Old Caravan Days

melancholy tunes which sounded like a droning accompaniment to the rain. The rain fell with a continuous murmur, and evidently in slender threads, for it scarcely pattered on the

il-cloth over the sticks, tying the corners, and had a canopied throne in the midst of this lively camp. A chunk served for a footstool. Bobaday sat upon his log, hearing the rain slide down, and feeling exceedingly snug. His delight came from that wild instinct with which we

asy bed again. He got enough of the carriage in daytime, having counted all its buttons up and down and crosswise. The smell of

n and sleepy surface like inferior qualities of lining silk; and you cannot tell whether the expression or the humors of the eye are at fault. But Nature, or his own medi

rst time one of grandfather's Peter Parley books about the Indians, or Mr. Irving's story of Dolph Heyleger, where Dolph app

ing on tiptoe toward him, and anxious to

et up for?" he

up for?" retalia

leaned down and laced her shoes after being seated. "Ma Padgett's

of bed and prowling when their elders were asleep,

nd then I sl-ip-ped up and hooked some of my clothes on, and didn't dast to br

eard the bab

there's any gip

s tone inclining to an admission

ld steal us," expl

ded pleasure; it made them shi

emboldened by remembering that his capable grandmother wa

drive away in the morning," he added,

reat pity. "I'd like to see how

whispered

a drizzle now," whi

e that old Indian that was named Trackless in the book-that went through the woods and through the w

e fidgeted

e fancy the nighttime stimulated, "to get on a

t a glance back

e from our camp-fire and n

"le's do it. Le's take a walk. It

ns crowin' aw

old roosters used to act on Christmas night? I got out of bed four

e take?" whispe

from the log and mapp

d then we'll slip along towards that furthest fi

re Corinne fell down. Bobaday then thought it expedient for his aunt to take hold of his jacket behind and walk in his tracks, according to their life-long custom when going down cellar for apples after dark. Gra

each other a wish to go back and sit in safety and peace of nerve again upon the log. Robert plodded carefully ahead, parting the bush

ephew hushed her up and put her valiantly on a very high stump behind himself. The dog took no trouble to trace them. He was too comfortable before the brands, too mud-splashed and st

n?" whispered aunt Corinne, aft

in a fight," replied Bobaday. "Old Johnson was under our wago

ver the front opening of the wagon, Bobaday and Corinne knew that women and children were sleeping within on their chattels. Here a tent was made of sheets and stretched down with the branch of

ngered, talking in steady, monotonous voices as if telling stori

wet wood sod was not pleasant to walk upon. "I g

r'ble," assented her neph

ear them arose the piercing sc