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"He's been taught to work somewheres," she admitted grudgingly, "and he's real polite and respectful. But he looks too cute by half. And his name isn't Benson any more than mine. When I called him 'Chester Benson' out there in the cow-yard, he stared at me fer half a minute 'sif I'd called him Nebuchadnezzar."
About the middle of the last century, a household in the hill country of Georgia was greatly vexed by the frequent incursions of a large animal of this species which prowled about the cow-yard, and carried off calves and sheep, sometimes even venturing up to the door of the cabin. The family consisted of a man and his wife and three daughters, all grown up.
When she see she'd got to stay there, she begun to cook for herself; but one day, one o' the neighbors heard her pleadin' with Josh, out in the cow-yard, while he was milkin'. "'O Joshuay, she kep' a-sayin' over 'n' over, 'you needn't take me back, if you'll on'y let me do your work! You needn't speak to me, an' I'll live in the other part; but I shall be crazy if you don't let me do your work.
The sun by this time was already below the horizon; twilight was fast deepening into night; and the matron, having finished her remarks on the turkey, and "Wondered ef sech birds wouldn't git to being scaser arter a while, when all on, 'em war shot?" proceeded to the cow-yard, to assist Isaac in milking; while Ella hurried hither and thither, with almost noiseless activity, to prepare the evening repast.
A faint echo comes from far up the siding where Tommy's presence is vaguely indicated by half a dozen cows moving slowly very slowly down towards the cow-yard. The woman retires. Ten minutes later she comes out again and screams: "Tommy! "Y-e-e-a-a-s-s!" very passionately and shrilly. "Ain't you goin' to bring those cows down to-day?" "Y-e-e-a-a-s-s-s! carn't yer see I'm comin'?"
It was not until the gray dawn was in the sky that the last of the revellers drove through the cow-yard, and out across the prairie to meet the rising sun. By the time a second dawn had come the daily routine at the Keith ranch was running in its accustomed grooves.
When he reached the cow-yard, Ilmarinen's wife greeted him joyfully, for it was late and she had feared that something had happened. And she told her oldest maid-servant to go and milk the cows as she herself was busy.
The youngest trooper whispered something to his senior, and then, stung by a sharp retort, said: "Well, you needn't be a pig." His two companions passed through into the spare skillion, where they found some beef in a cask, and more already salted down under a bag on the end of a bench; then they went out at the back and had a look at the cow-yard. The younger trooper lingered behind.
The treaty being thus concluded, the gratified young Indian dismounted, with his rifle and pack, containing his blanket, hunting-suit, etc., which he carried before him, laid across the shoulder of his novel steed; and, under the guidance of Gaut, he led the animal into the cow-yard, where he was tied and fed, and the fence, already made high to exclude the wolves, as usual among first settlers, was topped out by laying on a few additional poles, so as to prevent the possibility of his escape.
"Why, if he chooses to remain with us, he will be very useful in the cow-yard," said Humphrey. "Of course," replied Edward, laughing, "as he was taken in the pit-fall, he must go into the yard with all he others who were captured in the same way." "Well, Edward, let us get him all right again first, and then we will see what is to be done with him; perhaps he will refuse to remain with us."
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