to your place
any longer."

"I won't get rid of Snowball," Johnnie Green declared. "It serves you
right if he butts you. You've teased him too often. I don't blame
Snowball at all."

"Send him away, now; or I'll go home," Red threatened.

At that Johnnie Green drove Snowball behind the barn. But he wouldn't
stay there. He came trotting back to the farmyard in no time.

"Leave him alone! Don't pay any attention to him and he won't touch
you!" Johnnie advised Red.

However, that young man was uneasy. But he said nothing more about the
matter. And turning to the swing under the big old apple tree he cried,
"Come on, Johnnie! I'll swing you."

Now, Johnnie Green had swung in that swing thousands of times. But it
wasn't often anybody was willing to stand and push him until he went
up, up, up, high among the leafy branches.

"All right!" he said. "None of your tricks, now!"

Red only grinned. And he began pushing Johnnie. He pushed so hard that
for once Johnnie was satisfied. Once he thought the swing seat--with him
on it--was going to turn completely over.

The whole thing was most strange. It was most unusual. Red was always
ready to be swung. Never had he been willing, before, to swing anybody
else. So Johnnie decided to enjoy the fun while he could. Back and forth
he rode in long sweeps.

Meanwhile Snowball kept edging nearer. He was behind Red. And all the
time Red kept a careful eye on him. But of this Johnnie Green saw
nothing. For of course his back was turned to Red and to Snowball, too.

There was no doubt that Snowball wanted to take a hand in the sport--or
perhaps it would be better to say _take a horn_. Anyhow he lowered his
head now and then, and shook it. And at last he stamped upon the ground.

"Hang tight, Johnnie!" Red cried. "Here comes the biggest push of all!"
And he gave Johnnie a mighty shove.

Then Red waved his tattered hat almost in Snowball's face.

That was a deadly insult. At least so Snowball thought. He gathered his
legs beneath him. He shot forward.

Already Johnnie Green had begun his long backward swing.

For a moment you would have thought Red was going to get caught in a
tight place. Johnnie Green was almost upon him. Snowball was almost upon
him.

And then Red jumped.

XIX

THE WRONG TARGET

"Give me another push like that one!" Johnnie Green shouted from the
swing.

Little did he dream that Snowball was rushing towards him from behind,
rushing with he