CHAPTER XI 

OFF FOR BRILL COLLEGE 

When old Ricks saw his neighbor approaching he could not at first believe his eyes. Then he ran up to the man, who was a particularly sour individual. 

"Say, I thought you was dead," he gasped. 

"Dead?" returned Ham Ludd. "Do I look like I was dead?" And he glared savagely at Ricks. "I ain't dead, not by a jugful!" 

"Humph! Well, if you ain't dead, mebbe you'll explain about that cat, an' dog," went on old Ricks. 

"Wot about 'em?" 

"You told folks I poisoned the cat and starved the dog to death." 

"I did not." 

"You did--it was in the newspapers!" bawled old Ricks, commencing to dance around. 

"I didn't! Where's them newspapers?" asked Ham Ludd, also growing excited. 

"I ain't got 'em, but Tom Rover said----" 

And then suddenly old Ricks stopped short. He was commencing to "smell a mouse," as the saying is. 

"Wot did Tom Rover say?" demanded Ham Ludd. 

"Never mind wot he said," grumbled the stationmaster. "Only you be careful o' wot you say about me in the future, Ham Ludd, thet's all!" 

"Huh! I guess that Rover boy has been a'jokin' you ag'in, Ricky," said Ludd, with a grin. "How about thet busted-up bonfire, an' that snaky cigar? Ha! ha! he had you them times, didn't he?" 

"You shet up, Ham Ludd!" roared the stationmaster. "Don't you say another word!" 

"I'll say all I please! An' you'll put up that fence, too, or I'll have the law on ye!" retorted Ham Ludd; and then went on his way. 
Why?
"You told folks I poisoned the cat and starved the dog to death." 