tion the rightfulness of
the conclusion. Then he would make up his mind to tell all he knew
about the robbery. But if he told his suspicions about Small, nobody
would believe him. And if he told about Pete Jones, he really could tell
only enough to bring vengeance upon himself. And how could he explain
his own walk through the pasture and down the road? What business had he
being out of bed at two o'clock in the morning? The circumstantial
evidence was quite as strong against him as against the man on the horse
with the white left forefoot and the white nose. Suspicion might fasten
on himself. And then what would be the effect on his prospects? On the
people at Lewisburg? On Hannah? It is astonishing how much instruction
and comfort there is in a bulldog. This slender school-master, who had
been all his life repressing the animal and developing the finer nature,
now found a need of just what the bulldog had. And so, with the thought
of how his friend the dog would fight in a desperate strait, he
determined to take hold of his difficulties as Bull took hold of the
raccoon. Moral questions he postponed for careful decision. But for the
present he set his teeth together in a desperate, bulldog fashion, and
he set his feet down slowly, positively, bulldoggedly. After a wretched
supper at Pete Jones's he found himself at the spelling-school, which,
owing to the absence of Hannah, and the excitement about the burglary,
was a dull affair. Half the evening was spent in talking in little
knots. Pete Jones had taken the afflicted "Dutchman" under his own
particular supervision.

"I s'pose," said Pete, "that them air fellers what robbed your house
must a come down from Jinkins Run. They're the blamedest set up there I
ever see."

"Ya-as," said Schroeder, "put how did Yinkins vellers know dat I sell te
medder to te Shquire, hey? How tid Yinkins know anyting 'bout the
Shquire's bayin' me dree huntert in te hard gash--hey?"

"Some scoundrels down in these 'ere parts is a-layin' in with Jinkins
Run, I'll bet a hoss," said Pete. Ralph wondered whether he'd bet the
one with the white left forefoot and the white nose. "Now," said Pete,
"ef I could find the feller that's a-helpin' them scoundrels rob us
folks, I'd help stretch him to the neardest tree."

"So vood I," said Schroeder. "I'd shtretch him dill he baid me my dree
huntert tollars pack, so I vood."

And Betsey Short, who had found the whole affair very funny, was
transporte