The note was delivered, and we were quietly returning when we came to the brick-field. Here we saw a cart heavily laden with bricks; the wheels had stuck fast in the stiff mud of some deep ruts, and the carter was shouting and flogging the two horses unmercifully. Joe pulled up. It was a sad sight. There were the two horses straining and struggling with all their might to drag the cart out, but they could not move it; the sweat streamed from their legs and flanks, their sides heaved, and every muscle was strained, while the man, fiercely pulling at the head of the fore horse, swore and lashed most brutally.

“Hold hard,” said Joe, “don’t go on flogging the horses like that; the wheels are so stuck that they cannot move the cart.”

The man took no heed, but went on lashing.

“Stop! pray stop!” said Joe. “I’ll help you to lighten the cart; they can’t move it now.”