52 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



small, round, cat-like hoofs, were feathered with a profusion of 

 dark brown hair. 



As she stood stock-still, while the stranger removed the awk- 

 wardly packed deer from her back, she flapped her huge ears back- 

 ward and forward, occasionally turning her head, and laying her 

 cold nose against her master's cheek. When the pack was re- 

 moved, he advanced to her head, and resting it on his shoulder, 

 rubbed her broad and grizzled cheeks with both his hands for sev- 

 eral minutes, the old mule laying her ears, hke a rabbit, back 

 upon her neck, and with half-closed eyes enjoyed mightily the ma- 

 nipulation. Then, giving her a smack upon the haunch, and a 

 " hep-a" well known to the mule kind, the old favorite threw up 

 her heels and cantered off to the horse, who was busily cropping 

 the buffalo grass on the bluff above the stream. 



Great was the contrast between the one just described and the 

 next which came up to be divested of her pack. She, a tall beau- 

 tifully shaped Mexican mule, of a light mouse color, with a head 

 like a deer's, and long springy legs, trotted up obedient to the call 

 but with ears bent back and curled up nose, and tail compressed 

 between her legs. As her pack was being removed, she groaned 

 and whined like a dog, as a thong or loosened strap touched her 

 ticklish body, lifting her hind-quarters in a succession of jumps or 

 preparatory kicks, and looking wicked as a panther. When nothing 

 but the fore pack-saddle remained she had worked herself into the 

 last stage ; and as the stranger cast loose the girth of buffalo hide, 

 and was about to lift the saddle and draw the crupper from the 

 tail she drew her hind legs under her, more tightly compressed her 

 tail, and almost shrieked with rage. 



" Stand clear," he roared (knowing what was coming), and 

 raised the saddle, when out went her hind legs, up went the pack 

 into the air, and, with it dangling at her heels, away she tore, 

 kicking the oflending saddle as she ran. Her master, however, 

 took this as matter of course, followed her and brought back the 



