Page:The Poor Rich Man, and the Rich Poor Man.djvu/25

17, that's always rising over the top of every trouble. But then it's so inconvenient to lose Jock just now, when he's arning money for us; and how in natur am I ever to get Charlotte to New-York without him?"

"Don't think of that now, father; how did the accident happen?"

"Ah, that's the onluckiest of all; it beats all that Sam should be so careless. You know I let Jock out to Sam Glover to plough his meadow—you said, Charlotte, Jock looked too low in flesh for hard work; I wish I had taken your warning! Well, you see, when Sam went to dinner, he tied Jock close by the river, and somehow the poor critter backed down the bank into the river, and fell on his back, and he was tied in such a fashion he could not move one way or the other, and the water running into his nostrils, and ears, and mouth—and when Sam came back from dinner it was all over with him."

"Then," said Morris, "it was wholly owing to Sam Glover's carelessness?"

"To be sure, there was no need on't; if it had been me, I should have calculated to tie the horse so that if he did back into the river he could have helped himself out."

"Better have tied him where there was no danger of such an accident, Uncle Phil." Uncle Phil was right in his calculations. What were accidents to other men, made up the current of events to him. "But," proceeded Morris, "you can certainly make Sam pay for the horse?" Uncle Phil made no reply. "You mean to get it out of him, don't you, Uncle Phil?"