"a good night." 49 



care and anxiety on the part of the Slopers, the Spindles, and 

 the Doddles of the stable, to observe due precaution in prevent- 

 ing the exercise of a certain art called " nobbling," by which 

 these " liberties " may be indulged in with impunity. As far, 

 however, as the negative evidence went of entire absence of 

 apparent attempt to " get at " Sunshine, the art had not been 

 put in practice on the present occasion. 



In the morning early, and just as the east became tinged 

 with the silver streak of the coming day, Puffy Doddles was up, 

 and stirring. Scarcely, however, had he gained that position 

 known as " upright," when a key, turning harshly in the lock of 

 the stable door, bore testimony to the fact that somebody was 

 coming ; and immediately following the sound, the respective 

 forms, figures, and features of James Sloper and George 

 Spindles were faintly visible in the dark grey and murky light. 



" Passed a good night ? " interrogatively said Mr. Sloper. 



" Very good, sir ; I thank you," replied Puffy Doddles, 

 believing, in the innocence of his heart, that the question 

 referred particularly to the manner in which he himself had 

 got through the horn's of solitude. 



Without any further remark, George Spindles proceeded to 

 rack Sunshine's head up, when Mr. Sloper placed a hand upon 

 the colt's heart ; and running it downwards, felt the fore legs 

 and coronets of Sunshine's feet with an action which betokened 

 fear that something might be amiss when least expected. 



" You say he passed a good night 1 " said Mr. Sloper. 



Pobert Top's best lad now learned that the original ques- 

 tion in no way related to himself, and felt that he merited a 

 slight — very slight — castigation that he could have conceived it 

 possible for a moment that it should. Readily, however, was 

 the answer returned in the same words — 



" Very good, sir ; I thank you." 



The fish exhibiting all the symptoms of strong vitality in 

 the water prepared at hand for Sunshine, he was offered just 

 sufficient to wash his mouth out, introductory to a feed of corn 



D 



