"How'd you do it, Tad!"

Before replying, the boy lowered the whip to his side, motioning to
the pony that his task was done. Jo-Jo dropped quickly on all fours,
and, walking up to Tad, rubbed his nose against the lad's cheek again.

"Good boy," soothed Tad, returning the caress, his eyes swimming with
happiness.

But as Tad stepped back Jo-Jo insistently followed, alternately
pushing his nose against the boy's face and tugging at his shirt.

"He wants to do it again, Tad," cried Chunky, enthusiastically.

The freckle-faced boy grinned knowingly.

"Got any sugar, Walter?" he asked.

Walter thrust a hand into a trousers pocket, bringing up a handful of
lumps that were far from being their natural color. But Tad grabbed
them, and an instant later Jo-Jo's quivering upper lip had closed
greedily over the handful of sweets.

"That's what the little rascal wanted," breathed Tad with a pleased
smile. "I could teach that pony to do 'most anything but talk,
fellows. I'm not so sure that he couldn't do that in his own way,
after a little time. What did you give for him?"

"Father paid the man a hundred and fifty dollars."