of a familiar name was evidence on Bill Tilghman's
part of the estimation in which he held our leading farrier, Mr. P. J.
Galloway.

"All right, take one of the other mules then. But get a hustle on,"
ordered Mr. Givens as he reentered his office.

"Dat bein' de case, I reckin I'll tek dat white Frank mule," said Red
Hoss. "'Tain't no use of him standin' in de stall eatin' his ole fool
haid off jes' 'cause Tom Montjoy is laid up."

"Boy," said Bill Tilghman, "lissen! You 'cept a word of frien'ship an'
warnin' f'um somebody dat's been kicked by more mules 'en whut you ever
seen in yore whole life, an' you let dat Frank mule stay right whar he
is. You kin have yore choice of de Maud mule or de Maggie mule or Friday
or January Thaw; but my edvice to you is, jes' leave dat Frank mule be
an' don't pester him none."

"How come?" demanded Red Hoss. "I reckin I got de strength to drive ary
mule dey is."

"I ain't sayin' you ain't," stated Bill Tilghman. "A born ijiot could
drive dat mule, so I jedge you mout mek out to qualify. 'Tain't de
drivin' of him--hit's de hitchin' up of him which I speaks of."

Tallow Dick put in, "Hit's dis way wid dat Frank: In his early chilehood
somebody muster done somethin' painful to dat mule's haid, an' it seem
lak it lef' one ondurin' scar in his mind. Anyway, f'um dat day
hencefor'ard he ain't let nobody a-tall, let alone hit's a plum'
stranger to him lak you is, go prankin' round his haid. Ef you think a
mule's back end is his dangersome end you jes' try to walk up to ole
Frank face to face, ez nigger to mule, an' try to hang de mule jewelry
over his years. Da's all, jes' try it! Tom Montjoy is de onliest one
which kin slip de bit in dat mule's mouf, an' de way he do it is to go
into de nex' stall an' keep speakin' soothin' words to him, an' put de
bridle on him f'um behinehand of his shoulder lak. But when Tom Montjoy
ain't wukkin', de Frank mule he ain't wukkin' neither any. Yessuh, Tom
Montjoy is de sole one which dat Frank mule gives his confidences to,
sech as dey is."

Red Hoss snorted his contempt for his warning.

"Huh, de trouble wid dat mule is he's pampered! You niggers done pamper
him twell he think he owns dese whole ice-factory premises. Whut he need
fur whut ails him is somebody which ain't skeered of him. Me, I aims to
go 'crost to dat stable barn over yonder 'crost de street an' walk right
in de same stall wid dat Frank same ez whut I would wid ary other mule,
an' e