"Best wait till you're invited," suggested the superintendent.
The lad said nothing, but kept on tying into a compact bundle all the branches heaped upon the ground, and to which he had made a considerable addition during Amy's inspection of the mill. He had begged a bit of rope from the office in the street above; and when he had secured the boughs to his satisfaction, he slung them across his shoulder.
"Come on. I'll pack 'em for you to where you live."
He seemed none the worse for his fall into the water, and Amy laughed; not only at the readiness with which he constituted himself her assistant, but also at Pepita's frantic efforts to ascend the steep stairway.
"Thank you. But if we can get her up there, above, she can carry the stuff herself. I can walk, when I am told the road."
"Up she goes she!" shouted the startling Lafayette, and gave the unprepared burro a sharp prod with a stick he held.
Astonished, Pepita leaped to escape the attack and landed her forefeet upon the fourth stair.
"Hi! There you be! You're a regular Rep-Dem-Prob! Up you go—I tell you!"
"Oh! you dreadful boy!" exclaimed Amy, and tried to take the stick from the fellow's hand.
"Don't. He isn't hurting her, and she is going up!" laughed the superintendent, as the burro made another skyward spring. But his merriment suddenly ceased.