I've heard about the Swopes and the Dutch
being stupid, but a body has to travel before they know."
But well did the Dutch landlord know the persuasion of his house on
the hill after luckless travellers had passed through a stream which
drained the valley. This was narrow enough, but the very banks had a
caving, treacherous look. Grandma Padgett drove in, and the carriage
came down with a plunge on the flanks of Old Hickory and Old Henry,
and they disappeared to their nostrils and the harness strips along
the centre of their backs.
[Illustration: "HASN'T THE CREEK ANY BOTTOM?" CRIED GRANDMA PADGETT.]
"Hasn't the creek any bottom?" cried Grandma Padgett, while Corinne
and Robert clung to the settling carriage. The water poured across
their feet and rose up to their knees. Hickory and Henry were urged
with whip and cry.
"Hold fast, children! Don't get swept out!" Grandma Padgett
exhorted. "There's no danger if the horses can climb the bank."
They were turned out of their course by the current, and Hickory and
Henry got their fore feet out, crumbling a steep place. Below the
bank grew steeper. If they did not get out here, all must go whirling
and sinking down stream.
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