to the yard he found the
stable-door just opened.

"I'm the early bird, I think," he said to himself. "I hope I shall catch
the worm."

He would not ask any one to help him, fearing his project might meet
with disapproval and opposition. With great difficulty, but with the
help of a broken chair he brought down from his bedroom, he managed to
put the harness on Diamond. If the old horse had had the least objection
to the proceeding, of course he could not have done it; but even when it
came to the bridle, he opened his mouth for the bit, just as if he had
been taking the apple which Diamond sometimes gave him. He fastened the
cheek-strap very carefully, just in the usual hole, for fear of choking
his friend, or else letting the bit get amongst his teeth. It was a job
to get the saddle on; but with the chair he managed it. If old Diamond
had had an education in physics to equal that of the camel, he would
have knelt down to let him put it on his back, but that was more than
could be expected of him, and then Diamond had to creep quite under him
to get hold of the girth. The collar was almost the worst part of the
business; but there Diamond could help Diamond. He held his head very
low till his little master had got it over and turned it round, and
then he lifted his head, and shook it on to his shoulders. The yoke was
rather difficult; but when he had laid the traces over the horse's neck,
the weight was not too much for him. He got him right at last, and led
him out of the stable.

By this time there were several of the men watching him, but they would
not interfere, they were so anxious to see how he would get over the
various difficulties. They followed him as far as the stable-door, and
there stood watching him again as he put the horse between the shafts,
got them up one after the other into the loops, fastened the traces, the
belly-band, the breeching, and the reins.

Then he got his whip. The moment he mounted the box, the men broke into
a hearty cheer of delight at his success. But they would not let him go
without a general inspection of the harness; and although they found it
right, for not a buckle had to be shifted, they never allowed him to do
it for himself again all the time his father was ill.

The cheer brought his mother to the window, and there she saw her little
boy setting out alone with the cab in the gray of morning. She tugged at
the window, but it was stiff; and before she could open it, Di