But Jack's face never changed. "Ye think so?" he said gravely. "But
thet's jest whar ye slip up; and thet's jest whar Billy slipped up!" he
added slowly. "Mebbe ye've noticed, too, thet the parson's built kinder
solid about the head and shoulders. It mought hev be'n thet, or thet
Billy didn't get a fair start, but thet goat went down on his fore legs
like a shot, and the parson gave one heave, and jest scooted him off the
platform! Then the parson reckoned thet this yer 'tablow' had better
be left out, as thar didn't seem to be any other man who could play
Jephthah, and it wasn't dignified for HIM to take the part. But the
parson allowed thet it might be a great moral lesson to Billy!"
And it WAS, for from that moment Billy never attempted to butt again.
He performed with great docility later on in the Pet's engagement at
Skinnerstown; he played a distinguished role throughout the provinces;
he had had the advantages of Art from "the Pet," and of Simplicity from
Polly, but only Rocky Canyon knew that his real education had come with
his first rehearsal with the Reverend Mr.
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