We'd better take off
our overcoats, to make us smaller. We can roll thim into a bundle,
and the last man can pull it through behind him."
Jimmy threw off his coat and entered the wrecked oil engine. He
knew how to hobble through on his toes, but the pleated coat of the
Boston man, who tried to pass through by stooping, got almost all
Jimmy had in store for it. Jimmy came out all right with a shout.
The Thread Man did not step half so far, and landed knee deep in
the icy oil-covered slush of the ditch. That threw him off his
balance, and Jimmy let him sink one arm in the pool, and then
grabbed him, and scooped oil on his back with the other hand as he
pulled. During the excitement and struggles of Jimmy and the Thread Man,
the rest of the party jumped the ditch and gathered about, rubbing
soot and oil on the Boston man, and he did not see how they crossed.
Jimmy continued to rub oil and soot into the hated coat industriously.
The dogs leaped the ditch, and the instant they struck the woods
broke away baying over fresh tracks. The men yelled like mad.
Jimmy struggled into his overcoat, and helped the almost insane
Boston man into his and then they hurried after the dogs.
The scent was so new and clear the dogs simply raged. The Thread
Man was wild, Jimmy was wilder, and the thirteen contributed all
they could for laughing. Dannie forgot to be ashamed of himself and
followed the example of the crowd. Deeper and deeper into the wild,
swampy Canoper led the chase.
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