CHAPTER II.
"Then the' wa'n't nothin' the matter with him, after all," commented Mrs.Bixbee in rather a disappointed tone.
"The meanest thing top of the earth was the matter with him," declared David, "but I didn't find it out till the next afternoon, an' then I found it out good.

I hitched him to the open buggy an' went 'round by the East road, 'cause that ain't so much travelled.

He went along all right till we got a mile or so out of the village, an' then I slowed him down to a walk.

Wa'al, sir, scat my -- --! He hadn't walked more'n a rod 'fore he come to a dead stan'still.

I clucked an' git-app'd, an' finely took the gad to him a little; but he only jest kind o' humped up a little, an' stood like he'd took root." "Wa'al, now!" exclaimed Mrs.Bixbee.
"Yes'm," said David; "I was stuck in ev'ry sense of the word." "What d'ye do ?" "Wa'al, I tried all the tricks I knowed--an' I could lead him--but when I was in the buggy he wouldn't stir till he got good an' ready; 'n' then he'd start of his own accord an' go on a spell, an'-- " "Did he keep it up ?" Mrs.Bixbee interrupted.
"Wa'al, I s'd say he did.