266 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



delighted father to Master Thomas, "Ye must no be riding 

 King Arthur, the morn, for he must gae away o'er the Glen- 

 chff JNIoor and 'tis a long road, an ye must nae weary him." 

 "Paw," interrupted the wee Jamie, "Canna a no ride the ither 

 horse aboot the yards, a would no make him run?" "Indeed 

 would ye no, ma brave mannie, and what for would ye be riding 

 him then?" inquires the indulgent father, loath to say no, 

 until he had his son's reasons for wanting to ride. 



"A canna let Tammy say he's the better o' me, paw. A'll 

 no fall off." This proved a knock-down argument and up 

 goes the wee Jamie, the father fixing the reins in his well-soiled 

 hands, and his feet in the stirrup irons, the leathers being 

 crossed over to the opposite side to accommodate liis short 

 legs. 



"A'll gie ye ane turn aboot the yard," said the father, "and 

 na mair; we must awa." 



The big Irish hunter, Kildare, who has been ratthng his bits 

 to quiet his impatience, seems to quite understand what is 

 needed and with arched neck and demure stride walks around 

 the straw yard, the father holding him well in hand, telhng liis 

 hopeful to "Sit ye straight, so Kildare will no be ashamed of 

 ye and wish for yir brither." 



"Noo come away doon, ma brave mannie," said the indul- 

 gent father when the circle of the yard had been comi^leted, "yir 

 mither'll be ga prood o' j^e the morn; run away noo and tell 

 her what a bonnie laddie ye are for riding Kildare." But the 

 youngster had not far to go, for just by the stable yard corner 

 stood the smiling mother, who to hide her own pleasure said 

 to her husband, "Ah, James, ha ye na more mind than to put 

 the wee Jamie on Kildare!" and she shook her head as much as 

 to say her husband was daft. 



By this time, Bess, the driving mare, was persuaded to go 

 between the shafts of the two-wheeled cart, having explained 

 to her the while, "Ye ha a lang journey afoor ye the day, ma 



