"Yes, indeedy--he's a perfect lady of a horse to lead---you can pick up airy foot--climb all over him in fac', s'long's you don't try to ride him or hitch him up. If you do that--well, young man, you'll get a pretty fair idee of what is meant by one of the demons of hell." "What kind of saddle have you got?" "One of them outlandish Western affairs that the scamp threw in with the animal--you see, I thought I'd take up horse-back riding for my health; I was in bed three weeks after my fust try." "I'll go you seventy-five dollars for the outfit, just as you got it--chaps, taps, and latigo straps, if you'll have it in front of my house at nine o'clock to-morrow." "All right, young man--all right sir--now don't blame me if you air took home shoes fust." "Nary," said Red. "Come and see the fun." "I shorely will," replied the old gentleman. IV At nine the next morning there was a crowd in front of the house. "What have you been doing now, Will?" asked Miss Mattie with prescience. "Only buying a horse, Mattie," returned Red soberly. "Seems to be quite an event here." "Is that all?" "That's all, so help me Bob!" Red had a suspicion that there would be objections if she knew what kind of a horse it was. Lettis, who had roomed with Red overnight, was in the secret. The horse arrived, leading very quietly, as Mr. Upton had said. It was a buckskin, fat and hearty from long resting. Nothing could be more docile than the pensive lower lip, and the meek curve of the neck; nothing could be more contradictory than the light of its eye; a brooding, baleful fire, quietly biding its time. "Scatter, friends!" cried Red, as he put his foot in the stirrup. "Don't be too proud to take to timber!" He swung over as lightly as a trapeze performer, deftly catching his other stirrup. The horse groaned and shivered. "Don't let him get his head down! Gol-ding it! Don't you!" screamed Mr. Upton in wild excitement.