"Oats and corn!" Twinkleheels exclaimed. "What's he going to do with that enormous whip?" He was so startled that he jumped sideways, and Johnnie Green all but lost his seat on Twinkleheels' back. As he lurched in the saddle he brought the fish pole smartly against Twinkleheels' head.
"I won't stand this," Twinkleheels decided. "I don't see what Johnnie is thinking of, to beat me over the head. I've certainly done nothing to deserve such treatment." Thereupon he dashed madly across the farmyard and made for the orchard.
"Whoa!" cried Johnnie Green.
"Whoa!" cried his father. "Stop him! Hang to him! Don't let him run!"
"He'll have to drop that great whip if he expects me to mind," Twinkleheels said with a snort.
Johnnie's hands were so full of a number of things that he could do little more than stick to the saddle.
"Drop that junk that you're carrying!" Farmer Green shouted.
"Why doesn't he tell Johnnie to drop that long whip?" Twinkleheels muttered to himself.
What Farmer Green said was of no account, anyhow, for Johnnie was so busy that he didn't hear a word of his father's advice.
Twinkleheels had reached the orchard and already was tearing in and out among the trees. The tin pail containing Johnnie's bait slipped from his grasp and clattered upon the ground, causing Twinkleheels to run all the faster. The fish pole struck the tree trunks right and left. One end of it lodged for an instant in a branch, while the other end nearly swept Johnnie off Twinkleheels' back. Still Johnnie Green clung to it and to his lunch basket as well.