The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



and drops his head for a sniff. It's all right, 

 so again the quick walk. For a full mile he 

 tracks the wanderings of the little herd, through 

 underwood, along a broad ride, then along a 

 narrow winding track under the trees, and 

 across another little brook. One incident 

 causes a short delay. The ponies had crossed 

 another horse track, apparently, from the trail 

 of the grass, quite recent. Disciple spots it 

 and stops to smell the ground for at least half 

 a minute. Then, having reached his conclusion 

 with just a glance along the other track and a 

 shake of the head, without further ado he 

 dismisses it, and goes on. 



His pace quickens, and he is inclined now 

 and then to break into a trot which you repress, 

 but he is getting hot on the scent, and, at the 

 third check, he throws up his head, and gives 

 vent to a half-suppressed neigh. They are not 

 far off now, and he knows it. He carries his 

 head high, peers eagerly to right and to left, 

 with ears pricked to catch the slightest sound. 

 He is getting quite excited, and tries to break 

 again. He grunts with impatience, and is 

 puUing quite hard on the bit. Just ahead 

 you are coming to another of these grassy 

 Uttle dells, and, as you enter it, he is overcome 

 by his feehngs and lets go such a full-throated 

 roar that it echoes and re-echoes all around ; 

 and he is himself a little startled at the result. 

 He stops still and neighs again, loud and long; 



K 133 



