ross his shoulder, and entreated him to sit quietly at
home, and not to go out and heat himself and make himself uncomfortable
just as he was beginning to get cool.

George seemed to long to stay with Ellen, and even when he got to steps
which led from the hall into the pleasure-grounds, he went very slowly
down, dragging one leg after the other, half inclined to return, but at
this moment that frisking little Pompey came by looking very bright and
clean after his washing, and he jumped upon George, and invited him to
play. George then gave him a call, and they bounded together over the
fields and hedges, and were very soon lost to the sight of Ellen, who
returned into the house, and could scarcely refrain from shedding tears.

George passed with his frolicsome companion through the same field where
Mr. and Mrs. Danvers had noticed the donkey browsing in the hedges, and
the animal was still browsing, and picking up nettles and flowers, and
enjoying his freedom. George might just as well have walked quietly
through the field, and have left the poor donkey to his repast, but he
was in a very odd sort of a humour still, and thought it would be very
good fun to have a little scamper round the field upon the donkey's
back. He had heard his father and mother say that the donkey had never
been properly broken in, and that he was not fit to be ridden, but
George thought that if he could ride a pony, which he sometimes did, he
certainly could ride a donkey, and at any rate he was determined to try.
He went back to the stable therefore to ask the groom for a halter, but
the groom was not in the stable, unfortunately, or he would have known
better, it is to be hoped, than to have encouraged the young gentleman
in what he knew to be wrong. So George helped himself to an old piece of
rope which he found under the cartshed, and, taking a small hunting-whip
of his own, returned to the field with the intention of having a good
ride. He had some difficulty in catching the animal, which was better
pleased to graze at liberty than to be confined, and have a burthen put
upon his back. It must be owned, nevertheless, that it was not a very
heavy burthen preparing for him, nothing compared to the great weights
many, many poor donkeys are compelled to toil under, and never stopping
to rest, perhaps, from morning till night. Still, the donkey had rather
been left in the hedges, and many a race round and round the field did
he give George, and