The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



she investigated the hat, dismissed it, and 

 returned to the ear. The smell tests having 

 concluded quite evidently in my favour, I 

 awaited with interest the further development 

 of the inquest. Quite slowly she lifted a fore- 

 leg and put it in the middle of my back ! Two 

 or three times she stroked me with it, and 

 then put it down. Then she smelled me some 

 more, and lifted the other leg and pawed at me 

 again. Tlien I put my hand out and shook 

 hands with her, which amused her vastly. 

 Holding her leg T moved it up on to my knees, 

 took hold of the other leg, and, as I rose up, 

 lifted her, and put her feet on my chest. She 

 did not even attempt to struggle, but seemed 

 to think it an ordinary proceeding, and quite 

 part of the game. She had no fear of me at 

 all, and raised her little head to my face as 

 though to kiss me. I was so delighted and 

 thrilled, that, although it was many years ago, 

 I remember it all as though it were yesterday. 



Lifting her up and putting her forefeet on 

 my chest, and later over my shoulders, did, 

 in fact, become an ordinary proceeding. She 

 loved it — especially when, in this position, I 

 scratched her with both hands on the withers 

 and back — so much so, that she got into the 

 way of jumping up of her own accord, and, 

 what was really surprising, was the extraordi- 

 nary gentleness with which she put her fore- 

 feet on me. She took the greatest care to not 



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