What Farmer Green said was of no account, anyhow, for Johnnie was so
busy that he didn't hear a word of his father's advice.
Twinkleheels had reached the orchard and already was tearing in and out
among the trees. The tin pail containing Johnnie's bait slipped from his
grasp and clattered upon the ground, causing Twinkleheels to run all the
faster. The fish pole struck the tree trunks right and left. One end of
it lodged for an instant in a branch, while the other end nearly swept
Johnnie off Twinkleheels' back. Still Johnnie Green clung to it and to
his lunch basket as well.
"Wh-wh-whoa! Wh-wh-whoa!" Jolted as he was, he couldn't get a whole word
out of his mouth at a time. He could only jerk a word out piecemeal.
If the fish pole hadn't at last snapped off short, leaving only the butt
of it in Johnnie's hand, there's no telling when Twinkleheels would have
stopped.
Finding himself with only a bit of the pole left in his hand, Johnnie
gave it a fling, slipped an arm through the handle of his lunch basket,
and set to pulling mightily on the bridle reins.
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