" said Herbert; and before any one could
stop him he gave the donkey a lash with a switch he held in his hand,
calling out at the same time, "Gee up, Teddy! come, get out of your sulks,
sir!"

The donkey's flesh seemed to shiver, and he breathed harder, but his heavy
eye never brightened.

"I tell you what it is, Herbert, I'll not see that poor animal ill-used in
that manner," said Charles; "he's not sulky, he's ill!"

[Illustration: THE COWHERD.]

Herbert felt inclined to quarrel with Charles for his reproof, but Charles
had spied a little boy sitting on a gate herding a cow, and he ran over to
him to make inquiries who the donkey belonged to.

"Well, sir, the poor beast belongs to some travelling gipsies who are
living t'other side of the common, and they left it here this morning
because it couldn't go no further, and there it has stood before that 'ere
thistle ever since."

Caroline now came up, and hearing that the donkey was ill beyond a doubt,
she proposed they should go home and ask their mamma to send the stable
lad with a hot drink to the poor animal. "I know when our pony was ill one
day he got a hot drink and some medicine, and he very soon was all right
again."

"I'm not going back, for one," said Herbert; "the idea of making such a
fuss about a donkey; it's quite ridiculous!"

"Nobody is forcing you, my dear cousin," replied Charles cheerily; "you
may go on to the river by yourself; but I for one couldn't enjoy myself,
unless I had done something to help this poor animal in its distress."

"Well, I don't see why we all should stay because you choose to doctor an
old donkey," said Herbert peevishly. "Come along, Lizzie and Carry; if you
don't come at once we'll lose the best part of the day, and get no fish."

The girls, however, were quite as anxious about the welfare of the poor
donkey, and declared their intention to stay with Charlie. They even did
more, for they volunteered to go back to the house to get what was
necessary for the animal, while Charlie and the herd-boy watched by him,
ready to render any assistance if he should turn worse.

Caroline was fortunate in finding Stephens the gardener, who was
considered very skilful in doctoring sick animals; at anyrate, he had set
the leg of one of her chickens when it was broken, and managed to bring
Neptune through a severe illness, therefore it was to be supposed he could
cure the donkey also.

"Well, miss, I'll come and see him," said Ste