e long reins which were attached to the heavy
surcingle, and after walking the animal two or three times round the
circle, suffered him to go free. As if astonished at his liberty, the
young creature stood still for a minute or two, and sniffed the air, and
then gave one wild bound and headlong plunge, as though he were going
straight into the earth; after which he looked timidly about him, and
then walked slowly along in the track worn by the others.

"He's far quieter than the last time I saw him," said Hotham.

"He's gettin' more sense every day, sir," replied George; "he don't
scratch his head with his hind-leg now, sir, and he don't throw hisself
down neither."

"He has n't given up biting, I see," said Cleremont.

"No, sir; and they tell me them breed never does; but it's only play,
sir."

"I'll give you six months before you can call him fit to ride, George."

"My name ain't Spunner, sir, if the young gent as come yesterday don't
back him in six weeks' time."

"And is it for the boy Norcott intends him?" asked Cleremont of Hotham.

"So he told me yesterday; and though I warned him that he hadn't another
boy if that fellow should come to grief, he only said, 'If he's got _my_
blood in him, he 'll keep his saddle; and if he has n't, he had better
make room for another.'"

"Ain't he a-going beautiful now?" cried George, as the animal swung
slowly along at a gentle trot, every step of which was as measured as
clockwork.

"You 'll have to teach the youngster also, George," said Hotham. "I 'm
sure he never backed a horse in his life."

"Nay, sir, he rode very pretty indeed when he was six years old. I
didn't put him on a Shelty, or one of the hard-mouthed 'uns, but a nice
little lively French mare, that reared up the moment he bore hard on her
bit; so that he learned to sit on his beast without holdin' on by the
bridle."

"He's a loutish boy," said Cleremont to the Captain. "I 'll wager what
you like they'll not make a horseman of him."

"Ecoles says he's a confounded pedant," said the other; "that he wanted
to cap Horace with him at breakfast."

"Poor Bob! that was n't exactly his line; but he 'd hold his own in
Balzac or Fred Soulie."

"Oh, now I see what Norcott was driving at when he said, 'I wanted
the stuff to make a gentleman, and they 've sent me the germ of a
school-usher.' I said, 'Send him to sea with me. I shall be afloat in
March, and I 'll take him.'"

"Well, what answer did he make y