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forward without his usual freedom. He began squealing in panic.
    â€œWhat is it, Brown Sunshine? What’s wrong?”
    Lady Sue was already outside but Sunshine was held fast by something. Molly looked more closely. Her eyes widened. His tail was frozen in the tank!
    â€œNo, Sunshine! Don’t pull! Wait! I’ll help you!”
    With one fierce tug, Brown Sunshine escapedthe stall. But he escaped with only half his tail. He shook himself in bewilderment, craning his neck until he finally saw his stub of a tail. It didn’t bother him at all! He was free, and ready for breakfast!
    â€œYou look so different without your flag of a tail,” Molly cried. “How will you show happiness with only half a tail? Will it grow back in time for the King Mule contest? Poor Sunshine!”

    Now she heard the school bus coming, so Molly filled a bucket with fresh water and called in Brown Sunshine and his mamma. Lady drank it dry. Molly filled it again but Brown Sunshine refused to drink. He’d had enough of water for the time being, thank you very much! He turned rat-tail bone and went out to the pasture to graze.

CHAPTER 16
THE COMMITTEE ARRIVES
    A s early as February, the smell of spring tickled Sunshine’s nose. At the same time, the Committee for the Columbia Mule Day Celebration decided to inspect Brown Sunshine for the possible role of King Mule. They arrived at the Moores’ before eight in the morning and were impressed to see Molly emerging from the stable with a clump of leathers over her shoulder. She was followed by Joe Henry Covington.
    The members of the committee had already taken a look at Brown Sunshine grazing in a nearby pasture. One man immediately made his mission clear. “Molly,” he said, reaching out to shake hands. “I’m Drew Kent and these are myassociates, Dwight Oliver and Shane Bigelow.”
    Molly, shaking his hand, replied, “Pleased to meet you. This is Mr. Covington. He is training Brown Sunshine and me to be a team.”
    â€œAh, yes,” Kent nodded. “Just the man we’ve been wanting to meet. We’ve heard how well you know mules and it just so happens we need a Grand Marshal for the parade.”
    Molly and Mr. Covington grinned in pleasure.
    â€œAnd we’ve come to consider Brown Sunshine for the role of King Mule.”
    Molly sighed. “But Brown Sunshine has just turned three. He’s so young. We’ve actually been working him for only a year.”
    â€œHis age is no problem at all,” Bigelow replied. “In England and other countries, kings are often mere lads.”
    â€œCovington,” Oliver said, “what the crowd really likes to see is evidence of work done. And Brown Sunshine already has pull-markings over his shoulders, and light markings above his belly. The plain pull-markings are the greatest! They will make up for the shortness of his tail.”

    â€œBrown Sunshine is definitely as tall as any work-mule,” Drew added. “A King Mule has to be at least fifteen hands at five years, and Brown Sunshine is fifteen hands at three years! And he’s twice as handsome. When he’s crowned King Mule for a Day, the people will go wild! But I don’t suppose mules can really feel a pride rising inside them.”
    â€œWhy not?” Molly asked. “They show gladness in different ways from humans.”
    â€œYou bet your boots they do,” Joe Henry said, his eyes remembering. “Once when I was in fourth grade, a horse and a mule visited our school. I had sticky hands from just finishing an ice cream cone and the mule licked my fingers long after the ice cream was gone.”
    â€œI’d like to nominate Brown Sunshine as our King Mule if we, the committee, agree,” said Oliver.
    â€œI do,” said Drew.
    â€œDefinitely!” Bigelow agreed. “We won’t have too long for this committee to fit the jewels into his crown. And only a few weeks to