66 



stopping long enough to change 

 horses. Nimrod was already on the 

 ground. 



"Oh, how glorious it is already," 

 I cried, "the rain has almost gone 

 and we shall soon be able to see about 

 us, after all. Driver, where are the 

 fresh leaders what's your name, 

 please?" 



The driver, a short thick-set man 

 with a thin, rather finely cut face 

 and drooping moustache, stopped 

 in his task of changing certain 

 harness from the incoming to the 

 outgoing wheelers and brought out 

 his remarks in an accustomed 

 slow speech. 



"My handle is Sommers, ma'am. 

 They'll be out in a minute. Ye hit 

 it plumb right. They're fresh, an' 

 we'll all be ready to move when they 

 are introduced . Now ma ' am , if you ' 11 

 step in" gallantly offering to help 

 me into the carry-all. 



"But the horses aren't attached 

 yet," I demurred. "No ma'am," 

 said Sommers politely, with the air of 

 having already explained, "ye see 

 they prefer to move and it's healthier 

 to be ready to go with them." 



