312 OLD BILL. 



thought it was the strangest bet I ever heard of, but 

 I now think that old Pierce, who did nothing but 

 sleep and scheme when not selling "proof," wanted 

 the shed down, and took this way to do it and at the 

 same time make a little on the side. 



As a preliminary, Carey had the neighbors carry a 

 couple of dozen heavy oak plank to the rear of the 

 shed and lay them flat, making a floor for Old Bill to 

 stand on. He then covered the plank with three or 

 four inches of loam, making it just deep enough to 

 not bother the horse and at the same time keep him 

 from slipping. Old Bill was then led around and 

 hitched to the whiffletree which was dangling at the 

 end of the chain. When Carey adjusted the latter he 

 gave it a half rolling hitch on the sill, which was 

 partially flattened on the underside, and I noticed with 

 some surprise that he placed the chain about a foot 

 inside of the first stone on which the plate rested. 

 There were two other stones between it and the end 

 of the shed. Carey's idea was to give it a roll and 

 when it heaved, the chances were the sill would slip 

 out, while the shed could tumble over or settle, which 

 he or no other person for that matter cared. 



When everything was ready he took Old Bill by 

 the head and with a pat on his neck spoke to him. 

 The horse knew what was wanted, and after feeling 

 his way up into the collar, just as I have seen a fighter 

 feel of a man in the ring, he began to move. As the 

 traces tightened and the chain began to eat into the 

 wood, Old Bill settled down to the work. He seemed 

 to lengthen, as his belly almost touched the ground, 

 while his eyes began to stick out under the strain. 

 Every foot held as he made a heave, but the sill never 



