houted Haigh. "If there's one thing I do love, it's
destruction. Cospatric, I'll bear a hand here. Now, then, heave with
those big shoulders of yours; tear and rip; splinter and smash; don't
spare; the thing's got no friends. Use your feet, old chappie, if you
want to; all's fair here. Faith, look at that worthy farmer toting up
his mule-cart load of seaweed for manure!" He broke off into a roar of
laughter, and hove a cushion right against the man's gaping mouth as we
tore past. "If he doesn't go home and report us to his wife and cronies
as stark staring maniacs, I'm a Scotsman. _Whoop_! work away, Don
Miguel. There's more joy over one brick hove through a windowpane than
in a whole house furnished on the hire system. Ain't we making a bally
wreck of it? Good business! Wrench away the back of this seat, and I'll
lug off the steps. _Arr-e-ee!_ Send those beasts along, Pedrillo.
Make 'em burn the ground."

The lust for destruction, when once thoroughly lit in an able-bodied
man, is not an easy flame to extinguish, and in consequence we went
ruthlessly on with the dismantlement of the carriage, till even
Taltavull, hardened destructor as he was himself, was fain to call upon
us to leave off.

"But don't you think," said Haigh, "that we might just snap the thing
in two amidships, and leave the hind wheels and all the back part
behind? It would ease the load by at least three hundred-weight, and I
think we could all perch on the foot-board in front. I'm sure the pole
would keep it right side up."

However, it was judged that quite enough was done already; and though
Haigh seemed inclined to argue, further freaks were put a stop to by
another incident turning up.

The pace had slackened.

Taltavull shrieked for the driver to quicken, and the driver used the
butt of his whip-stock with true Southern mercilessness.

"Why, that poor brute of a near mule has a stone in its shoe," Haigh
called out. "It's going dead lame."

"I know," said Taltavull. "It's a great nuisance, but it can't be
helped. The stone may be knocked out again."

"The stone won't be knocked out again. It's jammed firmly in, and gets
set tighter every time it touches ground. The mule's in awful pain."

"I can't help that."

"By God, I can though. Here, pull up."

"Senor Haigh, you must be mad."

"I may be that, but I'm hanged if I'll sit here and see that poor
miserable mule tortured. Here, Cospatric, stand by to grab this elderly
person if he