battle with a wild hurrah. Years afterward,
when the real war came, and George Washington drew his sword in
earnest, some of his school companions may have fought under their
old leader.

125. The great battle with the colt, and what came of it.--Once,
however, Washington had a battle of a different kind. It was with
a high-spirited colt which belonged to his mother. Nobody had ever
been able to do anything with that colt, and most people were afraid
of him. Early one morning, George and some of his brothers were out
in the pasture. George looked at the colt prancing about and kicking
up his heels. Then he said: "Boys, if you'll help me put a bridle
on him, I'll ride him." The boys managed to get the colt into a corner
and to slip on the bridle. With a leap, George seated himself firmly
on his back. Then the fun began. The colt, wild with rage, ran, jumped,
plunged, and reared straight up on his hind legs, hoping to throw
his rider off. It was all useless; he might as well have tried to
throw off his own skin, for the boy stuck to his back as though he
had grown there. Then, making a last desperate bound into the air,
the animal burst a blood-vessel and fell dead. The battle was over,
George was victor, but it had cost the life of Mrs. Washington's
favorite colt.

[Illustration: WASHINGTON'S HOME WHEN A BOY.]

When the boys went in to breakfast, their mother, knowing that they
had just come from the pasture, asked how the colt was getting on.
"He is dead, madam," said George; "I killed him." "Dead!" exclaimed
his mother. "Yes, madam, dead," replied her son. Then he told her
just how it happened. When Mrs. Washington heard the story, her face
flushed with anger. Then, waiting a moment, she looked steadily at
George, and said quietly, "While I regret the loss of my favorite,
I rejoice in my son, who always speaks the truth."

126. Washington goes on a visit to Mount Vernon; he makes the
acquaintance of Lord Fairfax.--George's eldest brother, Lawrence
Washington, had married the daughter of a gentleman named
Fairfax,[3] who lived on the banks of the Potomac. Lawrence had a
fine estate a few miles above, on the same river; he called his place
Mount Vernon. When he was fourteen, George went to Mount Vernon to
visit his brother.

Lawrence Washington took George down the river to call on the
Fairfaxes. There the lad made the acquaintance of Lord Fairfax, an
English nobleman who had come over from London. He owned an