CHAPTER X


A STRIKE FOR LIBERTY

One day my lady came down later than usual, and the silk rustled more
than ever. "Drive to the Duchess of B----'s," she said, and then after a
pause, "Are you never going to get those horses' heads up, York? Raise
them at once, and let us have no more of this humoring nonsense."

York came to me first, while the groom stood at Ginger's head. He drew
my head back and fixed the rein so tight that it was almost
intolerable; then he went to Ginger, who was impatiently jerking her
head up and down against the bit, as was her way now. She had a good
idea of what was coming, and the moment York took the rein off the
turret in order to shorten it, she took her opportunity, and reared up
so suddenly that York had his nose roughly hit and his hat knocked off;
the groom was nearly thrown off his legs. At once they both flew to her
head, but she was a match for them, and went on plunging, rearing, and
kicking in a most desperate manner; at last she kicked right over the
carriage pole and fell down, after giving me a severe blow on my near
quarter. There is no knowing what further mischief she might have done,
had not York sat himself down flat on her head to prevent her
struggling, at the same time calling out, "Unbuckle the black horse! Run
for the winch and unscrew the carriage pole! Cut the trace here,
somebody, if you can't unhitch it!" The groom soon set me free from
Ginger and the carriage, and led me to my box. He just turned me in as I