One day Uncle Jim and I started to cross one of these ditches that had long been permitted to remain dry.  Its bottom was covered by weeds six inches high, and looked to be about six feet down.  We committed ourselves to the slope.  Then, when too late to reconsider, we discovered that the apparent six-inch growth of weeds was in reality one of four or five feet.  The horse discovered it at the same time.  With true presence of mind, he immediately determined that it was up to him to leap that ditch.  Only the fact that he was hitched to the cart prevented him from doing so; but he made a praiseworthy effort.

The jerk threw me backward, and had I not grabbed Uncle Jim I would most certainly have fallen out behind.  As for Uncle Jim, he would most certainly have fallen out behind, too, if he had not clung like grim death to the reins.  And as for the horse, alarmed by the check and consequent scramble, he just plain bolted, fortunately straight ahead.  We hit the opposite bank with a crash, sailed over it, and headed across country.

Consider us as we went.  Feet in air, I was poised on the end of my backbone in a state of exact equilibrium.  A touch would tumble me out behind; an extra ounce would tip me safely into the cart; my only salvation was my hold on Uncle Jim.  I could not apply that extra ounce for the simple reason that Uncle Jim also, feet in air, was poised exactly on the end of his backbone.  If the reins slackened an inch, over he went; if he could manage to pull up the least bit in the world, in he came!  So we tore across country for several hundred yards, unable to recover and most decidedly unwilling to fall off on the back of our heads.  It must have been a grand sight; and it seemed to endure an hour.  Finally, imperceptibly we overcame the opposing forces.  We were saved!

Uncle Jim cursed out “Henry” with great vigour.  Henry was the mare we drove.  Uncle Jim, in his naming of animals, always showed a stern disregard for the female sex.  Then, as usual, we looked about to see what we could see.

Over to the left grew a small white oak.  About ten or twelve feet from the ground was a hole.  That was enough; we drove over to investigate that hole.  It was not an easy matter, for we were too lazy to climb the tree unless we had to.  Finally we drove close enough so that, by standing on extreme tip-toe atop the seat of the cart, I could get a sort of sidewise, one-eyed squint at that hole.

“If,” I warned Uncle Jim, “Henry leaves me suspended in mid-air I’ll bash her fool head in!”

“No, you won’t,” chuckled Uncle Jim, “it’s too far home.”

It was a very dark hole, and for a moment I could see nothing.  Then, all at once, I made out two dull balls of fire glowing steadily out of the blackness.  That was as long as I could stand stretching out my entire anatomy to look down any hole.

On hearing my report, Uncle Jim phlegmatically thrust the flexible whip down the hole.