JOHNSON'S “OLD WOMAN.”
It was growing dark, and the Sonora trail was becoming more indistinct before me at every step. The difficulty had increased over the grassy slope, where the overflow from some smaller watercourse above had worn a number of diverging gullies so like the trail as to be undistinguishable from it. Unable to determine which was the right one, I threw the reins over the mule's neck and resolved to trust to that superior animal's sagacity, of which I had heard so much. But I had not taken into account the equally well-known weaknesses of sex and species, and Chu Chu had already shown uncontrollable signs of wanting her own way. Without a moment's hesitation, feeling the relaxed bridle, she lay down and rolled over.
In this perplexity the sound of horse's hoofs ringing out of the rocky canyon beyond was a relief, even if momentarily embarrassing. An instant afterwards a horse and rider appeared cantering round the hill on what was evidently the lost trail, and pulled up as I succeeded in forcing Chu Chu to her legs again.
“Is that the trail from Sonora?” I asked.
“Yes;” but with a critical glance at the mule, “I reckon you ain't going thar tonight.”
“Why not?”
“It's a matter of eighteen miles, and most of it a blind trail through the woods after you take the valley.”
“Is it worse than this?”
“What's the matter with this trail? Ye ain't expecting a racecourse or a shell road over the foothills—are ye?”
“No. Is there any hotel where I can stop?”