“But that is not all, Jimmy! When Ben finished drinking he refused to go on again. We began coaxing and threatening again, but all to no avail. So there we were. I could not slide back to the cart because I would have fallen into the water. And Ben would not go on, because he liked the running water about his feet. The girls could not help us because the cart was pitched at such an angle that the least shove to urge Ben onward would have thrown it over again and perhaps thrown Ben and me with it.
“Suddenly Frances had a brilliant idea—or she thought it was. She drove the car across the bridge and then backed it down the other side of the ford until it reached the water. Then she carefully steered until it should reach Ben’s nose. It was her plan to tie a rope to Ben’s head and let the scouts in the back seat hold the leading hold. Then start the car up the slope on the side opposite Ben, and thus haul him across the stream whether he wanted to go or not.
“Well! Ben would not budge, but the car did. And both the scouts who held for dear life to the end of the rope in order to drag Ben along, were dragged half way out of the car and were left dangerously near to being pulled over into the water, but they let go of the rope. It had stripped the skin from their palms, and left Ben just where he had been before the attempt at coercion had been made.
“After a conference held with the girls in the car and me seated on Ben’s back eager to abdicate in honor of anyone who wanted my throne, Frances said we would have to use the chain and tackle which had been left in the box under the rear seat of the automobile. This could be hooked to the cart and then the cart would start through the ford, dragging the cart upon Ben’s heels so that he would have to move!
“Just as we had everything ready to give the signal for the engine to be started, Ben suddenly reconsidered his ultimatum and started through the water of his own accord.
“But the chain pulled the cart so far off his proposed trail that the rear wheel clutched with the rear side wheel of the car, and there we were, hard and fast, with Ben trying to go forward and only causing the wheels to lock the tighter. Frances had to get out of the car, into the stream, and get hold of Ben’s bit to try and back him again. Meantime I took advantage of my golden opportunity and jumped from my perch into the front seat of the automobile.
“Well, Jimmy! Had it not been for a nice good man who drove past in his runabout at this time, we would still be marooned in the creek. But, thank goodness, here we are with as much sand in the cart as could stand all this pitching and sliding.”
When Norma ended her tale, Mrs. James and her companions laughed heartily at the tricks played by Ben. Mr. Ames laughed loudest of any, because he understood his horse so well. But enough sand was brought in to supply the first mixture of concrete in the morning, and Mr. Ames promised to furnish a bait for Ben to prevent another such delay in carting more sand.
The next morning when Ames appeared with Ben and another cart full of manure for the lake soil, he also produced a feed bag of oats. “If Ben acts up again, just hold this bag under his nose and he will go for it. Don’t let him get any, but just tease him along the road until you bring him where he is to stop.”
“My goodness!” laughed Frances. “Do you have to get out and walk ahead of him when you are alone and he balks?”