"Ef it hadn't been fur dat little dog," said Aunt Matilda, grimly, "he'd
a gone on. Them little dogs is always a-doin' mischief."




CHAPTER X.

A MEETING ON THE ROAD.


Some weeks before the little affair between Blinks and Holly, related in
our last chapter, Harry and Kate took a ride over to the railroad
station.

During the winter Harry had frequently gone over on horseback to attend
to the payments for his wood; and now that the roads were in fit
condition for carriage travel, he was glad to have an opportunity to
take the buggy and give Kate a ride.

For some days previously, Crooked Creek had been "up;" that is, the
spring rains had caused it to overflow, and all travel across it had
been suspended. The bridges on such occasions--and Crooked Creek had a
bad habit of being "up" several times in the course of 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 this state of affairs Harry had not
heard from his wood-cutters for more than a week, as they had not been
able to cross the creek to their homes. It was, therefore, as much to