decrease of distance between them; but there the pavements were something Tim’s bare feet were not used to catching on, and the people something he was not used to dodging:  he upset several, but dashed on, with his pursuer gaining on his heels.  Men, women, dogs, and darkies turned out to witness the race or follow it.  “Stop thief!” “Go it, Tim!” “You’re catching him, stranger!” “Foot it, little one!” were cries that speeded the running.  The Doctor stood waiting at the hotel door, laughing, shaking, and red as a veritable Bacchus.  Tim Price banged the camera into him, whirled round suddenly, caught the Professor as he dashed at him, and held him in his powerful arms, squirming like an eel.

“Yere’s your crazy man, stranger,” said Tim, in slow, drawling tone.  “I tell you he kin jest p’intedly foot it.  Thar hain’t been such a run in Kanoy County sence they stopped ‘lectin’ country fellers fer sheriff.  I reckon I’ve arned thet dollar.  What shall I do with the leetle feller?”

The Professor was powerless, but lay in Tim’s arms biting, kicking, and curled up like a yellow-jacket interested with an enemy.

“Let him go,” said the laughing Doctor.  “He will stay with me now.  He is not dangerous when I am about.  Set him on his feet.”

No sooner was the Professor deposited on the pavement than he dealt Tim a stinging blow which staggered him, and stood ready with trained muscles set for defence.

“Look yere, leetle un,” said Tim, coolly and with great self-restraint, “’tain’t fer the likes uv me to hit you, bein’s you’re a bit out in your top, but I’ll gin you another hug ef you do that ag’in; I will, p’intedly.”

In the good humor of the crowd, the mirth of the Doctor, and the latter’s possession of the camera the Professor scented a joke, and at once saw his friend’s hand in it.  He joined in the laugh at his expense, and lengthened his friend’s face by saying, “The Doctor having had his fun, he will now pay the bill at the bar for all of you:  he pays all my expenses:  so walk in, gentlemen.”

The laws of hospitality west of the Alleghanies do not permit any one to decline an invitation, so the Doctor settled for the whole procession and paid Tim Price his well-earned dollar.

“Captain,” said Tim to the hotel-proprietor, who had joined the crowd, “ef two fellers comes here from the East, one uv ’em ez round ez a punkin an’ red ez a flannel shirt an’ bald ez a land-tortle, an’ t’other ez brown ez a mud-catty an’ poor ez a razor-back hog, tell ’em I’m yere to pilot ’em up Elk to Colonel Bangem’s caliker tents.  He said they were ez green ez frogs, an’ didn’t know nothin’ noway, an’ fer me to take keer uv ’em.  He don’t reckon they’ll come tell to-morrow.  One uv ’em’s a hoss-doctor, an’ t’other’s a perfessor uv religion, Colonel Bangem telled me.  I dunno whether the feller’s a circuit-rider er a rale preacher.”

“That’s the highly-illuminated pumpkin, my good man,” said the Professor, pointing to the Doctor, “and I am Colonel Bangem’s spiritual adviser.  We got here a day sooner than we expected to.”