out front oxen turn and charge downhill ; and all 

 are half frantic with excitement, bewilderment or 

 terror. The constant shouting, the battle with 

 refractory animals, the work with the whip, and the 

 hopeless chaos and failure, have just about done you 

 up ; and then some one who knows comes along, 

 and, because you block the way where he would pass 

 and he can see what is wrong, offers to give a hand. 

 Dropping his whip he moves the front oxen to where the 

 foothold is best and a straight pull is possible; then walks 

 up and down the team a couple of times talking to 

 the oxen and getting them into place, using his hand 

 to prod them up without frightening them, until he 

 has the sixteen standing as true as soldiers on parade 

 their excitement calmed, their confidence won, and 

 their attention given to him. Then, one word of 

 encouragement and one clear call to start, and the six- 

 teen lean forward like one, the waggon lifts and heaves, 

 and out it goes with a rattle and rush. 



It looks magical in its simplicity ; but no lecturer 

 is needed to explain the magic, and if honest with 

 yourself you will turn it over that night, and with a 

 sense of vague discomfort it will all become clear. 

 You may be tempted, under cover of darkness, to find 

 a translation for * watch it ' and ' stick to it ! ' more 

 befitting your dignity and aspirations : ' observation 

 and reasoning,' ' patience and purpose,' will seem 

 better ; but probably you will not say so to any one 

 else, for fear of being laughed at. 



And when the new-found knowledge has risen like 

 yeast, and is ready to froth over in advice to others, 

 231 



