things," said Burl,
looking at his little master, with his head turned slightly downward and
his eyes turned slightly upward, showing more of the whites, which was
his way of looking wise. "Things as has reason in 'em I likes. Says I to
sich things, 'Come 'long, me an' you can agree; walk in my house an'
take a cheer, an' make yo'se'f at home.' But things as hain't got reason
in 'em, says I to sich things, 'You g' 'long; me an' you can't agree;
I's no use for you, don't want you in my house. Scat!'"

"And, Burl, after I killed the snake I saw a painter."

"Now, Bushie, lettin' on agin, ain't you? Wusn't it our yaller Tom dare
at de fort, gwine out to see his kinfolks 'mong de wilecats 'way off
yander?"

"Do painters always scream like a skeered woman or a burnt baby, when
they go a-jumping from one tree to another? And do they always keep
a-swinging their long, limber tails?"

"Dat's de cretor's music, an' dem's de cretor's capers," replied Burl.

"Then I just know it was a painter," said Bushie, more certain of his
panther than he had been of his snake; "for that was just the way he
carried on."

"An' what did you do to de painter, Bushie? Kilt him, too, I 'spect."

"No, I just looked cross-eyed at him and skeered him away."

"H-yah, h-yah, h-yah!" laughed the black giant, till the fence shook and
rattled.

"Now, Burl," said Bushie, regarding his black chum with great soberness,
"didn't you tell me if ever I saw a painter I must skeer him away by
looking cross-eyed at him?"

"Look at me, Bushie, de way you did at de painter," said Burl, with a
broad grin. "I wants to see how well you've larnt your lesson."

Complying at once, Bushie pulled down and screwed up his quizzical
little face in such a marvelous manner that eyes, nose, mouth, and
coon-skin cap seemed on the point of breaking out into a family row
beyond hope of ever coming again to a good understanding one with
another.

"No wonder the varmint was skeered and went screamin' away!" And the
black giant laughed till the forest shook to its roots, and every
inquisitive squirrel and prying fox within a half mile peered warily
forth from its hole to discover what jovial monster this might be that
had invaded their leafy wilds. Suddenly checking his laughter, Burl
said: "But, Bushie, I forgot to ax you if you axed your modder to let
you come out here to de fiel'. Did you?"

"Yes."

"An' she said you might come, did she?"

"Just look up yonder, Bu