“Well, I got one cut across the chest once, but that wasn’t Dick’s fault — ”

“A lot I should have cared whose fault it was, if it hurt!” said the young mule.

“You must,” said the troop horse. “If you don’t trust your man, you may as well run away at once. That’s what some of our horses do, and I don’t blame them. As I was saying, it wasn’t Dick’s fault. The man was lying on the ground, and I stretched myself not to tread on him, and he slashed up at me.

Next time I have to go over a man lying down I shall step on him — hard.”

“H’m!” said Billy. “It sounds very foolish. Knives are dirty things at