“I looked the hoss over plum' surprised like.
“'Why, Jud,' I said as softly as I cu'd, for I was nigh to bustin', an' I had a lot of friends come to see the sho', an' they standin' 'round stickin' their old hats in their mouths to keep from explodin'—'Why, Jud, my dear friend,' I said, 'ain't you kind o' mistaken about this? I said a match for the black, an' it peers to me like you've gone an' bought the black hisse'f an' is tryin' to put him off on me. No—no—my kind frien', you'll not fin' anything no-count enuff to be his match on this terrestrial ball.'
“By this time you cu'd have raked Jud's eyes off his face with a soap-gourd.
“'What? w-h-a-t? He—why—I bought him of Dr. Sykes.'
“'Why, that's funny,' I said, 'but it comes in handy all round. If you'd told me that the other day I might have told you,' I said—'yes, I might have, but I doubt it—that I'd loaned him to Dr. Sykes an' told him whenever you offered him two hundred cash for him to let him go. Jes' keep him,' sez I, 'till you find his mate, an' I'll take an oath to buy 'em.'”
Bud slapped his leg an' yelled with delight.
“Whew,” said the Bishop—“not so loud. We're at the church.
“But remember, Bud, it's good policy allers to freeze. When you're in doubt—freeze!”