r once who left some of it layin' around, and a hog et it, and the
man kicked the hog and lost a leg!"

Shawn helped Burney to place the stick, unmindful of one of Coaly's
never-failing traits. Shawn had taught him, as a young dog, to carry
things from the boat in his mouth, and faithful Coaly could be sent back
for his glove or any small article left behind. The little dog stood
watching Shawn and Burney as they placed the stick and touched the fire
to the fuse.

"Run, Shawn!" yelled Burney.

Old man Oiler backed his boat out into the stream, and Shawn and Burney
ran up the shore.

Horror of horrors! When Burney turned to look back toward the wreckage,
he saw Coaly coming after them with the dynamite stick in his mouth, the
fire slowly creeping up the fuse.

"Go back, Coaly! Go back!" yelled Burney. He threw a boulder at the
little dog, but he came on. Burney ran for the willows under the bank
as Coaly quickened his pace. Shawn had taken refuge in an old saw-mill
and peered out, wringing his hands in an agony of suspense. Burney was
breaking down the dry willows and yelling, "Go back, Coaly!"

Suddenly, there was a loud report that shook the earth. The ground was
torn up and bark and driftwood were scattered everywhere. Shawn and
Burney ran up, but there were no signs of Coaly, not even a trace of
bone, hide nor hair. Coaly had returned to the original atoms of
atmosphere and nothingness.

Shawn sat upon a log and wept. Pence Oiler came up, cut a piece of
tobacco from his plug and said, "There's nothin' to bury--not even a
tooth."

CHAPTER XVII

THE STATES AND THE AMERICA

The winter days had come again, and the year was fast drawing to its
close. Doctor Hissong had been elected to the Legislature, and was
making arrangements to leave for Frankfort the first of January. Shawn
was in school, growing into a handsome and athletic young man of
eighteen years, with the light of health glowing in his eyes, and with
an honest purpose in his heart.

One morning Mrs. Alden sent word to him to call at her home after the
school hour. Shawn went up there in the afternoon. The good woman
greeted him with a smile and bade him be seated by the library fire.

"Shawn, I have sent for you, purposely, to ask a great favor."

The black eyes beamed the sincere impulse of his heart, as he turned to
her and said, "Mrs. Alden, it would make me happy to do something for
you."

"I am going to Cincinnati on the boat to