e
driven in, until at length the whole dozen of the pack-train were
distributed, half-submerged, over the hundred yards of the mucky
trail. Uncle Dick, not stopping to think of his clothes, followed
Moise in; and Rob, pluckily as either of the others, also took to the
mud. Thigh-deep, plunging along as best they could, in the churned up
mass, they worked along the animals, exhorting or encouraging them the
best they could. It was piteously hard for all concerned, and for a
long time it seemed doubtful if they would get the whole train across.
Sometimes a horse, exhausted by its struggles, would lie over on its
side, and the three of them would have to tug at him to get him
started again.

The last horse in the train was the unhappy claybank. Within a few
yards of the farther side this horse bagged down, helpless, and fell
over on its side, its pack down in the mud, and after plunging
viciously for a time lay flat, with its head out, so that Rob had to
cut some brush to put under it.

"Broken leg, I'm afraid," said Uncle Dick. "It's that rotten corduroy
down in the mud there. What shall we do, Moise, cut off the packs
and--but I hate to shoot a horse."

"S'pose you'll wait some minute," said Moise, after a time, coming up
plastered with mud from head to foot. "Those horse, she'll want for
rest a little while."

"Feel down along his hind leg if you can, Moise," said Uncle Dick;
"that's the one that seems helpless."

Moise obediently kneeled in the mud and reached his arm along down the
cayuse's legs.

"Those legs, she always there," said he, arising. "Maybe those horse,
she'll just fool us." Then he began to exhort the helpless animal.
"_Advance donc, sacre cochon diable cheval! En avant la--whoop!_"

Moise continued his shouts, and, to the surprise of all, the disabled
horse began to flounder once more; and as they all lifted at his pack
and pushed him forward he gave a series of plunges and finally reached
firm ground.

"So," said Moise, calmly, "thass all right. She was French horse,
thass all--you'll been spoke English on him, and he wasn't understood
it."

Uncle Dick, grimed as he was from head to foot, could not help
laughing at Moise's explanation. Then they all stood and laughed at
one another, for they, as well as the saddles and packs, were black
with muck.

"I told you, young men," said Uncle Dick, "that we wouldn't make a
clean camp to-night. You see now why we have covers on the packs,
don't y