sts long enough to start a
fuss, an' then lights aout to make new trouble. I hain't been ten years
in harness fer nuthin'. Naow, we're goin' to keep school with Boney fer
a spell."

"Say, look a-here, you ain't goin' to hurt me, are you? Remember, I
belong to a man in town," cried the yellow horse, uneasily. Muldoon kept
behind him so that he could not run away.

"I know it. There must be some pore delooded fool in this State hez a
right to the loose end o' your hitchin'-strap. I'm blame sorry fer him,
but he shall hev his rights when we're through with you," said Rod.

"If it's all the same, gentlemen, I'd ruther change pasture. Guess I'll
do it now."

"'Can't always have your 'druthers. 'Guess you won't," said Rod.

"But look a-here. All of you ain't so blame unfriendly to a stranger.
S'pose we count noses."

"What in Vermont fer?" said Rod, putting up his eyebrows. The idea of
settling a question by counting noses is the very last thing that ever
enters the head of a well-broken horse.

"To see how many's on my side. Here's Miss Tuck, anyway; an' Colonel
Tweezy yonder's neutral; an' Judge Marcus, an' I guess the Reverend [the
yellow horse meant the Deacon] might see that I had my rights. He's the
likeliest-lookin' Trotter I've ever set eyes on. Pshaw. Boys. You ain't
goin' to pound me, be you? Why, we've gone round in pasture, all colts
together, this month o' Sundays, hain't we, as friendly as could be.
There ain't a horse alive I don't care who he is--has a higher opinion
o' you, Mr. Rod, than I have. Let's do it fair an' true an' above the
exe. Let's count noses same's they do in Kansas." Here he dropped his
voice a little and turned to Marcus: "Say, Judge, there's some green
food I know, back o' the brook, no one hain't touched yet. After this
little fracas is fixed up, you an' me'll make up a party an' 'tend to
it."

Marcus did not answer for a long time, then he said: "There's a pup up
to the haouse 'bout eight weeks old. He'll yap till he gits a lickin',
an' when he sees it comin' he lies on his back, an' yowls. But he don't
go through no cirkituous nose-countin' first. I've seen a noo light
sence Rod spoke. You'll better stand up to what's served. I'm goin' to
philosophise all over your carcass."

"I'm goin' to do yer up in brown paper," said Muldoon. "I can fit you on
apologies."

"Hold on. Ef we all biffed you now, these same men you've been so dead
anxious to kill 'u'd call us off. 'Guess we'l