The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 22 — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ARGOSY I lied before I git off this wagon ? I told you we’d forget the past; an’ if you're bound to set there much longer we won't be here, an then I reckon they’ll hang you, or do something like that !” ‘* Now, don't get boisterous,” advised Chub. ‘‘I would like to ask Andy whether by accident or intention he ran over Uncle Jim. Tell the truth.” ‘¢ That ain’t none of your business,"’ replied Mason tartly. ‘All right,” replied Chub coolly, ‘(It isn't any of our business whether you get off that wagon or not, either.” “Well, then,” shouted Andy, seeing they were getting the worst of it, ‘‘I did it on purpose, If you fellows hadn’t chimed in, we'd a had a good trip with Uncle Jim off the road. Are you satisfied now ?” ‘** Weare as soon as your father promises,” said Dick. Mr. Mason muttered something under his breath, that would not sound nice if spoken aloud, and then replied : “ All right. you ask.” ‘*You will have to stand a wet- ting,” Dick called out, pulling out the tent rope. ‘' Catch the end of this.” And walking down the bank until he was opposite them, after a few preliminary whirls around his head, he launched the rope out over the stream. The end fell below the wagon, and guickly floated out of reach, and the performance had to be repeated. This time it fell directly across the vehicle, and Andy and_ his father grabbed for it as though it was a bag of gold. “The one that is cominy first tie the rope under your arms, so you can use your hands. Catch hold here, Chub. If we pull you under, you want to keep your mouth shut.” The rope was tied about Andy, and after a great many injunctions, the young man lowered himself into the water. He managed to keep his head up, and as the boys braced themselves on the rope, the current swung him into shore. Mr. Mason then tied the rope about himself, but when he touched the water ne lost courage. ‘“*T can’t do it,” he bawled. IT will.” In vain the boys protested. He stubbornly clung to the wagon, re- fusing to let go, and, losing all patience, the boys surged back on the rope. Mason went into the water with a great splash, and went down just as he had predicted. It was an anxious moment to them before he reappeared, with Andy hopping about on the bank, declaring they had drowned his father. Then Mason’s head shot up, and without giving him a chance to sink again, the boys hauled him in rapidly. After he reached the bank, and ceased trying to eject the water he had swallowed, he pretended to be terribly angry, and cried : ‘*T'll pay you for this, I will. I’ve got a dreadful poor memory, an’ I reckon I'll forgit them promises I made. You're a nice crowd, you are!” ‘* That shows what kind of a man you are!’ Chub declared bluntly. ‘“*On the contrary, our memory is exceptionally good, and when we get back to Kirkville we won’t forget to swear out a warrant for Andy’s arrest 1or running over Uncle Jim. It will be felonious assault, or something like that. At any rate, he'll abide in a reform school for a time!” ‘* You can't prove it,” said Mason defiantly. ‘‘Oh, yes, I can,” returned Chub. ‘‘I’ve got a witness here that heard Andy admit it!” I promise to do what - ‘*T'll sink like a lump of lead ; I know 359 Mr. Mason concluded he was shouting before he was out of the woods, and changed his tactics. ‘« There ain’t no cause to do that,”? he whined. ** There will be good cause if you try to forget anything you have promised,” warned Chub, And then the party turned about and went back to a farmhouse, Mr. Mason becoming very sociable. The next day the stream lad sub- sided to its natural depth, and he secured his wagon. The stock was badly damaged, and Mason decided to close it out for Whatever he could get. Whenever he showed signs of evading his ‘“ONE WOULD THINK YOU THOUGHT THE MONEY WAS DEADLY POISON.” promises, during the rest of their journey together, the boys had only to mention Andy’s name, CHAPTER XXX. A HAPPY ENDING. ‘HE only incident of any interest, after the rescue of Mason, oc- curred when the boys were driving through a town not many miles from the scene of their escape from the burning house. They were driving along the main street, when Chub noticed a man standing in the door of a small dry goods store, whose face seemed very familiar. ‘“Who is that ?” he asked of Dick, with a nod of the head. ‘“Why, it is Brown,” cried Dick, in surprise, quickly turning the horses in toward the curbing. ‘* How do you do, Mr. Brown ?” ‘‘ First rate ; how’s yourself ?”’ returned Brown promptly, but show- ing no indication that he recognized them. ‘‘Don’t you know us ?” inquired Dick. *¢T can't say that I do,” he returned cautiously. of ever seeing you before.” ‘““That is funny,” said Dick in a low tone, beginning to haul some- thing from under the seat. ‘* We have a package for you.” Then he tumbled the peddler’s pack upon the sidewalk, Brown look- ing at it in surprise, and exclaiming : ‘* Where did you get that ?” ‘* He certainly don’t know a thing about it,” said Chub, and he pro- ceeded to tell Brown the story. ‘*T can’t remember S| COMmMICA@O (CO)