t her hands over her
ears, while many expressions chased each other across Harry's face. He
had never heard a donkey bray before, and at first was frightened.
'Father,' he whispered--there was a note of alarm in his voice--'what is
that queer noise?'

'Why, that is only Tim and Sambo talking to each other,' his father
answered, laughing heartily. 'Sambo is saying, "I say, where do you come
from?" and I suppose Tim is telling him that he has just come from a
greengrocer's shop; but I wish that they would be quick and finish their
conversation.'

This, apparently, was the last thing that the donkeys had any intention
of doing; even the whip was used without any result. Tim's conversation
with Sambo was so interesting that he even forgot to kick when the whip
came in contact with his thick brown hide. Occasionally they stopped to
take breath, only to start again with renewed vigour.

'Stop that noise, Tim,' shouted the now angry Major. 'You will have us
all deaf!'

Harry stared at his father in astonishment 'Why, Father, I like it, now.
This is much nicer than going a walk with Mary.'

'Hi!' shouted the driver of an approaching waggon, 'I'm sorry to trouble
you, sir, but I must get past.'

'If you will tell me how you are going to manage it,' called back the
Major, 'I shall be only too pleased to allow you.'

The man drew his horses up by the side of the road, and then scrambled
down to see whether he could be of any assistance.

'I never saw such a stubborn little brute,' he muttered, after many
fruitless attempts to turn the donkey round. 'Perhaps if the lady would
take the donkey's head, we might just lift the cart; and the little
gentleman could throw stones at the black donkey.'

This brilliant idea was in process of being carried out; but it is
doubtful whether it would have succeeded, had it not been for the timely
appearance of the Squire's pony-cart.

The Squire himself was driving, with a tall schoolboy beside him, and
his cheery, 'You seem to be having a bad time, Major,' acted like a
tonic upon the depressed spirits of Major Raeburn and his wife. 'Now
then, Frank, you know about donkeys and their ways, so jump out, and
help them to turn the cart.'

Three pairs of muscular arms lifted up the light cart, and turned it
round, so that Tim could no longer see Sambo.

'Push now,' shouted the Squire, and he roared with laughter when he saw
the expression on Major Raeburn's face. 'Oh, yes, I assure you,