"He'd better! Here, you hold the rein and I'll take it off." "No, I'll do it," said Tom sturdily; and going cautiously to work he unknotted the rope and drew it away, the donkey lying quite motionless.
"Now, then, Sol, get up!" cried Tom.
The donkey drew his legs together, leaped to his feet, shook himself till his ears seemed to rattle, and uttered a sound like a groan.
"He is beaten now," said Dick.

"Come and put on the pad and well go.
That's right; buckle it on." Tom obeyed, and the rough scrappy harness was fixed in its place, while Solomon twitched his ears and rolled them round as if trying to pick up news in any direction.
"He won't kick now, will he ?" said Tom.
"Not unless he feels a fly on his back, and then he'll try to kick it off." "Why, he couldn't kick a fly off his back if he tried," said Tom.
"No, but he'd try all the same.

Look out!--there he goes!" Tom leaped aside, for the donkey kicked out fiercely for a few moments.
"Why, there are no flies now!" said Tom.
"Must be.

Look out!--he's going to kick again!" The donkey's heels flew out, and Tom made a feint of punching his companion's head.
"How clever we are!" he cried.

"Just as if I didn't see you tickling him to make him kick!" "Tickle him!" said Dick laughing.