"We'll have to see about that," said Bob, getting up. "But you stick to Jake, closte ez a cuckle-burr." "All right," said Zeke, remembering his potato patch and looking ruefully at the ascending sun as he hurried back to his work. Bob went on his way and returned the horse to Lazar Brown's house; but Uncle Lazar was nowhere to be seen, and S'manthy was evidently out of humor. "S'manthy, yer 's yer hoss," said Bob. "Wal, you thes let 'im loose thar; I hain't got no time to bauther." "How'd the boys come out las' night down 't Moscow?" "Aw, I don' know, un I don' keer, neither. You're a low-lived passel uh loafers, all uh yeh, big _an'_ leetle." "W'y, S'manthy! You wuz that sweet las' night." S'manthy was in a hurry about something, but she showed her irregular teeth as she disappeared around a corner of the cabin, looking back over her shoulder to say: "You'e a purty one, hainch yeh, now?" Bob's face shone with delight as he went on up the run to look for the bear's cubs. He succeeded in killing one of them and capturing the other alive, but he had to take them and his wounded dog home afoot. It seemed too great a venture to ask S'manthy to lend the horse a second time. XIX THE MYTH Jake's leadership had received a severe blow, and Bob could hardly believe that he would be able to muster a company again. But Hogan's vindictiveness and persistence rendered it probable that he would not rest in his present ridiculous position without making an effort to redeem himself, even if he had to act with a small party. "You see," Bob explained to Mason that Saturday night, "Jake's got the most p'ison kind uv hold-on you ever seed. He's shore to try't over, fust _or_ last." "He won't let you fool him again," said Mason. Bob smiled and picked up a chip, which he began to whittle as an aid to reflection. "It would be a juberous thing to try again. But I'm goin' to see Pete Markham in the mornin'. He'll go apast h-yer to the camp-meetin', fer he's a Methodis' by marriage,--that is, his wife's a member, un that makes Pete feel 'z if he wuz a kind-uv a member-in-law. Un Pete knows mighty well 't when the time comes roun' fer him to run fer office, it'll be worth while to know pussidin' elders, un circus-riders, un locus' preachers, un exhausters, un all sorts uv camp-meetin' people. Pete's jes' as shore to go to camp-meetin' a Sunday mornin' 'z a bear is to eat honey when he comes acrost a tumble-down bee-tree."