The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



urged it to come with me. Not a bit of it ! 

 It got quite impatient, and when by main 

 force I brought its little nose to the right place, 

 it rejected my advice and struggled most 

 desperately. Every time I tried to get contact 

 it was the same. At last a happy thought 

 struck me ! I put my finger in the sugar dust 

 and offered it to the foal. Instant success ! 

 The vacuum inside that foal was something 

 terrible. I just drew my finger along and the 

 foal followed up, and held on to the finger 

 like grim death, in one perpetual suck. With 

 some manoeuvring I got my finger alongside 

 the proper article, and, with a jerk, transferred 

 it into the finger's place. Eureka ! 



That was the beginning of the acquaintance. 

 I was simply fascinated with my new treasure, 

 and hurried back from my work in the City 

 to learn more of this world of new problems 

 which it presented. Putting on the old coat 

 with the sugar pocket, I made my way in the 

 home field to where the mare was busy feeding. 

 The foal was close by, sound asleep. I ap- 

 proached as quietly as possible not to awake 

 it ; got within five yards and lay on my elbow 

 in the grass. It was not me, but a very per- 

 sistent fly, that eventually awoke it. It kicked 

 a little in its sleep, but the fly came back each 



Q 229 



