Part 24 (1/2)

”Fun for you, but not forchalk Basset would have the best on't, too, for he'd have coht top on me How the crittur would have crowed!”

”I hear him croo or tree time already,” said Primus, who had been to the door several times, and could detect faint sounds whenever the is a little longer It will clear his voice for singing school I guess Ielse, to hear him perform”

”But I 'fraid de poor man freeze,” said the compassionate General

”Never fear, 'twon't hurt hiliness out of hi along will help him out, and that will save you the trouble”

”Me! Missa Gladding! what hab I to do wid it? You put him dere, and you is de one to pull him out”

”Don't be onreasonable, Prio, he'd know, of course, all about it Why, he'd recollect the clothes, and next thing I should be took up for assault and battery”

”And who save er of that They can't git no hold on ye You can say you hearn crying for help, and didn't know but what Holden had turned on him, and so come to assist”

Primus shook his head dubiously He hardly knehat to reply, yet was evidently disinclined to the adventure For that reason, perhaps, he allowed Basset to reood-nature proht arrive from so, ”if I don't believe you're afraid Basset will give you a licking”

”Basset, nor no oder ht to make e was a little sti up and preparing for his expedition ”But, Missa Gladding, you proo any furder”

”Sartainly,” answered Tom, ”I never left a friend in the lurch, I tell you”

”Gib us you hand on dat”

Toe-han of inviolable fidelity

”Now,” said Touess, I'llfor all the cider I drank to-night There's so, and cos”

With these words, To so hiher on his brows, and depositing the false beard in his pocket, while Pri a fresh pipe, sallied forth on his errand of benevolence

As he approached he could hear plainer the halloo which Basset occasionally emitted from his trap The ears of the latter sharpened by expectation, caught the sound of the advancing steps, while as yet the deliverer was at too great a distance to see the hole, and his cries for assistance were redoubled

”Help!” he cried, ”help! They want to murder me This way--here, in the old well--this way--O, Lord!”

Such were the cries that saluted the ears of Priuish articulate sounds

”Who dere?” cried the General

”O, Priroaned Basset

”Onpossible! can dis be you, Missa Basset?” inquired Prie of the pit ”How couess, you knoell as me”

”His head turn wid de scare, probuh to be heard by the captive ”I curus to larn how you fall in

Ebberybody know dis hole, Missa Basset”