Marion started.
"What is that horrid noise?" she exclaimed.
"That is the melodious note of a mule," said Harry, laughing at her astonished face. "I suppose you don't have many of them in your part of the world; I remember hearing mother say she never saw one till she came to the valley."
"I am sure I never did," said Marion. "They are very pretty, I think. What cunning little feet they have!"
"Yes, we drive a pair in the carriage sometimes in dusty weather, because they kick up so much less dust than horses. Van Alstine & Overbeck have the finest mule teams in all the country," said Frank, with evident pride. "They keep six four-mule teams at work all the time."
"How gayly they are trimmed up!"
"That is the doing of the teamsters. They are very proud of their teams, and spend a deal for bells and fringe and silver-plated buckles to make them look pretty. All the mules live in our great barn, and it is curious that while neither father nor Mr. Overbeck dare go into the mule-barn, the children of the teamsters run in and out and attend to the mules quite fearlessly, and no harm comes to them. But come, Frank, start up a little. We are rather late now; mother will be worried, and I am sure Marion must be very tired."
"How is mother?" asked Marion, beginning to feel a little more at her ease.
"Pretty well, only tired. We have had a great deal of company this summer. When Mrs. Andrews is with us, she saves mother a great deal, but she has been away for three or four weeks."
"Of course we all help mother all that we can, but it isn't like having a girl in the family," said Frank, stopping his horses a moment as he reached the top of the long hill. "Don't you want to stand up and look back a little? There is such a fine view."