"I shall never forget your kindness," said the gobbler, with feeling. "This is twice you have saved my life—once from being drowned in the rain, and once from being eaten with cranberry sauce. Believe me, I shall never forget your kindness."
Just then they were startled by the voice of Herbert's father downstairs.
"Michael," said he, "just go down to the barn-yard and chop the head off that gobbler!"
It was an awful moment for Absalom, who almost shivered himself off his perch.
After awhile Michael returned, long-faced and empty-handed.
"I cannot find the gobbler, and I think the old Uncle Ned who works here by the day has stolen him for his Thanksgiving dinner."
Herbert's father was so indignant at the disappointment occasioned by the reported loss of the gobbler that, without the slightest consideration for the old darky, who was working in the celery ditch, he shouted,
"See here, Uncle Ned, why did you steal our last turkey?"
"I didn't steal him, sah!" replied Uncle Ned, with a crestfallen air.
"Then get right off the place, and don't let me see you around here again," shouted the proprietor, with great indignation.