ver. By the time he was pulled out and set upon dry
ground, the boys were all pretty good-natured.

"How about those leeches, Link? Did you find any?" said Jack.

"I'm too dizzy yet, to think about leeches," replied Link. "I turned a
somerset out of that wagon so quick, I could see the patch on the seat
of my trousers!"

"I thought I was going through to China," said Wad, "and expected, when
I came up, to see men with pigtails."

He stood on the edge of the water, holding another tub for Rufe, if he
should come too near.

"Quit your nonsense now!" cried Rufe, "and hand up that barrel."

"I'll quit if you will,--as the poultry-thief said when the old gobbler
chased him. 'Quit, quit!' says the turkey. 'Quit your ownself!' says the
thief. And I'm just of his way of thinking," said Wad.

"Well! help me put this wagon into shape," said Rufe. "Then we'll fill
our tubs and barrel without any more fooling."

The wagon-boards were replaced and loaded without any further accident.
The well-filled tubs were set one upon another, and Wad stood holding
them; while Link, having placed the board seat over the barrel of water,
sat upon it. They found it a pretty sloppy ride; but they could laugh
defiance at a little water now. Chokie, it need hardly be said, did not
ride in a tub of water, but walked between Jack and Rufe beside the
oxen.

CHAPTER XXI.

PEAKSLOW SHOWS HIS HAND.

"Hullo!" cried Link from his perch, as the wagon passed the
potato-patch, "there comes Peakslow down the road through the
woods,--just turning the corner for home!"

Jack started with sudden excitement.

"Can you see his team?"

"Yes; one of the horses looks like yours; and he has an extra horse led
behind."

Jack ran up to the road to get a look, and came laughing back to the
house, where the boys and their load of water had by that time arrived.

"He is driving my horse, and leading one of his own. I am going to get
my bridle, and call on him."

"You'll come back to dinner?" said Rufe.

"Yes, if you'll have my prairie chickens cooked."

And, leaving the boys to astonish the family with their wet clothes,
Jack, with the bridle on his arm, walked down the road.

Just as he was entering Peakslow's yard, he met Mr. Wiggett coming out
with his arms full of brown-paper parcels.

"Mr. Wiggett! glad to see you!"

"Same to yourself," replied the old man. "Got my arms full o' this yer
stuff, or I'd shake hands. I've a lot more o' co