Roy was in the midst of an eloquent harangue on all he was going to do
when he was grown up, when Dudley suddenly came to a standstill.

"Something is the matter with Hazel. I believe she's going lame. Oh, I
see, one of her shoes is loose! Now what are we to do!"

He sprang off his pony as he spoke, and looked perplexed at this
calamity.

"Lead her on gently," was Roy's ready advice. "We aren't far off from
C----, and I know there's a blacksmith there."

Dudley grumbled a little at having his ride spoiled in this fashion; but
it was not long before they reached the neighboring village, and the
smith's forge was soon found.

Then, whilst Hazel was being attended to, Roy suggested that they
should go and see an old lady, a great friend of their aunt's, who lived
just outside the village.

"She might ask us to tea," suggested Roy, "and she has awfully nice cake
always going. I'll leave my pony here, and we'll call again for them on
our way back."

"I don't like paying visits," objected Dudley, a little crossly.

"But Mrs. Ford isn't half bad to talk to, she's full of stories."

And by dint of these two baits, "cake" and "stories," Dudley's shyness