down on the
front piazza and waited.

I was sitting on the grass, practicing mumble-te-peg a little, and
by-and-by Mr. Martin says, "Well, Bub, what are you doing?"

"Playing a game," says I. "Want to learn it?"

"Well, I don't care if I do," says he. So he came out, and sat in the
grass, and I showed him how to play.

Just then Mr. Travers arrived, and Sue came down, and was awfully glad
to see both her friends. "But what in the world are you doing," she says
to Mr. Martin. When she heard that he was learning the game, she said,
"How interesting, do play one game."

Mr. Martin finally said he would. So we played a game, and I let him
beat me very easy. He laughed fit to kill himself when I drew the peg,
and said it was the best game he ever played.

"Is there any game you play any better than this, Sonny?" said he, in
his most irragravating style.

"Let's have another game," said I. "Only you must promise to draw the
peg fair, if I beat you."

"All right," said he. "I'll draw the peg if you beat me, Bub."

Oh, he felt so sure he was a first-class player! I don't like a
conceited man, no matter if he is only a boy.

You can just imagine how quick I beat him. Why, I went right through to
"both ears" without stopping, and the first time I threw the knife over
my head it stuck in the ground.

I cut a beautiful peg out of hard wood--one of those sharp, slender pegs
that will go through anything but a stone. I drove it in clear out of
sight, and Mr. Martin, says he, "Why, Sonny, nobody couldn't possibly
draw that peg."

"I've drawn worse pegs than that," said I. "You've got to clear away the
earth with your chin and front teeth, and then you can draw it."

"That is nonsense," says Mr. Martin, growing red in the face.

"This is a fair and square game," says I, "and you gave your word to
draw the peg if I beat you."

"I do hope Mr. Martin will play fair," said Sue. "It would be too bad to
cheat a little boy."

So Mr. Martin laid down and tried it, but he didn't like it one bit.
"See here, Jimmy," said he, "I'll give you half a dollar, and we'll
consider the peg drawn."

"That is bribery and corruption," said I. "Mr. Martin, I can't be
bribed, and didn't think you'd try to hire me to let you break your
promise."

When he saw I wouldn't let up on him, he laid down again and went to
work.

It was the best fun I ever knew. I just rolled on the ground and laughed
till I cried. Sue and Mr. Travers didn't r