"
"If he keeps up his stealing," Jack declared, "he is more likely to
be put in jail. That mule is certainly a bad actor."
"Huh!" grunted Jimmie. "He's got a sugar tooth, or he wouldn't
steal!"
The boys drew up when nearly to the valley through which runs the
North Fork and looked over the landscape. There was another range of
mountains straight ahead, and beyond that the valley of the South
Branch, for which they were headed.
"Looks like another climb and good-night!" Jack complained. "And Ned
wanted this sent to-night. That's a right smart climb ahead of us,"
he added.
Jimmie coaxed Uncle Ike back to four feet again and patted him on the
head before making any reply. Then he pointed to the south.
"Over there," he said, "is the Virginia line. The ridge ahead of us
does no cross that. I know because I looked up this section once when
Ned and I were thinking of running away for a rest."
"You always need a rest!" grinned Jack. "Why don't you make Uncle Ike
stand still, like Dill Pickles, this old mountain ship of mine does?"
he added.
"Why do you call him Dill Pickles?" asked Jimmie. "He looks more like
a razor-back with sails set in front."
"He's Dill Pickles because he's got a good disposition gone sour,"
Jack explained.
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