Here Jenny's wrath exploded; and going up to her brother, she
attempted to pull him away, until bethinking her of the brook, she
commenced sprinkling him with water, but observing that more of it
fell upon Mary than her brother, she desisted, while Henry, having
accomplished his purpose, began spitting and making wry faces,
assuring Mary that "she needn't be afraid of his ever troubling her
again, for her lips were musty, and tasted of the poor-house!"

Meanwhile Tasso, who had become a great favorite with Mary, and who,
on this occasion, had accompanied her to the woods, was standing on
the other side of the brook, eyeing Henry's movements, and apparently
trying to make up his mind whether his interference was necessary or
not. A low growl showed that he was evidently deciding the matter,
when Henry desisted, and walked leisurely off.

Erelong, however, he returned, and called out, "See, girls, I've got
an elegant necklace for you."

Looking up, they saw him advancing towards them, with a small water
snake, which he held in his hand; and, readily divining his purpose,
they started and ran, while he pursued them, threatening to wind the
snake around the neck of the first one he caught. Jenny, who was too
chubby to be very swift-footed, took refuge behind a clump of alder
bushes but Mary kept on, and just as she reached a point where the
brook turned, Henry overtook her, and would perhaps have carried his
threat into execution, had not help arrived from an unexpected
quarter. Tasso, who had watched, and felt sure that this time all was
not right, suddenly pounced upon Henry, throwing him down, and then
planting himself upon his prostrate form, in such a manner that he