road.

"She burned them riggings," he said.

"Mother?"

"Yes. Brooke came inspecting them riggings, so mother burned 'em."

"Won't that be rather awkward?"

"Some. You see, mum, Bolt paid me four hundred and five dollars cash, so
I come to return him the money."

I didn't quite understand. "You see, Pete," I suggested, "you and Brooke
are the owners. Don't you owe half to yourself and half to Brooke?"

"Well, if that's so, I'll pay myself and owe the rest to Brooke. But
then he claims the whole Star _atajo_."

"In that case you owe the whole of the money to Brooke."

"I don't mind owing Brooke." Pete felt so much better that he was able
to walk without help. "Brooke's gone on to inspect mules. I wonder how
he'll get on with them mules?"

As it happened, Jesse was an actual witness to Mr. Brooke's inspection
of the Star mules at their pasture below his ranch. Here is his
narrative:

"Mules are the most religious of all animals. They believe in the bell
mare, who creates grass, water, mud holes, and mosquitoes, and leads
them in the paths of virtue where they don't get any fun. And when they
worship her too much she kicks them in the stomach.

"The trouble for these poor mules was that they followed a false
goddess. Their bell mare Prue ought to have been old enough to know
better, but at the age of twenty-three, with gray hair and bald withers,
she was still female.

"She and her mules had been grazing maybe half a mile when my new
stallion, young Jehoshaphat, happened along with his harem of
twenty-five mares, smelling down wind for a drink. The mares looked so
snug and grass-fat they could scarcely waddle, but Jehoshaphat was full
of sinful pride, waltzing high steps at the sight of Prue.

"You should have seen Prue playing up innocent modesty in front of
Jehoshaphat, pretending she wasn't there, making believe he was too
sudden, didn't approve of the gentleman, flattering his vanity with all
sorts of airs and graces. He up with his tail and showed off, prancing
around pleased as Punch. Prue paraded herself along in front of the
harem to spite the married mares, and all her mules came worshiping
along in pursuit. Those mares gave the mules the biggest kicking you
ever saw in your life.

"There was me lying on Face Rock like a little boy at a circus, and
there was the performance proceeding so joyful that I never saw Brooke
until he rode down right into the middle of the fun. Jehoshaphat got mad
and