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The Belgian Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins
page 63 of 93 (67%)
moving at all! I've been measuring by that farmhouse across the
river for a long time, and she hasn't crawled up to it yet! I
shouldn't wonder if she'd go to sleep some day and fall into the
river and never wake up! Why, I am almost asleep myself."

"She'll wake up fast enough when it's time to eat, and so will
you," said Marie, with profound wisdom.

"Let 's see if we can't make her go a little faster, anyway,"
said Jan, ignoring Marie's remark. "I know what I'll do," he went
on, chuckling; "I'll get some burrs and stick them in her tail,
and then every time she slaps the flies off she'll make herself
go faster."

Marie seized Jan's arm.

"You'll do nothing of the kind!" she cried. "Father De Smet told
me especially to keep away from Netteke's hind legs."

"Pooh!" said Jan; "he didn't tell me that. I'm not afraid of any
mule alive. I guess if I can harness a horse and drive home a
load of grain from the field, there isn't much I can't do with a
mule!" To prove his words he shouted "U - U" at Netteke and slapped
her flank with a long branch of willow.

Now, Netteke was a proud mule and she wasn't used to being
slapped. Father De Smet knew her ways, and knew also that her
steady, even, slow pace was better in the long run than to
attempt to force a livelier gait, and Netteke was well aware of
what was expected of her. She resented being interfered with.
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