“Oh, dear!” whinnied Tinkle.
Dapple Gray saw what the matter was.
“Keep quiet, all of you!” he said. “The more you flop about, the deeper you will sink in the mud. I’ll go and get The Man to come with ropes and pull you out. He and his helpers are the only ones who can save you now. This is no work for us horses alone. I’ll go for help.”
And, leaving Tinkle and the others stuck in the swamp, back to the green meadow ran Dapple Gray.
CHAPTER III
TINKLE AND GEORGE
Dapple Gray, running toward the hole which the horses had made by pushing against the fence, met Tinkle’s mother going into the swamp.
“Oh, my dear lady!” exclaimed the old fire horse, “you must not go in there! You really must not!”
“Why?” asked Tinkle’s mother. “Oh, I’m sure something dreadful has happened! Tell me what it is. Is Tinkle—Is Tinkle—” and she could not ask any more.