second swinging blow to the thoroughly 

 maddened goose, which again retreated to 

 the water below. 



About this time two young'men, w T ho had 

 been pulling hastily out in a rowboat from 

 the opposite shore, came within speaking 

 distance, and called out: 



"It's time we dispatched that old fellow, 

 Mr. B . We don't want to give our good 

 neighbors such trouble as this. " 



"Oh no!" called papa, "don't shoot him 

 on my account. I think he and I will arrive 

 at an understanding after a w r hile." 



The two young men were the Jacobs boys, 

 and this was their " 'coy goose," as papa had 

 guessed -- old Billy Honks, the neighbors 

 called him. 



'Yes, yes. We are bound to end it," 

 they called back. "He lamed another man 

 all up last week; and broke a dog's leg; and 

 swooped down on neighbor Ring's old horse, 

 which ran away and smashed his wagon. 

 Then he went over and raced 'Squire Eph- 

 raim's cows till they lost every drop o' milk, 

 and t'other day he sailed over and pulled 

 half the feathers out our old tame white 

 goose we got him for a mate. It's high time 

 192 



