122 DOVE DALE REVISITED 



donkey's side, and off the donkey went at a 

 brisk walk. 



As soon as I saw them, I walked as quietly 

 and as fast as I could, so as not to start him off, 

 but as I got up just near enough to put my 

 hand on the bridle, off he bolted full gallop, 

 Master Bobby clinging like a little man to his 

 neck; he soon came tumbling down, to my 

 no small alarm. Luckily he fell easily on the 

 soft grass. After a jolly good roar, he was 

 for a time pacified, but when he saw the 

 donkey disappearing round the rocky corner 

 he set up another hullaballoo, and I could 

 do nothing to pacify him. There were a 

 dozen excursionists on the other side who 

 witnessed the whole of the tragedy, evidently 

 with much amusement. I shouted for Jack 

 till I was hoarse, but in vain : no Jack 

 appeared for a long time. He eventually came 

 along, quite alarmed when he saw the donkey 

 had disappeared. 



He said that somehow he had lost his 

 way and couldn't get down nohow. I said, 

 "You young scamp, you've been nutting." 

 This he stoutly denied, but as I heard him 

 cracking nuts all the evening afterwards I 



