22 MY MARE AND MULE. 



one recommendation, that little skill and but a 

 short time are necessary for its preparation. 



Ascending from the stream to where my camp- 

 fire was burning, and where reposed my lares and 

 penates, thus constituting the spot l home/ I had to 

 traverse a narrow belt of brush, which was suffi- 

 ciently dense to shut out a view of what was beyond. 

 With my thoughts far away, and not the most remote 

 idea of the surprise in store for me, I had passed 

 through the cover, when, to my delight and astonish- 

 ment, I beheld the two truants not fifty yards from 

 me. The mare, who was standing up, whinnied a 

 note of welcome ; while the mule, who was rolling 

 upon the ground, as soon as he became aware of my 

 presence got on his pins, and, flapping his rabbit- 

 like ears, inquired after my health through the me- 

 dium of the language of the eyes a dialect in which 

 I have known young ladies in England fairly pro- 

 ficient, and sefioras in Spain perfect adepts : but 

 none of them, in this accomplishment, excelled my 

 old mule. 



The distended paunches of my favourites told me 

 that they had fared well, and from their indolence I 

 concluded that they had just finished a hearty meal. 

 Their absence, therefore, I now rejoiced over, though 

 at the same time I took steps to prevent its recur- 

 rence, by hobbling the old lady's fore feet when dis- 

 missed to seek her dinner. 



Next morning, as soon as the animals had had 

 time to fill their stomachs, I saddled up, and, for the 



