"PUT FORTH THY HAND" 51 



not be buttoned ; worst of all, I could not bend 

 my knees in them, therefore I could not mount 

 the mule without help. The "help," which 

 was tendered me by a man on each side of the 

 mule, consisted in actually lifting me into the 

 saddle. What an ignoble way this was to in- 

 augurate a trip that before it was over might 

 cover over a thousand miles in the saddle! 



Having been thus laboriously "chucked" 

 into the saddle, the Chief rode up to me and 

 said that "no mule could equal Billie for gen- 

 tleness, easiness of movement, and fast walk- 

 ing or even running." He hesitated a minute 

 or so after this laudation, and then said as 

 carelessly as he could, as if it was a matter of 

 little consequence, "There's one thing, how- 

 ever, that you must watch out for — Billie is 

 afraid of an Indian, and the scent of a red man 

 a mile off will frighten him; to come close 

 enough to see one would be still worse." I 

 was then cooly advised to keep a sharp lookout 

 for the "coming of the red man." 



As I had never before been on a mule's back, 

 and was at a distinct disadvantage by reason 

 of my tight breeches, which would prevent me 

 from getting off in a hurry if such a movement 

 would be necessary, I did considerable hard 

 thinking while waiting for the caravan to 



