Dick o' the Fens Part 13

"I wish you'd got the donkey," grumbled Tom. "I don't see any fun in hunting him and nearly getting kicked over the wall."

"Well, don't be in a hurry," said d.i.c.k; "I know how to manage him.

Here, catch hold of this harness. I know."

"You know!" grumbled Tom, whose side was sore from the donkey's kick upon the collar. "What are you going to do?"

"You shall see," cried d.i.c.k, busying himself with the wagon rope he had brought, and making a loop at one end, and then putting the other through it, so as to produce an easily running noose.

"What are you going to do with that?" asked Tom.

"Hold your noise," whispered d.i.c.k; "he's such an artful old wretch I don't know that he wouldn't understand us. I'm going to make you drive him round by me, and then I'm going to throw this over his head and catch him."

"I don't believe you can," cried Tom.

"Well, you'll see. There, that'll do. I'm ready; take the stick and make a rush at him. That will drive him round near me, and then we'll try."

Tom laid down the harness, took the stick and made the rush at Solomon.

The latter kicked out his heels and cantered round by d.i.c.k, who threw his noose, but failed to la.s.so the donkey, who took refuge in another corner.

"Never mind," cried d.i.c.k, gathering up the rope, "I shall do it next time. Now, then--I'm ready. Drive him back again."

Tom made another rush at the obstinate animal, which cantered off again, working considerably harder than it would if it had submitted patiently to being bitted. This time he gave d.i.c.k a better chance, and the boy threw the rope so well that it seemed as if it must go over the creature's head. But Solomon was too sharp. He s.h.i.+ed at the rope and tossed his head aside; but though he avoided the noose and escaped it so far, as he plunged he stepped right into it, tightened it round his fore-legs, and the next instant fell over at one end of the rope, kicking and plunging as he lay upon his side, while at the other end of the rope there lay d.i.c.k upon his chest. For he had been jerked off his feet, but held on to the rope in spite of the donkey's struggles.

"I've got him, Tom; come and lay hold," panted d.i.c.k as the donkey made a desperate plunge, got upon his legs, and then fell down again upon the loose ling and straw, kicking out as if galloping.

This gave d.i.c.k time to rise, and, seeing his opportunity, he ran to the gate and pa.s.sed the slack rope round, drew it tight, and shouted to Tom to come and hold on.

Just as Tom caught hold of the rope the donkey rose again and made a plunge or two, but only to fall once more, slacking the rope to such an extent that the boys were able to haul in a couple of yards more and hold on, stretching Solomon's legs out and drawing them so tightly that he uttered a piteous cry like the beginning of a bray chopped off short.

"Do you give in, then?" cried d.i.c.k.

The donkey raised his head slightly and let it fall again, gazing wildly at his captors, one of whom rushed round, avoided a feeble kick, and sat down upon the helpless animal's head.

"Now," cried d.i.c.k, "we've got him, Tom; and I've a good mind to play the drum on his old ribs till he begins to sing!"

"Don't hit him when he's down," said Tom. "It isn't English."

"I wasn't going to hit him," said d.i.c.k. "He's a prisoner and has given in. Bring me the bit."

Solomon opened his mouth to utter a bray; but d.i.c.k put the stick between his teeth, and he only uttered a loud sigh.

"Ah! now you're sorry for being such a brute, are you?" cried d.i.c.k.

"Come along, Tom."

"I'm coming, only the things have got all mixed," was the reply.

"Give 'em to me," cried d.i.c.k. "That's it. Now, then, you sit on his neck, Tom, and then I'll get up. And look here, you, sir," he added to the donkey, "you come any more of your games, and I'll knock your head off!"

Solomon's flanks heaved, but he lay quite still, and did not resent Tom's rather rough treatment as he bestrode his neck and sat down. On the contrary, he half-raised his head at his master's command, suffered the bit to be thrust between his teeth and the head-stall to be buckled on, after which Tom leaped up.

"Take the rope from about his legs now, Tom," cried d.i.c.k.

"Suppose he kicks!"

"He won't kick now," cried d.i.c.k. "He'd better! Here, you hold the rein and I'll take it off."

"No, I'll do it," said Tom st.u.r.dily; and going cautiously to work he unknotted the rope and drew it away, the donkey lying quite motionless.

"Now, then, Sol, get up!" cried Tom.

The donkey drew his legs together, leaped to his feet, shook himself till his ears seemed to rattle, and uttered a sound like a groan.

"He is beaten now," said d.i.c.k. "Come and put on the pad and well go.

That's right; buckle it on."

Tom obeyed, and the rough sc.r.a.ppy harness was fixed in its place, while Solomon twitched his ears and rolled them round as if trying to pick up news in any direction.

"He won't kick now, will he?" said Tom.

"Not unless he feels a fly on his back, and then he'll try to kick it off."

"Why, he couldn't kick a fly off his back if he tried," said Tom.

"No, but he'd try all the same. Look out!--there he goes!"

Tom leaped aside, for the donkey kicked out fiercely for a few moments.

"Why, there are no flies now!" said Tom.

"Must be. Look out!--he's going to kick again!"

The donkey's heels flew out, and Tom made a feint of punching his companion's head.

"How clever we are!" he cried. "Just as if I didn't see you tickling him to make him kick!"

"Tickle him!" said d.i.c.k laughing. "Why, I wasn't tickling him when he kicked up in the corner there. But come along or we shall never get that log up to the yard, and father won't like it. Now, Sol! Open the gate, Tom."

Tom opened the gate, and with d.i.c.k holding the rein the donkey walked along by his side as meekly as if he had never kicked or shown his teeth with the intention of biting in his life. The rope was doubled up and thrown over his back; and when they had gone a few yards d.i.c.k, without pausing, made a bit of a jump and struggled on to the animal's back, getting himself right aft, as a sailor would say, so that it seemed as if at any moment he might slip off behind.

But Solomon made no objection; he just twitched and wagged his tail for a moment or two, and then put it away out of sight. For the donkey chained, or rather harnessed, became an obedient slave--a very different creature from the donkey free.

When they reached the d.y.k.e where the men were standing delving out the peat, it was to find a group of three fresh arrivals in the persons of Hickathrift the wheelwright, Dave, and John Warren, and all in earnest converse upon some subject.

"Yow may say what yow like," cried Dave, "but fen-land's fen-land, and meant for the wild birds."

"And rabbuds," put in John Warren.

"Ay, lad, and rabbuds," a.s.sented Dave; "and it weer nivver meant to grow corn and gra.s.s. Yow can't do it, and yow'll nivver make fen-land fields. It's agen natur."