Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

allSAM AND SIMON 123One morning as we approached Dunkeld, whilethe members of the crew were out upon theroad some way in advance of the van, Sam,startled by a passing train, suddenly plunged andfell. It was fortunate that we were within hail,as had we been round the bend of the road wewould no doubt have gone blithely on for severalmiles while Herbert sat patiently upon Sam'shead, waiting for the assistance of the passer-by.It was rather a tangled mess at the first glance,and would soon have been much worse had it notbeen for the stolid and comfortable behaviour ofSimon, who allowed himself to be unyoked andtaken out, stepping clear of Sam's prostrate legs asThen by degrees we loosed Samhe went by without the least expression of resentmentor surprise.and got him up. He was none the worse, butthere was some damage to the long-sufferingharness, and one of the shafts was broken. I amafraid we must have formed rather a sorry-lookinggroup of unfortunates, fit food for the compassionof the wayfarer, had any chanced to pass thatwaywith SIEGLINDA stranded on the roadside,Simon surreptitiously chewing such grass aswas within reach,time, and Sam defiled byfor he never likes to lose anythe mud in which hehad been lying and hanging his lower lip with a