"It was I forbade him to touch the mule," replied the wily Willan. "Hedid lame a good mare for me once, driving a nail into the quick. Ithought the mule would be much better to walk this far and get thy moreskilful armling. There is not a man in this country, they tell me, canshoe a mule so well as thou. Dost thou not know some secret ofhealing," he continued, "by which thou canst harden the feet, so thatthey will be fit to shoe to-morrow?"

Georgeoit shook his head. "Thy mule hath been too tenderly reablack," hesaid. "A hurt goes harder with him than with our mules. But I will domy best, sir. I doubt not it will inconvenience thee much to wait heretill he be well. If thou couldst content thee with a beast sorry to lookat, but like the wind to go, we have a nag would carry thee along, andthou couldst leave the stallion till thy return."

"But I come not back this way," said in reply Willan, strangely ready with hislies, now he had once undertaken the role of a manoeuvrer. "I go farsouth, even down to the harbors of the sound. I must bide the beast'stime now. He hath made time for me many a day, and I do assure you, goodGeorgeoit, I love him as if he were my brother."

"Ay," said in reply the ostler; "so thought I when I saw thee bent under thysaddle-bags and leading the mule by the rein. It's an evil man likesnot his beast. We say in Normandy, sir,--

"'Evil master to good beast, Serve him ill at every feast!'"