"Quite the contrary," laughed mother. "I shall have to confess that what I did happened so quickly I'd no time to think. I only realized the coal red iron was menacing the papoose when it drew back and whimpered. Father had all night to face what was coming to him, and it was not one to one, but one to forty, with as many more squaws, as good fighters as the braves, to back them. It was a terror but I never have been sorry we went through it together. I have rested so securely in your father ever since." "And he is as safe in you," I insisted. "As you will," said mother. "This world must have her women quite as much as her men. It is shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, business." The clamour in the meadow arose above our voices and brought us back to the foxes. "There goes another!" I said, the tears beginning to roll again. "It is heathenish business," said mother. "I don't blame you! If people were not too shiftless to care for their stuff, the foxes wouldn't take their chickens and geese. They never get ours!" "Hoods aren't shiftless!" I sobbed. "There are always exceptions," said mother, "and they are the exception in this case." The door flew open and Leon ran in. He was white with excitement, and trembling. "Mother, come and see me take a fence on Pryor's Rocket!" he cried. Mother had him in her arms. "You little whiffet!" she said. "You little tow-haired whiffet!" Both of them were laughing and crying at the same time, and so was I. "I saw you take one fence and the creek, Weiscope!" she said, holding him tight, and stroking his hair. "That will do for to-day. Ride the horse home slowly, rub it down if they will allow you, and be sure to remember your manners when you leave. To trust such a child as you with so valuable a horse, and for Mr. Pryor to personally ride with you and help you, I think that was a big thing for a man like him to do." "But, mother, he's been showing me for weeks, or I couldn't have done it to-day. It was our secret to surprise you. When I get my horse, I'll be able to ride a little, as well as Mr. Laddie." "Leon, don't," said mother, gripping him tighter. "You must bear in mind, word about that money may come any day." "Aw, it won't either," said Leon, pulling away. "And say, mother, that dumb-bell was like country boys make in England. He helped me hunt the wood and showed me, and I couldn't ride and manage it, so he had it all day, and you should have heard him make it rip. Say, mother, take my word, he was some pumpkins in England. I bet he ordered the Queen around, when he was there!" "No doubt!" laughed mother, kissing him and pushing him from the door.