His first wild shriek had startled
the quilters, and forth they rushed,
wondering if some mad Indian was
not prowling about. By this time
John was within a few rods of the
barn, stll running at the top of his
speed, his head tli ned so that he
might keep one eyo on the snake, and
withthe other observe wbatcourse he
must take. The barn now concealed
him from the sight of the girls. He
knew that they were in the yard,
having caught a glimpse of them as
they rushed from the house. For a
moment modesty overcmae fear, and
he once more halted. The snake ev
idently pleased with this rapid trans
portation, manifested its gratitude
by attempting to entold the logs of
our hero within ts embrace.
With an explosive “omc?i !” and
urged forward by “circumstances
over which he had no control,” poor
John bounded on. The next mo
mei t he was in view of the girls, and
as . turned the corner of the burn
. ..<. Miiake came round with a whiz,
somew hat after the fashion of a coach
whip. Having reached the barn
yard, to his dismay b ■ found the bars
up. But time was too precious to be
wasted in letting down bars. He
gathered all his strength, bounded
iii'o the ail. snake ditto, and as he
alighted <hi the other side hi- snake
-hip\ tail craeked across the upper
ba r.
The house now became the center
of attraction,and around it he rovolv
with the speed of thought. Four
times in each revolution, as he turn
ed the corner, his snakeship camo
©rant Cmnitji feraß.
