ss.

"What's the matter, Roger?" asked Roy; "why are you muttering away and
shaking your head so?"

"Ay, young master, I be in a sorrowful plight. My donkey has strayed
away and I cannot find she nowheres. I've been up over the hills, and
not a sign of she! And it's to-morrow that's market day, and how I'm to
get my veggetubbles to town is more'n I can tell 'ee!"

"She can't be lost; when did you have her last?"

"'Twas yest'day mornin'. Ay, she be just a kickin' up her heels miles
away and a laughin' at her poor old master. She be a terrible beast for
strayin', and I just let her out on the green for a bit thinkin' to give
her a pleasure, and that's how she treats me, the ungrateful creature! I
heerd she were seen on the hills, but I'm a weary of trampin' up and
down 'em."

"We'll go out on the hills and look for her this afternoon," said Roy,
eagerly.

"If Aunt Judy will let us," added Dudley.

But Miss Bertram having gone out to lunch with some friends could not be
asked, so the two boys set out after their early dinner with light
hearts.

"It's doing old Roger good, and ourselves too," said Roy; "I'm longing
to have a good outing, and we needn't be back very early, for granny
isn't well enough to see us to-day, nurse said."

It was a delicious afternoon for a ramble; a soft breeze was blowing,
and the sun was not unpleasantly strong. The boys did a good deal of
looking for the missing donkey, but also managed to combine with that a
few other things, such as bird-nesting, picking wild strawberries, and
enjoying themselves as only boys can, when roaming about in the open
air. At last rather late in the afternoon they spied in the distance a
donkey, and delighted to think their quest was at an end, they hastened
up to it.

Dudley had brought some carrots in his pocket, but the donkey was
utterly indifferent to such a dainty; she waited till the boys were
nearly up to her, and then with a kick up of her heels away she
galloped, evidently enjoying the chase.

"Won't I give her a licking when I catch her," shouted Dudley,
wrathfully, as after a long and tiring race, they stopped a minute to
rest; "let us leave her and go home, Roy. I'm sure it's tea time, for I
feel dreadfully hungry, and we're miles and miles away. I've never been
so far before."

"Oh, we mustn't give up," Roy replied, with his usual determination; "we
won't be beaten by an old donkey, and when we do catch her, we will both
get on her ba