oung horse, even with
my weight upon him?

And having left Squire Faggus and Annie much sooner than had been
intended, I had plenty of time before me, and too much, ere a prospect
of dinner. Therefore I struck to the right, across the hills, for
Dulverton.

Pretty Ruth was in the main street of the town, with a basket in her
hand, going home from the market.

"Why, Cousin Ruth, you are grown," I exclaimed; "I do believe you are,
Ruth. And you were almost too tall, already."

At this the little thing was so pleased, that she smiled through her
blushes beautifully, and must needs come to shake hands with me; though
I signed to her not to do it, because of my horse's temper. But scarcely
was her hand in mine, when Kickums turned like an eel upon her, and
caught her by the left arm with his teeth, so that she screamed with
agony. I saw the white of his vicious eye, and struck him there with all
my force, with my left hand over her right arm, and he never used that
eye again; none the less he kept his hold on her. Then I smote him again
on the jaw, and caught the little maid up by her right hand, and laid
her on the saddle in front of me; while the horse being giddy and
staggered with blows, and foiled of his spite, ran backward. Ruth's wits
were gone; and she lay before me, in such a helpless and senseless way
that I could have killed vile Kickums. I struck the spurs into him past
the rowels, and away he went at full gallop; while I had enough to do to
hold on, with the little girl lying in front of me. But I called to the
men who were flocking around, to send up a surgeon, as quick as could
be, to Master Reuben Huckaback's.

The moment I brought my right arm to bear, the vicious horse had no
chance with me; and if ever a horse was well paid for spite, Kickums
had his change that day. The bridle would almost have held a whale and
I drew on it so that his lower jaw was well-nigh broken from him; while
with both spurs I tore his flanks, and he learned a little lesson.
There are times when a man is more vicious than any horse may vie with.
Therefore by the time we had reached Uncle Reuben's house at the top of
the hill, the bad horse was only too happy to stop; every string of his
body was trembling, and his head hanging down with impotence. I leaped
from his back at once, and carried the maiden into her own sweet room.

Now Cousin Ruth was recovering softly from her fright and faintness; and
the volley of the wind from