130 THE COUNTRY BOY 



without any trouble." Jake McClaine said to 

 him in a low voice, "Keep step ! I nearly fell 

 off my mare." 



The average winter weather of Oregon is 

 very rainy, while as a rule the cold is not the 

 most severe by any means. But the worst 

 night I ever saw, I saw in Silverton. Father 

 and I were sitting by the fire listening to a 

 tearing and howling storm one night about 

 nine o'clock. We were feeling comfortable 

 as we knew all of our stock, which wasn't large, 

 were in under comfortable sheds. We were 

 getting ready for bed, and wondering whether 

 the storm would tear the chimney off the house 

 or not, when I heard a slam of our barn door. 

 I knew if father heard it he would make me 

 go out and fasten it, notwithstanding the 

 storm, which had me completely cowed, but 

 father wasn't afraid of the dark howling 

 nights and I knew it, so about every time I 

 thought the door would slam, and I had it 

 pretty well timed, I would clear up my throat 

 and was stalhng it off in fine shape, till father 

 engaged me in a conversation by asking me 

 what was the matter with my throat anyway, 

 and when I went to tell him the door slammed. 



