ng on t

s and Holly, related in our last chapter, Harry a

ayments for his wood; and now that the roads were in fit condition for carriage

a year-were covered, and the lowlands were under water for a considerable distance on each side of the stream. There were so few boats on the creek, and the current, in time of freshets, was so strong, that ferriage was seldom thought of. In consequence of thi

Selim trotted on quite gayly. Before very long they over

farther up the railroad to the village. But he was not a mail-carrier now. His employer, a white man, who

be very plentiful and valuable, and the company had a great deal of business on their hands. It was frequently necessary to send messages and letters to the North, and these were always carried over to the station on the other side of Crooked Creek,

s he overtook him. "How do y

hat and riding up on the side of the road to let them pass. "I do' know how I likes

y big letter-bag

. Sence de creek's been up I haint been able to git a

r the company when the creek r

ubble when dey can't send dere letters and git 'em. T

have had their mine on the

ckon dey didn't know about de creek's gittin' up

te laughed a

Loudon's woods, but

ion they saw Dick Ford and Jo

wood had been cut for several

to do with it

reek was mighty high, and dere was no knowin' how thi

been here a

all de time. Couldn'

o, after depositing Kate at the post-office, where the post-mistress, who knew her well, gave her a nice little "snack" of buttermilk, cold fried chicken, and "light-bread," he went to the station and transacted his business. He had not been there for some weeks, and he

was of so much importance as their