selling to the Germans. They pay L25
to L30 a horse, and take, perhaps, twenty or thirty yearly; and many
of the best go to England after being trained, and the rest are sold
in Germany or elsewhere; but I never hear any complaints of defects or
the like."

"That I can well understand," said Hardy. "In England, a really good
horse has no price. If he is wanted, any price will be paid; but a
horse with a fault is nowhere."

"Our horses," said Jensen, "are good horses for light weights; but in
England they are used chiefly for carriages now. I have two horses
here that would make good saddle horses, and I wish you could try
them."

The two horses Herr Jensen referred to were in a pasture, tethered to
an iron spike driven in the ground, with a rope giving them a range of
a few yards of grass.

"What do you think of these two horses, Bob?" said Hardy to Garth.

"Very good park hacks," said Garth, "and just the thing for a lady to
ride."

"My man will try one of the horses if you like," said Hardy. "He is
accustomed to horses."

Garth fetched the saddle he had rode over in, and a light snaffle
bridle, and mounted, and, after the usual difficulties that always
occur with colts, he rode the horse, sitting firm and easy in the
saddle, to Herr Jensen's great admiration.

"He is a good horse," said Garth. "But, master, ask the governor one
question, and that is how he feeds them in the winter."

"What does he say?" asked Herr Jensen.

"He asks how you feed your horses in the winter," replied Hardy.

"That is the difficulty," said Jensen. "We have little to give them in
the winter and spring, and it is hard work to keep them alive. We cut
our grass in the meadows twice yearly; the first hay is good, the
second is not so good by a long way."

"Our notion is that a horse should always be kept well," said Hardy,
"or his bone and sinew want firmness."

"There is no doubt of that," said Herr Jensen. "We understand that
very well; but yet what can we do? We breed horses to make money by
them. If we fed them as you say, we could not get the cost back."

"I have heard the same story in England," said Hardy; "a farmer has to
treat his farm as a business, and, Herr Jensen, you are quite right in
doing so."

Hardy went over Herr Jensen's farm, and his knowledge of farming in
all its branches so interested Herr Jensen, that it was late when they
returned to the Herregaard. Dinner was ready, and Hardy had to bear a
runnin