A "KICKER AND SQUEALER."
One of them stopped, and said; "Wait a minute. I heard a noise under the bridge."
At this they both stopped, and, as we supposed, were about to make an investigation, when I dropped the reins, and raising my hands to my mouth, made a noise like the bellowing of a "critter." One of them said:
"Oh, come on. It's nothing but a —— old cow!"
They then started across the bridge, greatly to our relief and satisfaction.
After a few moments' delay we returned to the cross-roads, and started south, traveling but a short distance when we again turned west.
We now began to realize that they were making it quite lively for us, and decided to sell the whole rig at any price.
We drove to within about a mile of Norwalk, when I alighted and walked into the town for the purpose of finding a buyer.
Frank drove to a small inland town eight miles south of Norwalk, where I agreed to meet him the next day.
The following morning I met a middle-aged gentleman on the streets, and asked him if there were any horse-buyers in town. He asked what kind of horses I had for sale. I told him I only had one, and gave a description of the animal.
He said he was buying horses, and would drive out with me and see if we could deal.
He hitched up a pair of horses, and taking another gentleman with us, started south. Upon arriving at our destination, we found Frank quartered at a nice country hotel.
The two men looked our whole outfit over, scrutinizing it very closely, and showed no signs of wanting to buy, and did not even ask our price.
I then said:
"Gentlemen, we will sell you this whole rig cheap, if you wish it."
Finally, after I had repeated several times that I would sell it dirt-cheap, the old gentleman ventured to ask what I considered cheap?
"Well, sir," said I, "you can have the whole outfit for twelve hundred dollars."
"Great Heavens!" he exclaimed. "Do you call that cheap?"
"Well," I answered, "you needn't buy unless you want to."
They then drove off, when I said:
"Frank, those men have had a full description of us and our rig, and we'd better skip."
Frank said he had a trade about worked up with the landlord's father, who lived three miles from there. He wanted to trade a fine horse for our carriage, and thought it best to take our chances of staying to close it up.
After dinner the landlord accompanied us to his father's farm. We had to travel one mile west and two north. On our way there, and about a half mile from town, we had a conversation with a young farmer acquaintance of the landlord, who said if we didn't make a deal as we expected, he would give us a trade of some kind on our way back. On reaching the farm we found a handsome four-year-old colt unbroken, but as we could see, a valuable animal.
We traded our carriage for it and a cheap saddle and bridle. When we came to look the carriage over we found an iron brace broken, and the bargain was, that we were to take it back to town and pay for getting it repaired, and then leave it in care of the landlord.
We started back, the landlord and myself walking and leading the colt, while Frank drove our horse and buggy.
When we reached the young farmer's place above-mentioned, he came out to the gate; and after we were several rods past the house, called to the landlord, who went back.
I noticed that the farmer talked in a very loud tone till the landlord got close to him, when he then spoke very low.
Just then Frank came driving up, when I said:
"There's something in the wind. I'll bet that farmer has talked with some one since we went up there, who has told him about the patent-right deal."
I then explained the actions of the farmer. Frank said it did look a little suspicious, but thought it might possibly be a mistake. As a matter of caution Frank drove on to the hotel, where he unhitched the horse, and prepared to start on horseback as soon as we arrived with the colt, which I was to ride.
