The Milwaukee Leader

Jack and Janet go after Balky Sam to get him to take the place of the Bee Woman's lame horse.

CHAPTER II
Balky Sam Kicks.

Balky Sam galloped down the road clickety clatter toward the Bee Woman's house. Jack and Janet clung to his back. They were chuckling at the way Jack had started Balky Sam by shouting army orders at him. Balky Sam had been as sound asleep as a dead automobile.

Shouting the orders had waked him up just as cranking an automobile stirs it to sudden life.

When they came to the Bee Woman's home Jack tried to stop Balky Sam.

"Whoa!" he yelled. Balky Sam went galloping right past.

"Right wheel!" cried Jack. Around came Balky Sam and back toward where the Bee Woman waited.

Again he went right by.

Balky Sam leaned against a post.

"Stop!" shrieked Janet. But she might just as well have been shrieking at the wind. Balky Sam paid no attention. He went galloping on.

"Right wheel!" again ordered Jack. Balky Sam obeyed and raced back toward the Bee Woman's farm.

Jack had been thinking fast. Why didn't Balky Sam obey when he shouted "Whoa!" and Janet shouted "Stop!"?

Then of a sudden Jack remembered that "whoa" and "stop" were not words used in giving army orders. What word should he use?

"Halt!" he yelled as the word came to him.

And Balky Sam stopped so short that Jack pitched forward. He grabbed Balky Sam around the neck, but could not stop himself. He tumbled over Balky Sam's head into the road. And Janet came diving after him, landing on top of him.

"Hee-haw! Why didn't you say halt before?" brayed Balky Sam.

"Hee-haw! Hee-haw!" Balky Sam enjoyed the joke on Jack and Janet so much that he cheerfully allowed himself to be hitched to the Bee Woman's wagon. He drew the wagon to town, with the Bee Woman, Jack and Janet riding in it.

The Bee Woman sold her honey for a good price, and Balky Sam drew them back home. Then Jack and Janet unhitched Balky Sam from the wagon and rode him to his field.

There stood a farmer waiting.

"Well," cried the farmer in astonishment, "I thought that mule was so sound asleep he never would wake up again. Now that I know he is alive I'm going to put him to work."

"Hee-haw! Try it," brayed Balky Sam. "I am on pension because I was a brave soldier, and I don't have to work unless I want to. Hee-haw!"

The farmer, not knowing mule talk, did not know what Balky Sam said. He had no right to make Sam work, for, as the mule said, he was on a pension. But the farmer needed an extra mule, and here was a mule right handy. The farmer made up his mind he would use Balky Sam, pension or no pension.

Balky Sam leaned up against a post, winked at Jack and Janet, and apparently went back to sleep.

"I'll cure you of your laziness," said the farmer. He drew a wagon up to Balky Sam and hitched the mule to it. All the time Balky Sam kept on snoring. The farmer got into the wagon and picked up the reins.

"Gidap! Go on!" he lashed Balky Sam with a whip. And suddenly Balky Sam came to life. He straightened up.

His hind hoofs flew up. They battered the bottom of the wagon. The farmer lashed with his whip. And Balky Sam kept on kicking.

Then the farmer quit lashing, for he did not want his wagon kicked to pieces. He climbed out of the wagon. Balky Sam stopped kicking and apparently went back to sleep.

"I'll fix you!" growled the farmer. "I'll cure you of balking."

The wagon was half filled with hay. The farmer took an armful of this hay and put it under Balky Sam. He scratched a match and touched it to the hay.

"Now balk if you want to," snarled the farmer, and he climbed back into the wagon.

Then a funny and exciting thing happened.

What it was will be told in the next chapter.