air, was poised
exactly on the end of his backbone. If the reins slackened an inch, over
he went; if he could manage to pull up the least bit in the world, in he
came! So we tore across country for several hundred yards, unable to
recover and most decidedly unwilling to fall off on the back of our
heads. It must have been a grand sight; and it seemed to endure an hour.
Finally, imperceptibly we overcame the opposing forces. We were saved!

Uncle Jim cursed out "Henry" with great vigour. Henry was the mare we
drove. Uncle Jim, in his naming of animals, always showed a stern
disregard for the female sex. Then, as usual, we looked about to see
what we could see.

Over to the left grew a small white oak. About ten or twelve feet from
the ground was a hole. That was enough; we drove over to investigate
that hole. It was not an easy matter, for we were too lazy to climb the
tree unless we had to. Finally we drove close enough so that, by
standing on extreme tip-toe atop the seat of the cart, I could get a
sort of sidewise, one-eyed squint at that hole.

"If," I warned Uncle Jim, "Henry leaves me suspended in mid-air I'll
bash her fool head in!"

"No, you won't," chuckled Uncle Jim, "it's too far home."

It was a very dark hole, and for a moment I could see nothing. Then, all
at once, I made out two dull balls of fire glowing steadily out of the
blackness. That was as long as I could stand stretching out my entire
anatomy to look down any hole.

On hearing my report, Uncle Jim phlegmatically thrust the flexible whip
down the hole.

"'Coon," he pronounced, after listening to the resultant remarks from
within.

And then the same bright idea struck us both.

"Mrs. Kitty here makes good with those angleworms," Uncle Jim voiced the
inspiration.

We blocked up the hole securely; and made rapid time back to the ranch.

CHAPTER X

THE MEDIUM-SIZE GAME

Against many attacks and accusations of uselessness cast at her
dachshunds, Mrs. Kitty had always stoutly opposed the legend of
"medium-size game." The dachshunds may look like bologna sausages on
legs, ran the gist of her argument; and they may progress like rather
lively measuring worms; and the usefulness of their structure may seem
to limit itself to a facility for getting under furniture without
stooping, _but_--Mrs. Kitty's eloquence always ended by convincing
herself, and she became very serious--but that is not the dogs' fault.
Rather it is the fault o