THE horse's rescue. 101 



their natural place to give him as little suffering as 

 possible. That plan holds good yet. It does help 

 and relieve the suffering sooner than if it was not 

 done. There is one thing yet to be explained, that is, 

 how thatprocessofspreadingMike'sfeet worked. When 

 the foot contracts the sole rises in the center. That 

 pushes the structure of the foot up in the center and 

 raises it out of the cup or coronet at the top. Expand- 

 ing lets it down. These wonderfully wise people could 

 not see how this was done. The hostler swung his hat. 

 ''Doan has cared Mike. I don't know how, but he 

 has done it." The shoes had to be looked at and pat- 

 terned after. They are just the thing. Of course 

 they must steal the secret; it is a big thing. Those 

 lips on the shoes at the heel are not of much use. He 

 has cut the heel down. Mr Brees and his relative 

 (the one who had the stiff horse I tried to get) are 

 going to cure their horse I saw in the shop. I could 

 sit in my shop and look in theirs. This horse being 

 buckskin in color, we will call him Buckskin. Before 

 we commence on this horse we must see Mike off on 

 the road. He was to let out. I was at the barn and 

 watched him. He was whipped up when he turned 

 around the corner and fell on his knees. He was not 

 yet used to the change. But he was driven and 

 hurried off his legs, which I told them over and 

 over again, they must not do. ^ I thought to my- 

 self, "What is the use of trying to do anything with 

 such a. pack of damned fools?" I am not yet done 

 with poor Mike. We will let him sail a while. He 

 is still in very bad shape. 



Let us see what they are doing for poor Buckskin. 



