"By the way it flies. Time flies, you know. You can tell a great many
birds that way, too." As he spoke the Donkey put his lute into one of
his bags and took down his sign.

"You can ride if you wish," he offered graciously.

"Thank you," said Buddie. And leaving the White Blackbird asleep on his
perch,--for, as Buddie said, he was having such a lovely nap it would be
a pity to wake him,--they set off through the wood.

It was bad traveling for a short distance, but presently they came out
on an old log-road; and along this the Donkey ambled at an easy pace. On
both sides grew wild flowers in wonderful abundance, but, as Buddie
noticed, they were all of one kind--Enchanter's Nightshade.

Buddie had also noticed, when she climbed to her comfortable seat, a
peculiar marking on the Donkey's broad back. It was bronze in color, and
in shape like a cross.

"Perhaps it's a strawberry mark," she thought, "and he may not want to
talk about it." But curiosity got the better of her.

"Oh, that?" said the Donkey, carelessly, in reply to a question. "That's
a Victoria Cross. I served three months with the British army in South
Africa, and was decorated for gallantry in leading a charge of the
ambulance corps. I shall have to ask you not to hang things on my neck.
It's all I can do to hold up my head."

"Oh, excuse me," said Buddie, untying the sign, OLD SAWS RESET WHILE YOU