I'll serve that old stupid out for all this; see if I don't!" He ran on, getting very hot, and beginning now to abuse Tom Tallington for going so far before he tied up; and at last saw the donkey browsing by the side of a tree, while Tom was well on along the track to the drain, walking as fast as he could go.
Solomon pointed one ear at Dick, as he came up, but took no further notice, being engaged in picking nutriment out of some scraps of as unlikely looking vegetation as could be found in the fen.

Perhaps it was the thistly food he ate which had an effect upon his temper and made him the awkward creature he had grown.
"My turn now," cried Dick, unfastening the rein, which was tightly tied with string to the stout stem of an alder.
Solomon had cocked one ear at his master as he came up.

The animal now laid both ears down and began to back so rapidly along the road, keeping the reins at their full stretch, that it was impossible to mount him, and it was evident that a long battle was beginning, in which the ass might win.
Dick, however, found an ally in the shape of Grip, Hickathrift's lurcher, who had been evidently off on some expedition upon his own account, and was now hastening to overtake his master.
Solomon's attention was taken up by Dick, and he did not perceive Grip coming up at full speed till, with a rush, the dog made a bound at him, and sent him towards Dick, who was dragging at the reins.
Grip seemed to enjoy the donkey's astonishment as it backed from him and then wheeled sharply round to deliver a goodly kick; but before this could be planted satisfactorily, Dick had mounted and began tugging at the reins and drumming with his heels in a way there was no resisting, so Solomon went off at a gallop and Grip followed his master.
At the end of a mile Tom had been passed, and Dick drew up by the first scrubby willow he reached, to tie up the donkey and leave it for his friend; but a glance back showed him the constable returning toward the Toft, so the boy stood leaning over Solomon's back, waiting.
"I don't want to ride," he said to himself.

"Tom can have the donkey, and I'll walk." "Why didn't you go on ?" cried Tom, as he came up with a very red face.
"Don't want to be alone," replied Dick lazily, as he gazed away over the wide-stretching fen-land with the moist air quivering in the glorious sunshine.

"I say, Tom, what a shame it seems!" "What seems a shame ?" "Corn-fields and pastures and orchards are all very well, but the old fen does look so lovely now!" "Yes, it does," said Tom; "and father's horribly sorry he joined in the draining scheme.