ht get
an awkward fall; but boys should learn to ride, and I have no
objections if you have not."

The Pastor assented, the stirrups were shortened, and Karl mounted.

"Don't pull at his mouth," said Hardy; "he does not like a stranger
interfering with his mouth."

"And might I jump him over a ditch on the way home?" begged Karl.

"You may; but I think you had better leave that alone," said Hardy.

Garth drove, and Hardy chatted with the Pastor, but kept his eye fixed
on Karl. Buffalo went along at a smooth trot after the carriage--so
far, so well; but when they came to the meadow running down to the
Gudenaa, Karl rode into the meadow and galloped at a water ditch in
the same manner as he had often seen Hardy do. Buffalo stretched out
and took the ditch like a bird, making a longer jump than was at all
necessary. There was a loud splash and a scream from Froken Helga, and
Buffalo, with an empty saddle, was galloping away.

Hardy took the reins from Garth, as he said coolly, "Pick the lad out
of the ditch, and catch the horse. There is nothing to fear, Herr
Pastor."

Garth called the horse, which stopped. He then assisted Karl out of
the ditch, who was covered with peaty slime, wiped the mud from his
face and mouth, and pointed to the carriage. Garth then crossed the
ditch on a plank bridge and caught Buffalo, and rode him over the
ditch, coming to the side of the carriage. Karl looked foolish.

"There, is nothing to be ashamed of, Karl," said Hardy. "I had many a
fall before I learnt how to stick on. It is what we all have to go
through. Come up by the side of me, little man; you would make your
father and sister in a mess."

The Pastor and his daughter were, for the moment, much frightened by
the incident; but Hardy's manner of treating it as a matter of course
reassured them.

"There was no cause for alarm, Herr Pastor," said Hardy. "Karl can, if
he will, assure you that the mud at the bottom of the ditch was as
soft as eider down. Garth, ride on; I will drive up to the parsonage,
and thence to the stables."

"Thank you for a pleasant day, Hardy," said the Pastor, as he went
into his house.

"Stop, Herr Pastor! here are the pike that were caught in the lake.
Take what you like, and I will send the rest to Widow Rasmussen."

The pike cooked that day for dinner was, Hardy thought, a fish with as
strong a flavour of mud as any fish could possibly possess. The
horse-radish sauce, and the sage and bread wi