The Mate of the Vancouver — page 141: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A GOLDEN LINK. 129 had been only stubborn, I might have thrashed him in a way some folks would call cruel; and yet, being compelled to urge him, both for his sake and my own, I con- fess my heart bled to see his suffering and wretchedness. Having scarcely the strength to lift his feet properly, he had struck his fetlocks against many projecting stones and roots until the blood ran down and congealed on his little hoofs, which were growing tender, as I could see by the way he winced on a rockier piece of the trail than common. His rough coat was standing up and staring like that of a broken-haired terrier, in spite of the sweat which ran down his thin sides and heaving ‘flanks ; while every now and again he stumbled, and with diffi- culty recovered himself. When we came to the divide, just as if he had said that he would do sc much for us, he stumbled again, and fell on the level ground, cutting his knees deeply. Mac heard