The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-09-20
THE BALKY BURRO.
ny HERBERT F. COOLIDGE.

'Mommy, there two men in camp y
An earnest youth and an excited young
ster rode sturdy burro out from the tim
ber and shouted the words simultaneously.
1.-TWO men, laddies? Which way from,
and what like are they p
Cones tall, Mexican looking fellow, "
replied the youth, ''His pardper is stub
by and red headed, the same two that the
Vigilantes chased out of oamp-and there
hasn' been any sluice box robbing since. "
"They offered US SIS for Donk, "
added the youngster.
"And you refused it p said the moth
er, severely, but with eyes twinkling.
GA thousand dollars in gold would not
touch our Donk,'' averred the youngster
The elder brother nodded his firm ap-
proval of the small boys remark, then
queried, "What do you suppose those
toughs are shopping around trying to buy
buros for, mother?'
"They want to rush to Coarse Gold
Creek with the rest of the ninnies, |
reckon Or if they re the sluice-box rob-
bers, maybe its cache of gold they We
come for. But jump down from that
thousand dollar Donk of yours, both of
you, and get ready for supper"
Early the next morning the youth, with
his father rife on his shoulder, and the
youngster, carrying Donk's bride, went
up the canon through the deserted camp.
Donk was needed to drag log to the
woodpie, and if squirrel could be knock
ed from pine top, the bacon would last
Just so much longer.
The burro was nowhere to be found;
but at the company's corral, his hvorite
haunt, the boys came upon tracks-Donk's
tracks, and tracks made by long, French
heeled boots and short, wide, hobnailed
shoes.
HTheyve stolen him p said the youth,
sorrowfully, and the youngster began to
cry.
eco back and tell mother I've gone
after Donk," said the youth.
''Tm going with you-after Donk, "
declared the youngster, suddenly drying
his tears and setting his jaws with de-
cison 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 north
ward. About the middle of the forenoon
the youngster broke a 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.
s.But Donk will balk, said he, not
very hopefully. "Donk always balks,
and nobody but us knows our system.
'sHe's travelling right along, the youth
replied, impassively.
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 bet ! Good and hungry"
owe re getting 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. I'm go
ING with you--after Donk. "
About noon the trail left Sluice Valley
and began switch backing up ridge. And
at the foot of the switch back the trallers
found signs of much tramplng. Donk' s
tracks, the front rims cutting sharp halt
circles were everywhere. The Frenca.-
heeled boots and the hO66- RRaaiiled shoes dad
scraped and slid as if from much pulling
and hauling. A little farther on they
found in the dust the mould of shaggy
coated, outstretched burro.
"Goody p cried the youngster. "Donk' 5
baked -
Then from up the mountain came a
muffied -whack whack whack 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 the back
bone of low, brushy ridge between two
gullies, they saw tall Mexican and a
stunted, red-haired man mauling the
buIro.
The youngster gasped and wrung his
hands and wept softly. The youth, pale
and trembling, cooked his father rife and
was about to step forward when Donk sud-
denly dropped to his knees, Topped over
sidewise, and lay sprawling.
The tall man hoped up and down in
frantic rage, then strobe down the bank Of
the right -hand gully to cut new eudgel.
The short fellow sat down on rock,
mopped his red face with flaming red
bandanna, then started down the left hand
gully for drink.
"Come on r. whispered the youth; and
the brothers crouched low between the
brush walls of the trail and sneaked swiftly
toward their donkey.
The little beast, although battered and
bleeding.and still half reclining, was MUNICH.
ing mouthful Of dry leaves as the boys
approached him., Donk had never beer
known to miss an opportunity.
elbow in his ear-just little, mind
your ordered the youth, as with half
raised rife he watched both gullies.
"Whoo-o-o p breathed the youngster,
and with the swiftness of jack in a boz
Donk rose to his feet, his aerated ear point.