Bascom smuggled a wink to me, and proffered a slice of the fruit to puss.

She snatched it, swallowed it ravenously, and asked for more! We rode our two miles in silence, and wide apart.

At least I was silent, though Bascom cuffed his horse and cursed him a good deal, notwithstanding the horse was behaving well enough.

When I branched off homeward, Bascom said: "Keep the horse till morning.

And--you need not speak of this -- foolishness to the boys.".