awson
that his young ladies awaited their mounts. With due decorum and
self-importance he and Henry, the groom, led the horses from the stable,
Dawson calling over his shoulder:

"You'd better come on with your Harabs, I can't be waitin' with my
lessons."

"We-all'll come 'long when we's bid," was Jess' cryptic retort.

Dawson scorned to reply, but mounted on his big dapple-gray horse, Duke,
body bent forward and elbows out, creaked away. When he reached the big
circle where a group of girls stood upon the platform for mounting,
Peggy and Polly, in their trim little divided skirts, looked inquiringly
for Shashai and Silver Star. Peggy asked:

"Are our horses ready, Dawson?"

"Yes, Miss, I believe so, Miss, but your man seemed to think I'd best
let you ring, or do--well, I don't rightly know _what_ 'ee hexpected you
to do, Miss. But 'ee didn't let me bring the 'orses, beggin' your
pardon, Miss."

"Oh, that's all right, Dawson; Jess is just silly about the horses and
us. You mustn't mind his little ways. It's only because he loves us all
so dearly. Besides it isn't necessary for anyone to bring them. I'll
call them," and placing a little silver bo's'n's whistle to her lips
Peggy "piped to quarters." It was instantly answered by two loud neighs
and the thud of rapid hoofbeats as Shashai and Silver Star came
sweeping up the broad driveway from the stables, heads tossing, manes
waving and tails floating out like streamers. The girls with Peggy and
Polly clapped their hands and shrieked with delight.

"One bell, Shashai! Halt, Star!" cried Peggy and Polly in a breath.

The splendid animals came straight to them, stopped instantly, dropped
to their knees and touched the ground with their soft muzzles in sign of
obeisance. The girls all scrambled off the platform as one individual,
riding lesson and everything else utterly forgotten; here was a new
order of things hitherto utterly undreamed of in the school. It had been
a case of "pigs is pigs" or "horses is horses" with them. That the
animals they were learning to ride _a la mode_ might be something more
than mere delightful machines of transportation had never entered their
heads.

"Oh, how did you make them do it? Will you show us? Will any horse come
if you know how to call him? Can they all do that? Didn't it take you
forever and ever to teach them? Aren't they beauties! What are they
trying to do now?" were the questions rattling like hail about Peggy's
and Po