tle boy wanted to laugh, but ran up instead and began striking
among the bevy of dogs that were torturing his friend. Some of them
howled and ran off a few paces. Then they came flocking back. Suddenly
Horatio thrust his violin into Bo's hand and ran swiftly toward a large
tree a few yards distant. The curs followed and jumped high into the air
after him as he scrambled up to the lower limbs.

Bosephus hurried after them and struck at them so fiercely with his club
that they ran yelping away. A number of villagers, attracted by the
commotion, were now appearing from all quarters.

"Here come the people, Ratio," said Bo, grinning. "Now we can perform."

"All right, Bo," whispered the Bear, "but if you'll kindly hand me up
that fiddle I believe I'll perform right where I am."

The boy passed up the violin and the Bear struck a few notes. By this
time the people had collected. There was a blacksmith with a leather
apron, and a painter with all colors of paint on his clothes. Behind
them there came a woman with dough on her hands and another carrying a
baby. Other men and women followed in the procession, and a dozen or so
children of all ages. They halted a little way from the tree and stood
staring. Horatio sat astride a big limb and commenced playing. Suddenly
the boy threw back his head and began to sing:--

"Oh, the dogs barked loud and the dogs barked low
And the boy stood still and the Bear climbed the tree,
At an Old Black Bear and a boy named Bo.
While the people came a-running to see what they could see."

The children drew up close at the first line and held their breath to
listen. As the boy paused they shouted and screamed with laughter at the
sight of Horatio fiddling in the forks of the tree. The dogs sat in a
row and howled plaintively.

"Sing some more," cried the woman with the baby; "it amuses my little
Joey."

[Illustration: BOSEPHUS HURRIED AFTER THEM AND STRUCK AT THEM.]

"Yes, the people came to see them and the dogs they ran away,
And the boy began to sing and the Bear began to play,
Till it tickled all the children and it made the baby crow,
And it set the people dancing till they jumped--Jim--Crow."

"More! more!" shouted the people as they formed into cotillons and
reels. "Sing us some more!"

[Illustration: Music]

"Oh, the ridy-diddle-diddle of Horatio and his fiddle,
And the singing of Bosephus they had never heard before;

[Illustration: