But the mule had his own views about policemen. In the
early days of Denry's ownership of him he had nearly always shied at the
spectacle of a policemen. He would tolerate steam-rollers, and even
falling kites, but a policeman had ever been antipathetic to him. Denry,
by patience and punishment, had gradually brought him round almost to
the Countess's views of policemen--namely, that they were a courteous
and trustworthy body of public servants, not to be treated as scarecrows
or the dregs of society. At any rate, the mule had of late months
practically ceased to set his face against the policing of the Five
Towns. And when he was on his best behaviour he would ignore a policeman
completely.
But there were several hundreds of policemen in that squad, the majority
of all the policemen in the Five Towns. And clearly the mule considered
that Denry, in confronting him with several hundred policemen
simultaneously, had been presuming upon his good-nature.
The mule's ears were saying agitatedly:
"A line must be drawn somewhere, and I have drawn it where my forefeet
now are."
The mule's ears soon drew together a little crowd.
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