"Will you be afraid all the rest of the night?"

No; aunt Corinne intimated that her courage would be revived and
strengthened by knowing the worst about that wagon.

He pierced her with his dilating eyes, and beckoned her to put up
her ear for the information.

"You ain't goin' to play any trick," remonstrated his relative,
"like you did when you got me to say grandmother, grandmother, thith
--thith--thith, and then hit my chin and made me bite my tongue?"

Robert was forced to chuckle at the recollection, but he assured
aunt Corinne that grandmother, grandmother, thith--thith--thith was
far from his thoughts. He hesitated, with aunt Corinne's ear jogging
against his chin. Then in a loud whisper he communicated:

"_It_ was a man with a pig's _head on_ him!"




CHAPTER XII.

JONATHAN AND THRUSTY ELLEN.


Aunt Corinne drew back into a rigid attitude. "I don't believe it!"
she said.