Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-07-03
"JuSt exactly"

"Just exactly"
81 bet I'd never pay them old British
$500 for Il sheep" said 'Phrastus.
What do you know about the Brit
ish, Bub?" asked one of the men.
Il know we whipped 'em twicet-
Fourth of July" said 'Phrastus.
"Well, it seems they can beat us on
sheep" laughed the man.
81 'spect if Mr.. Turner had looked
round he'd got jest as good one in
'NIeriker for S10." cried 'Phrastus.
'They can't beat us on anything"
Having reached the ground safely
King George stamped his royal foot
and shook his curved horns. Then, as
Mr. Turner entered the yard by a side
gate, the ram dashed forward with I'M
expected quickness, knocked his new
owners feet from under him and laid
him fiat on his back.
SERVES Mr. Turner right for spend
in so much money on an old British
sheep. Phrastus whispered to Harvey.
Aunt Priscilla noticed with surprise
that 'Phrastus neither whined nor
pleaded when she reannounced her
Fourth of July edict.
You hain't been givin' him money
for firecrackers or dossyin' him up,
have We, Benz" she inquired of her
husband
''No. l amt" responded Uncle Sen.
Put jest think ont, Perscilla. The
heft of boys livin' is rumpus, and TO
choke him off on the Fourth, It's
well. it's plaguy cruel! He'll BUST"
NO, he won't. You jest let him
alone. Benjamin Arhuckle. It's time
he learned thar eats and wash b'ilers
and other folks had some rights ON the
Fourth of July s well 5 boys"
"Where you going, 'Phrastus?" she
demanded when the Fourth at last ar
rived, as quiet in their immediate vi
cinity as if it had been a Sunday.
Down to Mr.. Turner's wood lot to
sail my boats"
lie had the boats conspicuously tuck
ed under his arm. Aunt 'Scilla regard
ed him with Il mixture of remorse and
suspicion.
You amt fred off your pistol yet?''
Nom. Don't wanter Once amt
n0thin'. It'd sound as if it'd lost it
self"
Your pas flag is in there on the ia
BILE"
"That's had too much powder
Already"
'Phrastus had carefully studied W
| this smart speech in advance
'IIum" Aunt Priscilla shifted. well
| 90 long then. If you go 10 that p'rade
slr. You know what you'll get"
"Ain't goin'."
i 'Phrastus slouched off with an air OF
| deep seated melancholy till the barr
| was between himself and Aunt 'Scilla'.
/ rem0rSeful eyes. Harvey had NOR,
than kept his promise, and 'Phrastu.
executed the final steps of a wal
! dance.
'Ain't he good, though? I'll hun
dogs for him all day. Look at thes,
two big fellers. They'll do for Lon.
| Toms on the Chesapeake"
! 'Phrastus had planned a naval en-
! gagement that should reverse Il fac
of history. One of Uncle Ben's favor
tie stories was of the ship Chesapeake
when the English ship Leopard forced
her to strike her colorS in Il time o
| peace. Uncle Ben's grandfather ha,
been Il sailor on the American vessel
and the story Uncle Ben loved to lister
to as a child he loved to tell 'PhraStus
But 'Phrastus had determined tina
those ships should meet again on Nj
Turner's pond with very different re
suit
He began his preparations. The fly
cent flag rendered the Chesapeake to
heavy. so he stuck it into the bank.
The Chesapeake was a full rigge
schooner, at least eighteen inches Ions
with two rows of firecracker guns o
either side. the English ship wa
only Il third as large-a block of WOO
whitfield roughly into the semblance G
a boat, with one crooked wabblin