they have not wit enough
either to find food which is suitable to them, or to hide
themselves from dogs or wild animals who delight to worry them; so
the best thing we can do is to fit them for the life we want them
to lead."

Master Sunshine nodded thoughtfully. He had great faith in Almira
Jane's knowledge, and the good sense of her arguments always
satisfied his judgment.

It was not until he had gone in the house, and was well out of
hearing, that Almira Jane began to laugh; and such a clear,
ringing, downright, hearty laugh it was, the old Wanderer bumped
his yoke against the fence to show his approval, and the gray
goose joined in with high, shrill screams of delight. It really
seemed as if they were trying to tell Almira Jane what they
thought of their journey along the road with their new master.

There were not many houses near the pretty white cottage in which
Master Sunshine lived. The Hill-top school, of which he was a
pupil, was quite a half-mile away; and Tommy Dane, who lived just
across the street from his home, used to walk there with him every
day. Master Sunshine was very fond of Tommy, though his little
friend had some ways that he did not wholly like.

The only other boy near-by was Billy Butler, a poor, half-witted
idiot, who lived with his family in a tiny cottage under the side
of a hill. Master Sunshine was very pitiful of Billy's sad lot,
and many an apple and slice of bread did he share with him.

Not far away was the beautiful summer house of Mr. Patterson, a
city banker. The lawns and flower-beds there were always beautiful
to see; and the great house with its many bay windows and broad
verandas always seemed like a palace to Master Sunshine. But best
of all he loved the great stable where a prancing silver horse was
always riding on the weather vane.

It was at the stable that he saw his friend Jacob, who was quite
as wonderful in his knowledge of animals as Almira Jane.

It took a great deal of Master Sunshine's time just to repeat
Jacob's stories to Almira Jane; and he noticed that whenever he
began to tell Jacob about what Almira Jane said--Almira Jane was
brought up on a Nova Scotia farm and knew everything about
animals--his listener would stamp on the barn floor to show his
approval, and would listen to every word.

The great stable was a very pleasant place these spring days. The
horses were all so well groomed, their stalls were all so
perfectly clean, and, in the barn