned angrily to his brother-in-law as Mr. Howell joined the
boys in their laugh.

"How can you laugh at such a shameful sight, Aleck Howell? I'm sure
it's something to cry over, rather than to laugh at--a spectacle like
that! A free American citizen hustled away from the polls in that
disgraceful fashion!"

"But, Charlie," said Uncle Aleck, "you'll admit that it was funny to
see the Woburn man hoisted over that cabin. Besides, I don't believe
he has any right to vote here; do you?"

"He would have been allowed to vote fast enough if he had had the sort
of ballot that those fellows want to go into the box. They looked at
his ballot, and as soon as they saw what it was, they threw him over
the cabin."

[Illustration: THE POLLS AT LIBERTYVILLE. THE WOBURN MAN IS "HOISTED"
OVER THE CABIN.]

Just then, John Clark came back from the ravine into which he had slid
from the roof of the log-house, looking very much crestfallen. He
explained that he had met some pro-slavery men on the road that
morning, and they had told him he could vote, if he chose, and they
had furnished him with the necessary ballot.

"They took in my clothes at a glance," said Clark, "and they seemed to
suppose that a man with butternut homespun was true-blue; so they
didn't ask any questions. I got a free-State ballot from another man
and was a-goin' to plump it in; but they were too smart for me, and
over I went. No, don't you worry; I ain't a-goin' up there to try it
ag'in," he said, angrily, to an insolent horseman, who, riding up,
told him not to venture near the polls again if he "did not want to be
kicked out like a dog."

"Come on, neighbor; let's be goin'," he said to Uncle Aleck. "I've had
enough voting for to-day. Let's light out of this town." Then the men,
taking up their ox-goads, drove out of town. They had had their first
sight of the struggle for freedom.

CHAPTER VII.

AT THE DIVIDING OF THE WAYS.

The military road, of which I have just spoken, was constructed by the
United States Governm