my home. When we got to the stable I was confident he would stop, but he
didn't. He drove straight at the door. It was a low door, just high
enough to permit him to go in at lightning speed, but there was no room
for me. I saw if I struck that stable the struggle would be a very brief
one. I thought this all over in an instant, and then, spreading put my
arms and legs, emitted a scream, and the next moment I was bounding
about in the filth of that stable-yard. All this passed through my mind
as Stiver's horse went up into the air. It frightened Mrs. Perkins
dreadfully.

"Why, you old fool!" she said; "why don't you get rid of him?"

"How can I?" said I, in desperation.

"Why, there are a thousand ways," said she.

This is just like a woman. How differently a statesman would have
answered!

But I could think of only two ways to dispose of the beast. I could
either swallow him where he stood and then sit down on him, or I could
crawl inside of him and kick him to death.

But I was saved either of these expedients by his coming towards me so
abruptly that I dropped the rope in terror, and then he turned about,
and, kicking me full of mud, shot for the gate, ripping the clothes-line
in two, and went on down the street at a horrible gallop, with two of
Mrs. Perkins' garments, which he hastily snatched from the line,
floating over his neck in a very picturesque manner.