is hand towards the pond.

As for Neddy, Harry might have stood at the edge of the water and
cracked the whip until his donkeyship felt disposed to come out, for not
a bit did he care, knowing full well that he was out of reach, and that
even if the thong could have touched him he would not have felt it
through his thick grey coat; and so stock-still he stood, flapping his
great ears, whisking his tail, and lazily winking his eyes. But it was
different with the pony: he was a thin-skinned gentleman, and not so
much of a philosopher as the ass. He, too, had often felt the whip upon
his flanks, and knew the flavour, and, not being so good a judge of
distance as his companion, as soon as the whip gave the first crack he
made a start, and spattered out of the pond, and away up the field
towards the open gate.

Stock-still stood Neddy.

"Crack!" went the whip again.

"Come out," shouted Harry.

"Poor old fellow, then," said Philip, soothingly.

"No, don't coax him, Phil," said his brother; "he don't deserve it.
Only let me get at him; that's all."

For a few moments, however, there did not seem to be a chance of getting
"at him, that's all;" for the donkey stood as stolidly as ever, till the
pony, as he scampered up the field, gave a triumphant neigh, which
roused Neddy, for he gave a frisk and a splash in the water, and then
rushed out; but he did not escape quite scot-free, for Harry managed to
get one crack at him with the thick end of the whip just as he galloped
up the field.

Harry's manoeuvre proved successful, for they had now only to follow the
donkey up as he went straight into the stable, from whence he was soon
dragged out in triumph, saddled and bridled, and with Philip mounted.

"Now, then," shouted Harry to his brother, as soon as they returned to
the field, "down to the bottom and back, and then it's Fred's turn."

But Neddy would not trot; it was of no use to kick him with your heels,
he would only walk, so Philip called out for a stick, and then when
Neddy saw the stick coming he would not walk but would trot, so that
Harry could hardly catch up to him; but when he did, and handed the
weapon to his brother, the donkey no sooner felt the first touch than
down went his head and up went his heels, and off went Philip on to his
back in the grass.

Neddy would then have started off again, but Harry was too quick for
him, and soon held the rein for his brother to remount.

"He's too fresh," said