The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



ponies as were ever seen. Snorting and blow- 

 ing, steaming and still squealing, they wheel 

 round, pull up at twenty yards, and each faces 

 Disciple, who, not to be outdone in politeness, 

 stamps forward a pace or two, shakes his head 

 at each, and neighs his very warm salutes. 



Three fillies and a couple of geldings, four 

 and five year olds, and as full of fire and devilry 

 on a glorious spring morning as any young 

 things can be. The geldings are not as pleased 

 to see Disciple as the filHes, and with drawn- 

 back ears shake their heads at him, spitefully. 

 A five-year-old mare is obviously the lady who 

 answered his call. From behind the others 

 she now neighs gently an invitation to him to 

 make her closer acquaintance, and, a Httle 

 later, works round the edge of the group with 

 the brazen intention of pubhcly proclaiming 

 her love ; which manoeuvre, being detected 

 in time by that jealous sleuth of a gelding, he 

 darts at her and leaves fine marks of his teeth 

 in her shoulder. It was a good and healthy 

 bite, but the mare, spirting as she turns back, 

 gets one in with her hinds and can fairly claim 

 quits. She brings up momentarily behind the 

 other two mares, who are gazing wide-eyed at 

 Disciple, in maidenly embarrassment at his 

 tempestuous excitement and unseemly carry- 

 ings on, then dashes on, thinking to get round 

 the other wing, only to run right into the wide- 

 open jaws of the other gelding, who happens to 



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