pick off the rings! He's been a-practising
for a year, and I believe he could run the
point o' that spear of his through a lady's
finger-ring.''

``You'd better get somebody else.''

``Ah--that's it. The Wild Dog sent
word he'd send over another feller, named
Dave Branham, who has been practising
with him, who's just as good, he says, as he
is. I'm looking for him at twelve o'clock,
an' I'm goin' to take him down an' see
what he can do on that black horse o' mine.
But if he's no good, I lose five hundred,
all right,'' and he sloped away to his duties.
For it was the Hon. Sam who was master
of ceremonies that day. He was due now
to read the Declaration of Independence in
a poplar grove to all who would listen; he
was to act as umpire at the championship
base-ball game in the afternoon, and he
was to give the ``Charge'' to the assembled
knights before the tournament.

At ten o'clock the games began--and I
took the Blight and the little sister down
to the ``grandstand''--several tiers of
backless benches with leaves for a canopy
and the river singing through rhododendrons