IN THE RIDING-SCHOOL. 135 



at having them learn how to turn to the left at 

 each corner, but also at giving himself an op- 

 portunity to make remarks about their feet and 

 the position thereof, and at the end of five min- 

 utes each girl feels as if she were a centipede, 

 and you, Esmeralda, secretly wonder whether 

 something in the way of mucilage or thumb- 

 tacks might not be used to keep your own rid- 

 ing boots close to the saddle. " And don't let 

 your left foot swing," says the teacher in clos- 

 ing his exhortations ; "hold it perfectly steady! 

 Now change hands in file, and come back to the 

 track on the right again, and we will have a 

 little trot." 



" And before you begin," lectures the mas- 

 ter, " I will tell you something. The faster 

 you go, after once you know how to stay in 

 your saddle, the better for you, the better for 

 your horse. You see the great steamer cross- 

 ing the ocean when under full headway, and 

 she can turn now this way and now that, with 

 the least little touch of the rudder, but when 

 she is creeping, creeping through the narrow 

 channel, she must have a strong, sure hand at 

 the helm, and when she is coming up to her 



