The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-09-26
0be
BALKY BURRO.
ole
By Herbert F. Coolidge

vounqster rode a sturdy puIro Ou'
from the timber and shouted the
words simultaneously
1.-TWO men, laddles? Which way
from. and what like are theyY
"One's a tall, Mexlcan-looking lei-
low" replied the youth. His pard-
ner is stubby and red-headed, the same
two that the vigilantes chased cut OIL
camp-and there hasn't been any
sluice-box robbing since" Il,
"They offered us SIS for DonA'
added the youngster. A.
"And you refused it?' SAID tne
mother, severely, but with eyes WINK
ling.
"A thousand dollars in gold would
not touch our Donk," ayerred the
youngster.
The elder brother nodded his nrm
approval Of the small boys remark
then queried, what do you suppose
those toughs are shopping around try
ing to buy burros for, motherT
"They want to rush to Coarse COLD
Creek with the rest of the ninnies,
reckon. Or II they're the sluice-oox
robbers, maybe it's a cache OF gold
they've come for. But jump down from
that thousand-dollar Donk Of yours,
both of you, and get ready for sup
per"
Early the next morning the youth
with his fathers rife on his shoulder,
and the youngster, carrying Donk
bride, went up the canon through the
deserted camp. Donk was needed to
drag a log to the wood pile, and If
squirrel could be knocked from a pine
top, the bacon would last just so much
longer
The burro was nowhere to be found;
but at the company's corral, his favor
ite haunt, the boys came upon tracks
--Donk's tracks, and tracks made by
long, French-heeled boots and short,
wide, hobnailed shoes.
They've stolen himl" said the youth,
sorrowfully, and the youngster began
to cry.
Go back and tell mother I've gone
after Donk," said the youth.
'1m going with you-after Donk,"
declared the youngster, suddenly dry
ing his tears and setting his jaws with
a decision which his brother accepted
as final.
Along the dusty trail up the canon
they followed the tracks. They were
covered by the lace-like tracings Of
creatures that crawl by night.
They've hours the start" observed
the grave youth, sternly.
The trail divided at Sluice Valley,
and the tracks and the trailers turned
northward. About the middle of the
forenoon the 'youngster broke long
silence. He had need Of all his breath,
for he had to walk very fast, when
not trotting, to keep up with his
brother
"But Donk Will balk," said he, not
very hopefully. "Donk always balks
and nobody but us knows our system,
@He's travelling right along" the
youth replied, impassiyely.
An hour later, when the youngster
had fallen some distance behind, the
youth again broke the silence:
EJECT gettin. sore, brother?"
''Ye-no, not very"
'Hungry?"
''You betl Good and hungry"
Were getting a good piece from
home. and Donk is still travelling
right along Maybe you'd better go
back and tell mother where I've
gone"
The youngster promptly closed the
gap between him and his brother. Pr
going with you-after Donk"
About noon the trail lot Sluice
valley and began switch backing up
a ridge And at the foot of the switch
back the trailers found signs of much
frampling. Donks tracks, the front
rims cutting sharp half-circles, were
everywhere. 1ne French-heeled boots
and the hobnailed shoes had scraped
and slid as II from much pulling and
hauling A little farther on they found
in the dust the mold of a shaggy
coated, odtstretched burro.
"Goodyl" cried the youngster.
sDonlys balkedi" Nt
Then from up the mountain came 4
mufIied whackl whack! whackl And
the youngster shuddered and almost
cried, for he remembered how Donk
had looked when first they bought him
"a sorely beaten burro that had
baked
With beating hearts the brothers
stole upward through the timber. They
gained the first ascent. and there. on