are all right I go on again faster, you see, just to use them to it; so
don't you trouble yourself preaching to me; I am the best friend and the
best riding-master those children have. It is not them, it is the boys;
boys," said he, shaking his mane, "are quite different; they must be
broken in as we were broken in when we were colts, and just be taught
what's what. The other children had ridden me about for nearly two
hours, and then the boys thought it was their turn, and so it was, and
I was quite agreeable. They rode me by turns, and I galloped them about,
up and down the fields and all about the orchard, for a good hour. They
had each cut a great hazel stick for a riding-whip, and laid it on a
little too hard; but I took it in good part, till at last I thought we
had had enough, so I stopped two or three times by way of a hint.
Boys, you see, think a horse or pony is like a steam-engine or a
thrashing-machine, and can go on as long and as fast as they please;
they never think that a pony can get tired, or have any feelings; so as
the one who was whipping me could not understand I just rose up on
my hind legs and let him slip off behind--that was all. He mounted me
again, and I did the same. Then the other boy got up, and as soon as
he began to use his stick I laid him on the grass, and so on, till they
were able to understand--that was all. They are not bad boys; they don't
wish to be cruel. I like them very well; but you see I had to give them
a lesson. When they brought me to James and told him I think he was very
angry to see such big sticks. He said they were only fit for drovers or
gypsies, and not for young gentlemen."

"If I had been you," said Ginger, "I would have given those boys a good
kick, and that would have given them a lesson."

"No doubt you would," said Merrylegs; "but then I am not quite such a
fool (begging your pardon) as to anger our master or make James ashamed