At breakfast we talked about Dave, and Dad "s'posed" he would just about be getting in; but an hour or two after breakfast the fog cleared, and we saw Dave in the lane hammering Nell with a stick.

Nell had her rump to the fence and was trying hard to kick it down.

Dad went to him.

"Take her gently; take her GENTLY, boy," he shouted.

"PSHAW! take her GENTLY!" Dave shouted back.
"Here"-- he jumped off her and handed Dad the reins--"take her away and cut her throat." Then he cried, and then he picked up a big stone and rushed at Nell's head.