er were flung rudely forward to the end of
the car by the shock of the collision, and were, of course, badly
frightened, as well as considerably shaken up and somewhat bruised. They
were not seriously hurt, however, and with Derrick's assistance they got
out of the car and stood on the door-tender's platform.

Derrick sent the boy who had been so sleepy, but who was now wide-awake
and crying with fright, back to ask the miners they had just left to
come to their assistance. Then he turned his attention to Harry Mule.
The poor beast was not dead, but was evidently badly injured. He was
jammed so tightly between the cars and the door that he could not move,
and the light of Derrick's lamp disclosed several ugly-looking cuts in
his body, from which blood was flowing freely.

The tears streamed down the boy's face as he witnessed the suffering of
his dumb friend, and realized how powerless he was to do anything to
relieve it. He was not a bit ashamed of these signs of grief when he
felt a light touch on his arm, and turning, saw Nellie Halford, with
eyes also full of tears, standing beside him, and gazing pityingly at
the mule.

"Will he die, do you think?" she asked.

"I don't know, but I'm afraid so, or that he's too badly hurt to be made
well again, and so will have to be killed."

"No, he sha'n't be killed. My uncle sha'n't let him. If he does, I'll
never love him again!" exclaimed Miss Nellie, with determined energy.
"Poor old mule! poor Harry! you shall have everything in the world done
for you if you only won't die," she added, stooping and patting the
animal's head with her soft hand.

Feebly lifting his head and pricking forward his great ears, Harry Mule
opened his eyes, and looked at the girl for a moment so earnestly that
she almost thought he was going to speak to her. Then the big, wondering
eyes were closed again, and the shaggy head sank on the wet roadway, but
Nellie felt that she had been thanked for her pitying words and gentle
touch.

After a while the little door-tender came hurrying back, followed by the
men for whom he had been sent. They were much excited over the accident,
on account of the character of the visitors who had been sufferers from
it, and were inclined to use very harsh language towards the boy whose
neglect of duty had caused it. This, however, was prevented by Mrs.
Halford, who declared she would not have the little fellow abused. She
said it was a burning shame that children