256 MULE-HUNTING EXPEDITION. 



fellow when you understood him), and retiring to 

 my inn, determined to enjoy the luxury of a bed 

 and a long night-in, having slept on the ground 

 since leaving Red Bluffs ; and if the Judge was 

 right about the redskins, the chances were con- 

 siderably against my ever stretching my limbs 

 on another. So, to make the most of it for a 

 start at sun-up and a long ride, added to a 

 tedious day, had pretty well fagged me I retired 

 very early, and turned in. 



It really was a lovely bed, just like bathing in 

 feathers. I stretched out my limbs until they 

 fairly cracked again, and rolled in enjoyment. 

 My thoughts were soon wandering ; and visions 

 of home, mixed up with mules falling over pre- 

 cipices, battles with Indians, an ugly feeling 

 round the top of my head, judges, drinks, row- 

 dies, all jumbled together in a ghostly medley 

 floated off in misty indistinctness, and I subsided 

 into the land of dreams. 



I awoke, with an indistinct idea that I was at 

 a ball, with ajiggykind of tune whirling through 

 my brain. Pish ! 1 must have been dreaming ; 

 so I turned over, and tugged the blankets more 

 tightly round my shoulders, vexed that such a 

 stupid dream should have awoke me. Hark! 

 what on earth is that ? ' Ladies and gents, take 



