Jacko’s Revenge.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue VII, 14 February 1903, Page 475

Jacko’s Revenge.

CHAPTER I. EAHI.Y DAYS. Black Jacko was not very old, but he could remember things that had happened to him a long way back in his short life. His first memory was of a brilliant summer day in a pleasant green paddock, where he trotted beside his fond mother, and at times refreshed his weak, lanky limbs with a gorgeous roll upon the turf. In that far off time there was nothing to do but eat and sleep, and sleep and eat, and the daily burdens and perils of a donkey’s life were as yet unknown to him. His next memory was of a very different kind. He lay dreaming the grateful taste of earrots and garden things of which he had just had his first experience, when a rough voice and his mother’s warning cry aroused him, and he scrambled to his feet only to see the paddock gate closed in his face and to realise that for the first time in his life he was alone! And then it seemed to him. as he looked back, that the very next instant the rude boys climbed the fence and jumped upon his poor weak back and rode him round and round the field until he trembled in every limb from fright and sheer exhaustion; and one, more brutal than the rest, hit him a stunning blow over the right eye and raised a hard lump that almost prevented him from seeing at all for the rest of his life. With some slight satisfaction he could still remember that, taught by some natural instinct, he had then, for the first time, planted his forefeet firmly on the ground, and kicked up his heels high into the air, and he and his rider were at once face to face. The features of that face he had never forgotten, and Jacko had never been taught that it was his duty to forgive. But the lad was nimble, and managed to scramble clear of Jaeko’s flying heels, and Jacko was left to moan with his smarting eye, obstinately resolved to have his revenge some day. And those terrible boys had played him yet another’ trick, since when he had never been known to utter more than a silly little squeal, and no one had ever heard him give a good thumping “hee-haw.” For these same cruel boys had caught him asleep and tied a tin can and a heavy weight to his tail, and had roared to see his agony as the can bumped here and there. And the weight, had done his tail some real damage, making it painful to lift. After that there was a period of much hard work, hard blows, and not too much food. Jaeko’s master did all kinds of odd jobs, and the donkey-cart was useful in hauling loads, some of them so heavy that the donkey’s master often had to put his own shoulder to the wheel to aid him; otherwise Jacko would have fallen in his traces, and the stores would have been upset. It was a hard life, and there was not much spirit left in poor Jacko.

And then a wonderful thing happened! For it came to pass that Jaeko’s master fell on evil times, and, needing a little ready cash, led Jacko one day to the big house near, and into a comfortable new donkey-house that had been built up against the side of the gardener’s cottage, and giving him a last hump by way of farewell, left him there and departed to received two golden sovereigns for the exchange. And soon it transpired that the good Grannie had sent a beautiful four-wheeled donkey-chaise, smartly painted in black and red, the very image of her own landau at home. This was Grannie’s gift to her little grandchildren, and with it there came a case of bright new harness, black too, with charming red rosettes upon the bridle. And more than this: for Grannie had given orders for the purchase of a donkey, and there was no question from the very first but that it must be a black one, and not too large. Presently the children came bursting in to welcome their new to kiss his tired face, and stroke his injured eye, while nurse filled the rack with the sweetest of scented hay, and, littered the floor with a bed of dried leaves and warm straw. And the eldest boy, with no thought of fear, mounted on his back; and, as he sat there in happiness and pride, Jacko munched and munched, and now and then his tail gave a feeble twist, and he uttered a silly little

squeal. Truly paradise was opened to Jacko, and fortune was very kind! But still down in his heart there was the memory of that blow that all but killed his sight, and of that weight that wrenched his tail. CHAPTER II JACKO FINDS HIS VCnvE ONCE MORE. After his hard experience of hauling coals and sand, it was easy work for Jacko to draw the well-oiled chaise with the feather-weights within it, and in a week or two his spirit revived, the little narrow shafts began to be a tight fit, and once or twice an unusual friskiness came upon him, which frightened nurse so much that she reported it to the master. “He’s getting too fat,” was all he said; “he wants more work. We’ll put him on the garden roller a bit.” And so, for two hours a day, Jacko was harnessed to the big water-roller, and the lawn and the gravel paths were made trim and more beautiful to look upon than ever. To Jacko this was a sad reversal of fortune, and at times he grew very tired, but there was always his eosy house to return to at the close of his work, his warm bed to roll on, and an unstinted supply of food in his rack. □Tic work was very wholesome, and soon Jacko’s condition was pronounced to be very fit. Stretched one evening upon his bed of straw, sleep had come quickly to Jacko. The gravel had been stickier than usual, and Jacko was tired, ami lay very still. Outside, the night was dark; for, though there was a moon, heavy clouds kept passing over its face. So Jacko slept on undisturbed. But suddenly he was wide awake! With ears erect, he listened to noises outside —a scratching on the walls, low voices in whispered dispute. “Look out! I can’t find the door. What fools we were not to bring a light!” “Hush! Quietly now.” And a hand came tapping gently along to find where the wood-work began. “I don’t believe the bikes are hero, at all. They are in the coach-house, I expect, after all.” “I tell you this is the new bike-house, and—and—look out! here’s the latch.”

The door was stealthily opened, and Jacko could just make out the outline of the two thieves as they entered, groping here and there for the bicycles they had come to steal. Around the further wall they came, till they were brought up sharply by Jacko’s manger and water-pail, and just then the moonlight streamed through the open door. With one bound, Jacko was on his feet, tugging at the hateful halter that held him so securely. Round went, his hind feet in a wide circle that sent the water-pail clattering against the wall. Sparks flew from his little iron shoes, and in the bright light of the moon his white teeth gleamed from his open mouth. The thieves had lied, and this odious rope had baulked the angry Jaeko of his revenge! For Jacko had seen a well-remembered face. The first and foremost thief was his tormentor, who had tortured him in the old days with blows upon the head, and racked his tail with weights ami hideous clanking pots ami pans! An insufferable fury choked the angry Jaeko as he hurled himself here and lucre, tugging at the rope to get free; till at last, with a mightier effort, he felt a newborn power within him, ami the infuriated Jacko trumpeted a loud and defiant bray! Jaeko had found his voice!

No wonder that the gardener flung up bis window at the sound, ami descended in alarm to .learn the meaning of the noise. But the boys had decamped scot-free, and everything seemed quite secure. The gardener, however, found Jacko in a white foam, with rolling eyes and hared teeth; ami, after rubbing him down with a doth, went back to tell his wife that “The donkey must have had a fit. ami perhaps that water-roller was a bit too heavy for him, poor beast.” CHAPTER 111. JACKO PAYS OFF OLD SCORES. A month or two had passed, and Jacko nas now accounted a docile, trustworthy animal, too sedate to repeat his former pranks, and too proud and fond of his master's children to imperil

their safety by any ill-timed skittishness again. Even nurse was now content to give up the reins to the eldest boy and let him drive, though she felt bound to keep well within reach of Jacko’s bridle, ‘‘ln case,” she said, ‘•anything should happen.”

The July sun was very hot in the village street, and the flies were very annoying to Jacko. as he leisurely drew the chaise full of children up to the gate that led to the farm-house yard. He was instantly obedient when nurse bade him “Whoa!” beneath the big, shady tree, and proceeded to unload her charges from the carriage. Nurse wanted eggs and butter, and the children with one voice demanded to alight that they might see the “Cock-a-doodles” and the ‘’Piggy-wigs.” “Come in. come in,” said the cheery farmer’s wife. “I daresay the donkey will stand a moment till I find the boy. I’ll shout for him. Herbert! Her-rberi! Go and hold the donkey. And now come in, my dears.” And Jacko, left alone, promptly went to sleep. “My sakes alive!” thought Jacko. as approaching footsteps aroused him from his nap. “Why can’t they leave me alone a bit longer?” A moment more, and a heavy hand on his bridle and a taunting voice that he knew, awakened in Jacko all the stinging memories of his old days. In a flash his eyes were opened, and he knew that his old enemy was at last within his reach, and that the hour of revenge was at hand. With one quick twist, the infuriated Jaeko wrenched the bridle free from his tormentor’s hand, spinning him half round bv the very impetuosity of the onset. And then, forgetful of all creeps that his hour had arrived, he bared his Vicious-looking teeth, and. with his old silly little squeal, seized the boy’s trousers and nipped them hard. The boy roared lustily for help, but Jacko held on and blundered madly on, pushing his captive before him. on—cn —he knew not where; heeding nothing but that his grip was still secure. A horse - path sloped abruptly towards the left just beyond the farmer’s hedge, and down this the panting Jacko madly pushed his prey. “Mercy on us!” screamed the farmer’s wife from the other side of the garden hedge. “The donkey's run away! Hold him. Herbert! Catch him. somebody!” But for all answer there was one loud splash—and then all was still. “He’s in the horse-pond!” she eriei And Nurse ran out into the road screaming, “My nice new carriage too!” But horse-ponds are not deep—only very muddy. Jacko was triumphant, and the boy was very scared. “I’ll pay you out for this, yon nasty beast,” he blubbered. But a gruff voice on the bank behind him checked him at once. ‘‘No. you won’t, you young rascal! You deserve all you've got. I’ve had my eye on you ever since you ill-treated the donkeys down there in the paddock, and if I could have caught you. I’d have given you a good hiding on my own account. I think, mum.” continued the policeman, as he drew the donkey and chaise out of the pond, and helped to wipe the mud from the wheels: “I think you need not have any fear of this donkey any more, as long as you are kind to him. But those boys are terrible cruel to the no or beasts, and I’m right glad this one has got his deserts.” CHARLES J. PUGH.