Joseph and his father were both on the tow-path when at last
Netteke decided to move. As she set her ears forward and took the
first step, Father De Smet heaved a sigh of relief.

"Now, why couldn't you have done that long ago, you addlepated
old fool," he said mildly to Netteke. "You have made no end of
trouble for us, and gained nothing for yourself! Now I am afraid
we shan't get beyond the German lines before dark. We may even
have to spend the night in dangerous territory, and all because
you're just as mulish as, as a mule," he finished helplessly.

Joseph laughed. "Can't you think of anything mulisher than a
mule?" he said.

"There isn't a thing," answered his father.

"Well," answered Joseph, "there are a whole lot of other things
beside balky mules in this world that I wish had never been made.
There are spiders, and rats, and Germans. They are all pests. I
don't see why they were ever born."

Father De Smet became serious at once.

"Son," he said sternly, "don't ever let me hear you say such a
thing again. There are spiders, and rats, and balky mules, and
Germans, and it doesn't do a bit of good to waste words fussing
because they are here. The thing to do is to deal with them!"

Father De Smet was so much in earnest that he boomed these words