Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: September 27, 2025
"My name is Ebenezer Onthank, from Green Mountain Mills, in Vermont. My father is deacon of the Baptist Church at home." "I suppose you will take his place when you get older," said Tom, gravely. "No, I guess not. I wonder what Susan Jones would say to my bein' a deacon!" and Ebenezer burst into a loud laugh. "Is Miss Jones a particular friend of yours?" asked Tom, slyly. "I should say she was.
The race between the Yankee and the bear was an exciting one, to the former at least. He was fleet of foot, and in a hundred yards' dash would have won without great difficulty; but in wind and endurance the grizzly excelled him. So, as the race continued, Mr. Onthank, looking back from time to time, was painfully conscious that his enemy was gaining upon him.
He was evidently a Yankee. All Yankees do not carry about with them an unmistakable certificate of their origin, but Ebenezer Onthank was a typical New Englander. His face was long and thin, his expression shrewd and good-natured, his limbs were long and ungainly. In later life, with the addition of forty or fifty pounds of flesh, he would be much improved in appearance.
Does that gentleman come from your town?" "My friend," answered the Scotchman, not without a touch of pride, "I am not an American; I am from the Highlands of Scotland." "You be? Sho! Well, of course you can't help that." "Help it, sir? I am proud of hailing from the land of Scott and Burns." "Well, I guess it's a pretty nice sort of country," said Mr. Onthank, patronizingly.
"You are only a boy," said his companion, discontented. "I can shoot," answered Tom, briefly. Onthank was not in general an unreasonable man, but danger makes men selfish. "Give it to me," he said, in a tone of authority, and he tried to wrest it from Tom's hands. "You shall not have it," exclaimed Tom, indignantly. "Take away your hand, or I'll shoot you!"
The bear partly raised himself, and tried to drag himself towards his adversaries; but the effort was vain. "He is one of the largest I have seen," said the vaquero. "See how strong he is!" "It was lucky for me that you came up," said Tom. "He was almost upon me." "I had about given you up, Tom," said Onthank, "and I thought my turn was coming next."
Tom heard the call in spite of the distance, and looked about him, but did not immediately catch sight of the speaker. It did not occur to him to look upwards. "Tom!" shouted the Yankee again. "Here I am. Look up in the tree." That time Tom's glance detected his companion, and, not yet having discovered the bear, he was led to wonder why Mr. Onthank had climbed the tree.
As he was advancing incautiously, Onthank shouted again, "There's a cursed grizzly under the tree. Don't come too near." Tom saw the bear, and he paused suddenly. He was startled in truth, for he had been long enough in California to be aware that it was a dangerous beast.
It was evident that Onthank must do something speedily, or he would be in the power of the bear. He waited nervously till Bruin was uncomfortably near, and then, seizing the branch with his hands, swung to the ground. The height was considerable, and the fall jarred him; but, quickly recovering himself, he ran towards Tom.
He felt that in the game that was being played it was his adversary's turn to make the next move. "I wish Tom and the Scotchman would find me out," thought Onthank. "What on earth makes them sleep so late?" he continued, irritably. "They must be naturally lazy."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking