her pace, she would throw her weight right into the collar, and pull
away straight up. We had both the same sort of courage at our work, and
John had oftener to hold us in than to urge us forward; he never had to
use the whip with either of us; then our paces were much the same, and
I found it very easy to keep step with her when trotting, which made it
pleasant, and master always liked it when we kept step well, and so did
John. After we had been out two or three times together we grew quite
friendly and sociable, which made me feel very much at home.

As for Merrylegs, he and I soon became great friends; he was such a
cheerful, plucky, good-tempered little fellow that he was a favorite
with every one, and especially with Miss Jessie and Flora, who used to
ride him about in the orchard, and have fine games with him and their
little dog Frisky.

Our master had two other horses that stood in another stable. One was
Justice, a roan cob, used for riding or for the luggage cart; the other
was an old brown hunter, named Sir Oliver; he was past work now, but was
a great favorite with the master, who gave him the run of the park; he
sometimes did a little light carting on the estate, or carried one of
the young ladies when they rode out with their father, for he was very
gentle and could be trusted with a child as well as Merrylegs. The cob
was a strong, well-made, good-tempered horse, and we sometimes had a
little chat in the paddock, but of course I could not be so intimate
with him as with Ginger, who stood in the same stable.




06 Liberty