e recent examinations and the closing exercises at school had gone and as Sam dec

caught his man, but had lost him again. He added that he would be home probably on the following Sunday. This

is all about," said Tom, and the

en range. He also took a piece of old rubber bicycle tire and trimmed it up to resemble a snake and put it in Jack Ness' bed in the barn, thereby nearly scaring the hired man into a fit. Ness ran out of the room in his night dress and raised such a yell that

ster Tom, I'll get

r bed?" demanded Tom. "I never

n, and I know it," grumbled the hi

olored man dressing up to go out and learned that he was going to c

to his younger brother. "The next thing you kno

think of doin

and I'll

f his shape. He had a fine black coat, with trousers to match, and a gorgeous

rabbit, made of thin rubber. This rabbit had a small rubber hose attached, an

ween the cloth and the lining. It was put in flat and the hose was allowed to dangle down under the lining to within an inch of

ival, a man named Jim Johnson, and he did not want Johnson to get to the widow's home ahead of him. He w

, who, with his younger brother, was lying in wait out

as Aleck appeared he saunter

to see your best girl

make a little c

put in Tom. "He knows she's got

quit yo' foolin',"

straight," said Sam. "It's a fine tie, but it's no good the way yo

rubble wid dat tie,"

tie a jerk, first one way and another. Then he

eck's coat went up with it, until it looked as if the man was humpbacked. Then Tom fastened the hose, so the wind cou

o HUMP to ca

ing like," declared Sam

s everything

oing," answered Ale

you'll get the widow sure alo

and hurried away. His appearance, with the hump on his bac

Widow Taylor's cottage. This was a short cut, but Aleck would not take it, because of the br

's Corners. A stovepipe stuck out of a back window, and the front door l

son as this," observed Sam. "She may be pretty, as colo

nd I know it. Why, once I came past here a

ldren hurrying away from the house. As they did th

he cemetery, jest as I

o stay long," an

ered the widow. "To morrow, I'l

hildren to the cemetery fo

m quiet," answere

to keep them ou

ed man came down a side street. The man entered

Hopes yo' is feelin' fine this eb

r. Thomas. "Yo' said yo' would mahrry me soo

a stead

e quarry dribin'

o' gits a w

hs," was the

id the widow, and allowed

As he saw the couple through th

fo' me around, Mrs. Tay

, sweetly. "But yo' see-I- dat is-" Sh

ot

mp on y

on my back,"

h da

. "Look wot it reads, 'I hab got to hump to co

widow, wrathfully. "I'se engaged to Mistah Thoma

ok off his coat. He squeezed the rubber rabbit so hard th

Rover's man, and tore the rabbit

der night, Mistah Pop," said the wid

Aleck, and turning on hi

to roar at the scene presented. They wondered wh

o square ourse

you going

ll do it

ut so did Aleck, and conse

can't go fo' to deny it

eny it, Aleck," said T

t for yo

uh

, Aleck, we can't bear to think of y

uh

Tom. "Besides, that widow has a lot

She had moah, but she dun told m

. Then a light broke in on

place da puts

ery right enough-but they ar

o' mea

this evening-she told 'em to go to

is fooling

said Sam. "I am quite sur

eck, and walked on. "But I ain't takin' yo' word fo' dis," he adde

added here that later on Aleck discovered that the widow had ten children and was head over heels in debt, and he was