o end
of fun in this new adventure. But Uncle Moses wasn't able to see
any fun in it at all. He sat with an expression on his face that
would have done honor to a martyr at the stake, and the boys
respected him too much to include him in their good-natured raillery.

The Italian boy took David's donkey by the ear, and started.
David's donkey, in spite of his appearance of obstinacy, followed
without resistance, and trotted nimbly off, the Italian boy
running easily by his side. The other donkeys followed. As they
had no bridles and no saddles, some of the party had a little
difficulty in preserving their balance, but managed to do so by
grabbing the coarse hair of the donkey's mane. The pace was a
rapid one, and it was wonderful to see how well the Italian boy
kept up with them without losing breath, or slackening it. This
he did for a long time.

Among those who cared nothing for saddle or bridle was Bob. On the
back of a donkey he felt as comfortable as though he was sitting
in an easy-chair. As they trotted along the road, Bob sat with his
arms folded, and his legs now hanging loosely, now drawn up in
front of him, and at other times pretending that he had a side-saddle.
At length he became discontented with the subordinate position that
he was occupying, in merely following in the rear of a leader like
David. He was a far better rider than David, and his donkey a far
better donkey than the leading one. With the ambitions desire to
obtain the post of honor for himself, he beat, pounded, and kicked
at his donkey. For a long time this had no effect whatever; the
donkey not only was not stimulated by it, but he did not even seem
to be conscious of it. At last Bob determined to resort to other
methods. Drawing a pin from his shirt collar, where it was filling
the place of a lost button, he stuck it two or three times in the
donkey's flanks.

This was too much. The patience of Bob's donkey had reached its
farthest limit. It could endure it no more.

With a wild bound the donkey sprang forward, and in three
paces had cleared the way to the first. Another leap, and he
was beyond them.

The donkey ran like a race-horse. His slender, sinewy limbs
seemed as fitted for running and for speed as the limbs of an
antelope. His head was down, his neck arched, his tail in
the air, and his long, rapid strides bore him with astonishing
velocity far ahead and far away.

The Italian boy tittered a cry of dismay, and stopped sho