!" The dog bounded with joy. "Keep right by
my heels now, old fellow, and mind every word I say. Don't be anxious
about us, Vinnie. And, Rufe, if you could manage to engage the Peakslow
boys in conversation, about the time we are shooting hens pretty near
the fence, you might help the sport."

"I'll follow you along, and branch off toward the potato-patch, and ask
Zeph what he meant by offering to fight me," said Rufe.

"I'm going to get up on the cow-shed, and see the battle," said Link.
"On Linden when the sun was low, and the buckwheat-patch was all in
blow,--I'm a poet, you know!"

CHAPTER XXV.

THE BATTLE OF THE BOUNDARY FENCE.

The little party set off, watched by Vinnie with a good deal of anxiety.
The dog was left in the edge of the corn; and Jack, with a good milky
ear in his pocket, followed Mr. Betterson into the buckwheat-field.

"There's Wad and his dad after prairie chickens," said Zeph.

"Yes," said Dud, "and here comes Rufe after you. He'll give you _Hail
Columby_ one of these days, when I ain't round."

"I'll resk him," muttered Zeph.

"Look here, you young scape-grace!" Rufe called from over the fence,
"I've come to take you at your word. Want to fight me, do ye? I'm ready,
if you're particular about it."

"Come near me, and I'll sink a stun in your head!" said Zeph,
frightened.

"You've got that phrase from the Wiggett boys," said Rufe. "I'd fight
with something besides borrowed slang, if I was you."

Betterson meanwhile brought down a prairie chicken with a grace of
gesture and suddenness of aim which Jack would have greatly admired if
he had not had other business on his mind.

The bird fell in the direction of the boundary fence. Jack ran as if to
pick it up, at the same time giving a low whistle for his dog. He
stooped, and was for a minute hidden by the fence from the Peakslow
boys,--if, indeed, Rufe gave them leisure just then to look in that
direction.

Darting forward to the fence, Jack took down the top rails of a corner,
and made a motion to Lion, who leaped over.

"Catch Snowfoot! catch Snowfoot!" said Jack, quickly placing the ear of
corn in the dog's mouth.

The horse was feeding some six rods off, near Peakslow's pair, when the
dog, singling him out, ran up and began to coquet with him, flourishing
the ear of corn.

The boys were talking so loud, and Jack had let down the rails so
gently, and Lion had sped away so silently, that the movement was not
observe