136 BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK. 



tunate burst of family feeling. A few steps took 

 us round the sharp bend of the hill, and we came 

 face to face with the foe — a dozen tiny ponies, 

 standing in dramatic attitudes of expectancy, with 

 heads high in the air, and wide nostrils spread to 

 the scent of danger. For an instant their wild 

 eyes devoured us and their brethren of the cap- 

 tivity, and then Miss O'Flannigan obeyed her 

 Keltic instincts, and stooped to pick up a stone. 

 At that world-comprehended and world-respected 

 signal they turned all at once, as if blown by a 

 wind, and floated down the green valley - side, 

 whose steepness we had scarcely cared to look at, 

 with heads up, manes and tails streaming, and 

 shoeless hoofs flicking the turf in bounds that 

 seemed headlong, yet never went beyond control. 

 In the bottom of the valley they swung to the 

 right with the incredible oneness of a flock of birds, 

 and halting, looked up to us and neighed defiance. 

 The Tommies hurried on without comment. 



Shortly afterwards the rain began, — diffidently, 

 as if it had forgotten how, but the low bosom of 



