BUCEPHALUS 1 23 



in his forehead. One eye was gray and the other 

 brown. Everybody admired him, and people 

 came great distances to see him. Had Philonicus 

 been less shrewd, he would have sold him for half 

 the price of a common steed, and been glad that 

 he was rid of him. But, like most men who spend 

 their lives among horses, he knew a thing or two. 

 He kept the horse's untamableness a secret, and 

 was careful that only his good points should be 

 exhibited. Everybody who had any use for such 

 an animal wanted to buy him. 



"What is the price?" 



" Thirteen thousand dollars." 



That answer usually put an end to the talk. 

 For, as an ordinary horse might be bought at that 

 time for about seventy dollars, and a thorough- 

 bred war steed for two hundred, who was going 

 to pay such a fabulous price ? Half a dozen fine 

 houses could be built for that money. There were 

 rich men who made Philonicus some very hand- 

 some offers — a thousand dollars, five thousand, 

 eight thousand — but he held steadily to his first 

 price, and the longer he held to it the more anx- 

 ious everybody became to buy. 



At last, however, after the horse had reached 

 middle age, shrewd Philonicus got his price. 



