Part 28 (1/2)
CHAPTER XXV
THE BATTLE OF THE BOUNDARY FENCE
The little party set off, watched by Vinnie with a good deal of anxiety
The dog was left in the edge of the corn; and Jack, with a good milky ear in his pocket, followed Mr Betterson into the buckwheat-field
”There's Wad and his dad after prairie chickens,” said Zeph
”Yes,” said Dud, ”and here coive you _Hail Columby_ one of these days, when I ain't round”
”I'll resk hirace!” Rufe called from over the fence, ”I've coht me, do ye? I'm ready, if you're particular about it”
”Come near htened
”You've got that phrase fro besides borrowed slang, if I was you”
Betterson esture and suddenness of aireatly admired if he had not had other business on his mind
The bird fell in the direction of the boundary fence Jack ran as if to pick it up, at the sa He stooped, and was for a minute hidden by the fence froave the forward to the fence, Jack took down the top rails of a corner, and made a motion to Lion, who leaped over
”Catch Snowfoot! catch Snowfoot!” said Jack, quickly placing the ear of corn in the dog'sso hi the ear of corn
The boys were talking so loud, and Jack had let down the rails so gently, and Lion had sped away so silently, that the movement was not observed by the enemy until Snowfoot started for the fence Even then the excited boys did not see as going on But Peakslow did
If Snowfoot had been in his usual spirits he would have soon been off the Peakslow preh hunger induced him to follow the ear of corn, it was at a pace which Jack found exasperatingly slow,--especially when he saw Peakslow running to the pasture, gun in hand, and heard him shout,--
”Let that hoss alone! I'll shoot you, and your dog and hoss too!”
Jack answered by calling, ”Co' jock! co' jock! Come, lion! Come, Snowfoot! Co' jock!”
At the saap Jack had made,--they on one side of the fence, while Rufe raced with the coolly reloaded his discharged barrel, walked with his usual quiet, dignified step to the broken fence
”Better keep this side,” he said with deliberate politeness to Jack
”You are on ht here”
”Oh! but that horse never will coht; keep cool, keep cool!” said Betterson