een a cantankerous heifer a breaking
into my lot, and I've been a lookin' for her, and I've cotched her at
last."

"Well," said the unconscious Mr. Stagg, "I 'spose you're going to
drive her to the pound."

"No, I ain't," answered Uncle Obed, with the smile we have alluded to,
"I know a trick worth two of that. I'm going to kill her; and if you
won't say nothing to nobody, but'll come up to-night and help me, you
shall hev the horns and hide for your trouble."

"Done," said Mr. Stagg. "I'll come."

In the mean time, Uncle Obed took a pot of black paint, and covered
the white face of the heifer, so as to prevent recognition. The
neighbor came up at night, and helped despatch his own "critter,"
receiving the horns and hide for his pay, and laughing with Obed to
think how cleverly the owner had been "done."

The next day he missed his heifer, and called on Obed to ask if he had
seen her.

"I hain't seen her to-day," replied Uncle Obed, "but if you'll go to
the tannery, where you sold that hide, and 'll just take the trouble
to overhaul it, Mr. Stagg, prehaps you'll find out where your heifer
is."

_Pre_haps he did.

On another occasion Uncle Obed appropriated--we scorn to charge him
with stealing--a cow which had had the misfortune to lose her tail.
Stepping into a tannery, he cut off a tail, and sewed it on to the
fragment which yet decorated the hind quarters of the stolen animal.
He then drove her along towards the next market, and having to cross a
ferry, had just got on board the boat with his booty, when down came
the owner of the missing cow, "bloody with spurring, fiery red with
haste," and took passage on the same boat.

He eyed his cow very sharply, while Uncle Obed stood quietly by,
watching the result of the investigation.

"That's a pretty good cow, ain't it?" said Uncle Obed.

"Yes," replied the owner, "and if her tail was cut off, I could swear
it was mine."

Uncle Obed quietly took his knife out of his pocket, and cutting the
tail short off _above_ where the false one was joined on, threw it
into the river.

"Now, neighbor," said he, triumphantly, "can you swear that's your
cow?"

"Of course not," said the owner. "But they look very much alike."

After stealing something or other, we forget what, Uncle Obed was
observed, and the sheriff was sent in pursuit of him, in hot haste,
mounted on a fine and very fast horse. After a hard run, Uncle Obed
halted at the edge of a rough piece of gr