in thought.

Billy, grinning, turned and playfully punched him in the ribs. "Gettin'
glory, Hoppy?"

Hopalong raised his head and looked him steadily in the eyes; and Billy,
losing his curiosity and the grin at the same instant, looked ahead,
whistling softly.

FOOTNOTE:

[8] From _Bar-20 Days_. Copyright, 1911, by A. C. McClurg and Company.
Reprinted by special permission of author and publisher.

[Illustration]

IX.--Dey Ain't No Ghosts[9]

_By Ellis Parker Butler_

ONCE 'pon a time dey was a li'l black boy whut he name was Mose. An'
whin he come erlong to be 'bout knee-high to a mewel, he 'gin to git
powerful 'fraid ob ghosts, 'ca'se dey's a grabeyard in de hollow, an' a
buryin'-ground on de hill, an' a cemuntary in betwixt an' between, an'
dey ain't nuffin' but trees nowhar in de clearin' by de shanty an' down
de hollow whar de pumpkin-patch am.

An' whin de night come erlong, dey ain't no sounds at all whut kin be
heard in dat locality but de rain-doves, whut mourn out,
"Oo-_oo_-o-o-o!" jes dat trembulous an' scary, an' de owls, whut mourn
out, "Whut-_whoo_-o-o-o!" more trembulous an' scary dan dat, an' de
wind, whut mourn out, "You-_you_-o-o-o!" mos' scandalous, trembulous an'
scary ob all. Dat a powerful onpleasant locality for a li'l black boy
whut he name was Mose.

'Ca'se dat li'l black boy he so specially black he can't be seen in de
dark _at_ all 'cept by de whites ob he eyes. So whin he go outen de
house at night, he ain't dast shut he eyes, 'ca'se den ain't nobody can
see him in de least. He jest as invidsible as nuffin'! An' who know but
whut a great, big ghost bump right into him 'ca'se it can't see him? An'
dat shore w'u'd scare dat li'l black boy powerful bad, 'ca'se yever'body
knows whut a cold, damp pussonality a ghost is.

So whin dat li'l black Mose go' outen de shanty at night, he keep he
eyes wide open, you may be shore. By day he eyes 'bout de size ob
butter-pats, an' come sundown he eyes 'bout de size ob saucers; but whin
he go outer de shanty at night, he eyes am de size ob de white chiny
plate whut set on de mantel; an' it powerful hard to keep eyes whut am
de size ob dat from a-winkin' an' a-blinkin'.

So whin Hallowe'en come erlong, dat li'l black Mose he jes mek up he
mind he ain't gwine outen de shack at all. He cogitate he gwine stay
right snug in de shack wid he pa an' he ma, 'ca'se de rain-doves tek
notice dat de ghosts are philanderin' roun' de country,