money, and informing him that he was ready to yield him Oliver the
moment he should appear to claim him. Richard put on his armour, and
went to the stable. The weather had been fine, and the harvest was
wearing gradually to a close; but the few horses that were left were
overworked, for the necessities of the war had been severe, and that
part of the country had responded liberally on both sides. Besides,
Mr. Heywood had scarce left an animal judged at all fit to carry a
man and keep up with the troop.

When Richard reached the stable, there were in it but three, two of
which, having brought loads to the barn, were now having their
mid-day meal and rest. The first one was ancient in bones, with pits
profound above his eyes, and grey hairs all about a face which had
once been black.

'Thou art but fit for old Father Time to lay his scythe across when
he is aweary,' said Richard, and turned to the next.

She was a huge-bodied, short-legged punch, as fat as butter, with
lop ears and sleepy eyes. Having finished her corn, she was churning
away at a mangerful of grass.

'Thou wouldst burst thy belly at the first charge,' said Richard,
and was approaching the third, one he did not recognise, when a
vicious, straight-out kick informed him that here was temper at
least, probably then spirit. But when he came near enough to see
into the stall, there stood the ugliest brute he thought that ever
ate barley. He was very long-bodied and rather short-legged, with
great tufts at his fetlocks, and the general look of a huge rat, in
part doubtless from having no hair on his long undocked tail. He was