the order. Sim proceeded.

"As I was sayin', Bill, that's my cousin, he lives over in the
Shenandoah valley two looks and a yell from the Jumpin'-off Place, was
out fishin' with another feller. When they was goin' home an' come out
inter the clearin' roun' Fin Anderson's cabin, they see an ol' Injun,
Bowlegs they call him, snoopin' roun'. They hid an' watched
perceedin's. When ol' Bowlegs found no one was ter home what's he do
but walk right in and bring out a jug o' corn liquor an' set right
thar an' fill his gullet. Then the ol' varmint laid down fer a
snooze."

"Oughter tarred an' feathered the ol' cuss," said Angus.

"That's jes' what Bill thought, but they didn't have no tar, let alone
feathers. But Fin Anderson's a curis feller, an' Bill remembered that
when he went out inter that country he toted along a feather bed;
'lowed he wanted somethin' different to sleep on ter home than he had
in ther woods. When Bill thought o' that feather bed he jes' sithed
fer tar, when he'd make a turkey gobbler outer Bowlegs. Well, while
they's rummagin' roun' ther cabin they found some wild honey Fin had
brought in, so they took that an' daubed ther ol' feller from head ter
heel and then rolled him in the feathers."

"Kinder rough on Fin's feather bed."

"Oh, he'd sure enough lay it to the Injun. After they got back home
an' told the story some o' the fellers 'lowed as how they'd go over
an' give Bowlegs a lickin' ter boot. Well, when they got in sight o'
the ol' rascal, he was jes' soberin' up, sittin' thar rubbin' his
eyes. 'Bout that time he seen ther feathers stickin' out all over him
an' he let out a whoop an' went tearin' off through the brush,
sheddin' feathers at every jump like an ol' settin' hen scared off'n
her nest."

"They oughter licked the ol' redskin; they're all thieves," said Angus
with an important air.

"He stole the liquor but it looks like some one else stole the honey
and feathers."

All eyes turned toward the speaker who had joined the group
unobserved. He was Rodney Allison.

The face of Angus turned red as a beet. Here was this upstart new boy
with an air of questioning his authority. By means of Angus' ability
to give any boy in the neighbourhood a sound drubbing if necessary he
had become the recognized leader. Evidently this new boy needed to be
shown his proper place.

"Huh! Bill an' his friends ain't thieves, I can tell. An Injun is a
born thief, so are most niggers, an' I've been told