A LUCKY ACCIDENT


It was really no wonder that Johnnie Green's grandmother screamed, when
she and Johnnie and Sandy Chipmunk were on their way to the miller's to
get the wheat ground into flour.

This was what made the good old lady scream: The ancient horse, Ebenezer,
was picking his way slowly down a steep hill, placing one foot carefully
in front of another, and taking pains not to step on the stones in the
road, so he wouldn't fall.

What happened was not Ebenezer's fault at all. You see, he was wearing an
old harness. And just as he was on the steepest part of the hill a strap
broke and the wagon rolled right upon his heels.

Now, many horses would have kicked and run, if such a thing had happened
to them. But even when Johnnie's grandmother screamed, old Ebenezer was
not at all frightened. And even when Johnnie cried "Whoa! whoa!" Ebenezer
did not stop. He thought he knew a good deal more about what he ought to
do than Johnnie Green did, for he had been pulling a wagon for almost
twenty years before Johnnie Green was born.

Johnnie tugged hard upon the reins. But still old Ebenezer went on
picking his way even more slowly. And he never stopped until he reached
the bottom of the hill. Then he stood stock still; and he looked around
at Johnnie Green, as if to say, "There, young man! I've brought you and
your grandma safe down that hill. And _now_ I'll let you get out of the
wagon, if you want to."