risky young colt in a pasture instead of an old
bumping-mule down in a coal-mine. Derrick ran after him, and for some
time could see the reflection of the collar-lamp, which was swung
violently to and fro by the animal's rapid motion. The disappearance of
this light in the distance was followed by an angry shouting and a
muffled crash.

Derrick was provoked that his mule should have made all this trouble,
and was anxious to discover the full extent of the mischief done, but he
could not help laughing when he reached the scene of confusion. The
first object he saw was Harry himself, standing still and gazing
demurely at him with the wondering look which was his most common
expression. He was hitched in front of a string of mules which were
attached to a train of empty cars, and was evidently prepared to act as
their leader. The boy driver of these mules, with many muttered
exclamations, was trying to disentangle their harness from the snarl it
had got into, and in one of the cars stood Paul Evert, looking somewhat
dilapidated and greatly disgusted.

"Hullo, Derrick!" he called out. "Where did that mule come from?"

"Why, that's Harry, my bumping-mule," answered Derrick as he came up
laughing.

"Bumping-mule! I should think he was," said Paul. "He made these cars
stop so quick that I was almost bumped out of 'em, and the skin's all
knocked off my nose. I don't see what he wanted to come bumping along
this way for."

"Why, I told him you were coming," said Derrick, "and I suppose he
wanted to welcome you to the mine."

"Well, I'm sorry you told him, and--"

Just then the driver shouted "Gee up!" and Harry Mule, anxious to do his
duty in his new position, started ahead so briskly as to pull the other
three mules promptly into line and give a violent jerk to the cars.
Losing his balance with this unexpected motion, Paul sat suddenly down
in the bottom of the car he was in, and there he wisely decided to
remain.

When they reached the junction, Derrick asked Paul to wait for him until
he and Harry Mule had distributed the empty cars to their several
destinations. Attracted by its cheerful light, Paul stepped inside the
blacksmith's shop, where Job Taskar, who was hammering away as busily as
usual, glanced up as he entered, but paid no further attention to him. A
minute later the smith, who had just begun his day's work, and still
wore his coat, pulled it off and flung it to one side. Something dropped
from one of i