XIII

FUN AND GRUMBLES


It stopped snowing at last and the weather turned clear and crisp. The
sun came out. And so did Johnnie Green, riding on Twinkleheels. He did
not get far from the barn, however. Where the snow wasn't piled in
drifts high above Twinkleheels' head it reached up on his fat sides. He
floundered about the farmyard for a time. And, falling once, he dumped
Johnnie Green neatly into a drift, head first.

The spill didn't hurt Johnnie in the least. But snow went up the inside
of his sleeves, and down his neck, and into his eyes and ears and even
his mouth.

He jumped up spluttering. And Twinkleheels jumped at the same time. He
tried to run. But he could make little headway in the snow, and Johnnie
caught his bridle rein and stopped him.

"You'd better put that pony back in the barn," Farmer Green called from
the woodshed door. "After I yoke up Bright and Broad and break out the
drive to the road you can ride Twinkleheels again. He might cut himself
in this heavy going."

Twinkleheels sniffed as he heard what Farmer Green said.

"This is all nonsense," he grumbled to the old horse Ebenezer as Johnnie
led him into his stall. "Farmer Green doesn't know what he's talking