in. He had no sooner fixed himself than the bucket began to go down.

There was no worse scared beast since the world began. He fairly had an ague. He knew where he came from, but he did not know where he was going. Soon he felt the bucket hit the water, and there he sat; but he kept very still, because he didn't know what was going to happen the next minute. He lay there and shook and

Fox slipped after him. He knew Brother Rabbit was after some project or other, and he crept after him and watched him.

Brother Fox saw Brother Rabbit jump into the bucket; and then, lo and behold, he saw him go down

out of sight. Brother Fox was the most astonished Fox you ever laid eyes on. He sat off there in the bushes and studied about it, but he could not make head or tail of this kind of business. Then he said to himself:

"Well, if this doesn't bang my time. Right down there in that well Brother Rabbit keeps his money. Then if it isn't that, he has discovered a gold mine; and if it isn't that, I'm going to see what is in there."

Brother Fox crept up a little nearer and listened, but he didn't hear any fuss; and kept getting nearer, but still he heard noth

ing. By and by he got up close and peeped down, but he saw nothing and heard nothing.

All this time Brother Rabbit was scared nearly out of his skin; and he was afraid to move for fear of upsetting the bucket. While he was saying his prayers over and over like a train of cars running, old Brother Fox called out:

"Heyo, Brother Rabbit! whom are you visiting down there?"

"Who? Me? Oh, I'm just fishing, Brother Fox," said he. I just said to myself that I would surprise you all with a mess of fish for dinner; and so here I am, and there are the fish."

"Are there many of them down there, Brother Rabbit?" asked Brother Fox.

"Lots of them, Brother Fox, scores and scores of them. The water is alive with them. Come down and help me haul them up, Brother Fox," said Brother Rabbit.

"How am I going to get down, Brother Rabbit?" "Jump into the bucket, Brother Fox. It will fetch you down all safe and sound."

Brother Rabbit talked so happy and talked so sweet that Brother Fox jumped into the other bucket; and as he went down, of course his weight pulled Brother Rabbit up. When they passed one another on the half way ground, Brother Rabbit sang out:

66

Goodbye, Brother Fox, take care of your clothes,

For this is the way the world goes:

Some go up and some go down,

You'll get to the bottom all safe and sound."

When Brother Rabbit got out he galloped off and told the folks who owned the well that Brother Fox was down muddying up the drinking water. Then he galloped back to the well and called down to Brother

"Here comes a man with a great big gun;

When he hauls you up, you jump and run."

In just about a half hour both of them were back in the new ground working just as if they had never heard of any well. But every now and then Brother Rabbit would burst out laughing, and Brother Fox would get a spell of the dry grins.

-JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS (Adapted).

a roasting-ear patch: a patch of ground planted with corn which could be roasted when it should be grown.-had an ague (a'gu): an ague is a severe chill which makes one shake. Brother Rabbit was shaking with fear. was after some project: had some kind of a plan.-if this doesn't bang my time: an expression of Brother Fox's which meant that he was much surprised.-scores: a score is twenty.-a spell of the dry grins: a grin is a smile. This expression means that Brother Fox smiled but didn't laugh aloud.

ARNOLD VON WINKELRIED

Years ago Austria tried to take away the freedom of Switzerland. The King of Austria sent a great army against the Swiss. The Austrian soldiers were dressed in shining armor and carried shields. In their hands were long spears. They marched so close together that the front ranks seemed to the Swiss like one solid mass.

The Swiss came from the mountains and the valleys to meet their enemies and to try to drive them. back. They had no armor, no shields, and very few weapons; but something had to be done. If not, their houses would soon lie in ashes, their sheep would be killed, and all their goods would be taken away from them. More than that, they themselves would be killed or captured.

So with cross-bows and arrows, with pitchforks, scythes, sticks, and clubs, they formed into ranks and fought the Austrians.

They fought bravely, but they could not drive the Austrians back. Their arrows glanced off the shining armor. Their clubs and pitchforks were warded off by the thick shields. The solid ranks of the enemy could not be broken.

The Austrians pressed the Swiss back, and many were killed and trampled underfoot. Unless the Swiss