The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



for the immediate intake of more sustenance, 

 but she won't let him, and manoeuvres him so 

 that he is pressed up against the wires, with 

 his head under hers, and so that he cannot 

 get away. She keeps him there for two of 

 three minutes, then trots along the whole 

 length of the fence and returns along it, and 

 only then lets the thirsty foal have his drink. 



Up at the stables someone, forgetful of 

 orders, lets loose a white bull-terrier, and his 

 dehghted barking fills the air. You see him 

 nosing up and down the lawn to pick up your 

 scent. He finds it, pushes through the iron 

 fence, gets on your track and comes bounding 

 across the field. He is extremely fond of the 

 ponies and they are equally good friends with 

 him. They all smell and lick him to show 

 their keen regard. Sam's last job at night is 

 to go round the horses and ponies in all the 

 fields, all on his own, to see they are all right, 

 and it is his first job in the morning to do 

 the same round as soon as he is loosed. Sam 

 races up to you and jumps around as usual, 

 then catches sight of his old friend the mare 

 and starts off to pay his usual respects. Hullo ! 

 what is this ? She's got something with her ! 

 By Heaven, this must be looked into. Sam 

 is usually quite obedient and stays — more or 

 less — at heel when you tell him to ; but on this 

 occasion the excitement is altogether too much 

 for him ; and although you yell at him, he goes 



p 213 



