‘You fightin’ hound!’ said Uncle Eb, ’I hope this’ll improve yer character.’

Fred tried to sit down when Uncle Eb tied a leading rope to his collar.  When he heard the wheels rattle and felt the pull of the wagon he looked back at it and growled a little and started to run.  Uncle Eb shouted ‘whoa’, and held him back, and then the dog got down on his belly and trembled until we patted his head and gave him a kind word.  He seemed to understand presently and came along with a steady stride.  Our hostess met us at the gate and the look of her face when she bade us goodbye and tucked some cookies into my pocket, has always lingered in my memory and put in me a mighty respect for all women.  The sound of her voice, the tears, the waving of her handkerchief, as we went away, are among the things that have made me what I am.

We stowed our packages in the wagon box and I walked a few miles and then got into the empty basket.  Fred tipped his load over once or twice, but got a steady gait in the way of industry after a while and a more cheerful look.  We had our dinner by the roadside on the bank of a brook, an hour or so after midday, and came to a little village about sundown.  As we were nearing it there was some excitement among the dogs and one of them tackled Fred. He went into battle very promptly, the wagon jumping and rattling until it turned bottom up.  Re-enforced by Uncle Eb’s cane he soon saw the heels of his aggressor and stood growling savagely.  He was like the goal in a puzzle maze all wound and tangled in his harness and it took some time to get his face before him and his feet free.

At a small grocery where groups of men, just out of the fields, were sitting, their arms bare to the elbows, we bought more bread and butter.  In paying for it Uncle Eb took a package out of his trouser pocket to get his change.  It was tied in a red handkerchief and I remember it looked to be about the size of his fist.  He was putting it back when it fell from his hand, heavily, and I could hear the chink of coin as it struck.  One of the men, who sat near, picked it up and gave it back to him.  As I remember well, his kindness had an evil flavour, for he winked at his companions, who nudged each other as they smiled knowingly.  Uncle Eb was a bit cross, when I climbed into the basket, and walked along in silence so rapidly it worried the dog to keep pace.  The leading rope was tied to the stock of the rifle and Fred’s walking gait was too slow for the comfort of his neck.

’You shifless cuss!  I’ll put a kink in your neck fer you if ye don’t walk up,’ said Uncle Eb, as he looked back at the dog, in a temper wholly unworthy of him.

We had crossed a deep valley and were climbing a long hill in the dusky twilight.

‘Willie,’ said Uncle Eb, ’your eyes are better’n mine — look back and see if anyone’s comin’.’

‘Can’t see anyone,’ I answered.

’Look ’way back in the road as fur as ye can see.