THE MIDNIGHT ATTACK.
| A shrunken arm—Importance of exercise—An exciting discovery—Slaughter of the fowls—An ungracious crow—Curiosity excited—Speculations—Depredations of skunks—Lack of vigilance—A bounty offered—Burying the dead—Something about skunks—The trap—The wolf and deer—Chased by a wolf—The wolf and the sheep—Bears—A trip to the logging camp—Uncle Tim’s story—Depredations in the cornfield—The trap unsuccessful—Watching for the beast—His tragic end—Bruin and the boy—A juvenile hero—A neighborly visit—Wild-cats—Two kinds—A fight with a wild-cat—A walk to Mr. Preston’s—His opinion of the affair—Ella’s timidity—Quizzing—The nooning—Clinton not much affected by his loss—How a man may gain by his losses—Mr. Davenport’s experience—Our happiness not dependent on money—Our stewardship—Clinton’s money not his own—Debt due his parents—Their legal claim upon his earnings—Man’s dependence—Clinton’s pecuniary loss—His accounts—His profits—Setting the trap, | [143] |
CHAPTER X.
THE HOMEWARD TRIP.
| Why the wild-cat was not caught—A long storm—The dissected map—How it was made—A pleasant and profitable diversion—Preparations for going home—The trap returned—Whistler’s attachment for his Brookdale friends—The hour of parting—The ride to the Cross Roads—The stage coach—The train—The locomotive—Clinton’s knowledge of steam engines—View from the car windows—A talk about a cross engineer—Bad and good traits—The engineer’s responsibility—Who takes the credit, and who the blame—Some of the engineer’s duties—High speed—What a locomotive might do without a master—A runaway engine, and how it was stopped—Another runaway—A frightful race—Fortunate termination—Tediousness of railroad travelling—Attention attracted by the train—The boys on the water—The dog, horse, sheep, cow, &c.—Arrival at Boston—Ralph, | [166] |
CHAPTER XI.
THE CITY HOME.
| Morning—First impressions—Bouncer—Whistler’s frolic and talk with him—Bouncer’s message to Clinton—The view from the windows—Blocks of buildings—Description of Whistler’s home—His chamber—How it was furnished—Whistler’s father—A loud summons—A quiet joke—The dining-room—Breakfast—Conversation—Boston sights—Three strange rules for a country boy—Clinton’s perplexity—Whistler’s attempt to relieve him—Mr. Davenport’s early “greenness”—His brother’s rebukes—His reply—Clinton’s decision—City greenhorns—Whistler and the cows—A good rejoinder—Ettie’s queer question—A talk about cows—Mr. Davenport’s twofold motive—The golden mean, | [179] |
CHAPTER XII.
ROMANCE AND REALITY.