gin-house, placed his head in the middle of her back, and sent her
sprawling on her face. Diddie and Chris had by this time regained
their feet, both of them very muddy, and Chris with her face all
scratched from the roots and briers in the ditch. Seeing Old Billy
occupied with Dilsey, they started in a run for the lumber; but the
wily old sheep was on the look-out, and, taking after them full tilt,
he soon landed them flat on the ground. And now Dilsey had scrambled
up, and was wiping the dirt from her eyes, preparatory to making a
fresh start. Billy, however, seemed to have made up his mind that
nobody had a right to stand up except himself, and, before the poor
little darky could get out of his way, once more he had butted her
down.

Diddie and Chris were more fortunate this time; they were nearer the
lumber than Dilsey, and, not losing a minute, they set out for the
pile as soon as Old Billy's back was turned, and made such good time
that they both reached it, and Chris had climbed to the top before he
saw them; Diddie, however, was only half-way up, so he made a run at
her, and butted her feet from under her, and threw her back to the
ground. This time he hurt her very much, for her head struck against
the lumber, and it cut a gash in her forehead and made the blood come.
This alarmed Dumps and Tot, and they both began to cry, though they,
with Riar, were safely ensconced on top of the lumber, out of all
danger. Diddie, too, was crying bitterly; and as soon as Billy ran
back to butt at Dilsey, Chris and Riar caught hold of her hands and
drew her up on the pile.

Poor little Dilsey was now in a very sad predicament. Billy, seeing
that the other children were out of his reach, devoted his entire time
and attention to her, and her only safety was in lying flat on the