“Last night.”
“Oh! Well, John has the only American wagon in town. Brought it out from New York in pieces, and put it together himself. Broke four wild California mules to drag her. He’s a wonder!”
I could not, then, see quite how this exploit made him such a wonder; but on a sudden inspiration I splashed out through the mud and climbed into the wagon.
McGlynn looked back at me.
“Freightin’,” said he, “is twenty dollars a ton; and at that rate it’ll cost you about thirty dollars, you dirty hippopotamus. These ain’t no safe-movers, these mules!”
Unmoved, I clambered up beside him.
106“I want a job,” said I, “for to-day only.”
“Do ye now?”
“Can you give me one?”
“I can, mebbe. And do you understand the inner aspirations of mules, maybe?”