“Then I’ll have to take your furniture,” said Mr. Starr, placidly.
“I believe you are the meanest man in town!” said Andy, indignantly.
“I want my own property,” said the old man, doggedly, “and you may tell your mother so.”
While the two had been conversing, the old man, shovel in hand, had led the way into the barnyard, where there were three cows.
One of them, unseen by Mr. Starr, being out of humor, probably, lowered her head and, approaching the old man from behind, fairly lifted him up to a sitting position on her head. Mechanically he grasped her horns, and in this position was carried rapidly round the yard, much to his own dismay and Andy’s amusement.
“Take her off, Andy!” exclaimed the frightened and bewildered old man. “She’ll kill me!”
“If I touch her, she’ll throw you on the ground,” said Andy, between paroxysms of laughter.
“Do somethin’ to help me, or I’m a dead man!” shrieked Joshua, clinging tighter to the cow’s horns. “If you’ll help me, I’ll take off a dollar from the note.”
Andy knew that the old man was in no real danger, and stood still, while the triumphant cow ran about the yard with her terrified master between her horns.
“Oh, dear! Will nobody help me?” howled Joshua. “Is the cow crazy?”