springhalt and spavined, with ribs
like Death's own. Its saddle and bridle adorned a limb of the oak.

The song went cheerfully on:--

"'Much ado there was, God wot:

would love and she would not;

said, "Never man was true."

He said, "None was false to you."'"

"Give you good-day, reverend sir!" I called. "Art conning next Sunday's
hymn?"

Nothing abashed, Master Jeremy Sparrow gently shook off the squirrels,
and getting to his feet advanced to meet us.

"A toy," he declared, with a wave of his hand, "a trifle, a silly old
song that came into my mind unawares, the leaves being so green and the
sky so blue. Had you come a little earlier or a little later, you would
have heard the ninetieth psalm. Give you good-day madam. I must have
sung for that the very queen of May was coming by."

"Art on your way to Jamestown?" I demanded. "Come ride with us. Diccon,
saddle his reverence's horse."

"Saddle him an thou wilt, friend," said Master Sparrow, "for he and I
have idled long enough, but I fear I cannot keep pace with this fair
company. I and the horse are footing it together."

"He is not long for this world," I remarked, eyeing his ill-favored
steed, "but neither are we far from Jamestown. He'll last that far."

Master Sparrow shook his head, with a rueful countenance. "I bought him
from one of the French vignerons below Westover," he said. "The fellow
was astride the poor creature, beating him with a club because he could
not go. I laid Monsieur Crapaud in the dust, after which we compounded,
he for my purse, I for the animal; since when the poor beast and I have
tramped it together, for I could not in conscience ride him. Have you
read me Aesop's fables, Captain Percy?"

"I remember the man, the boy, and the ass," I replied. "The ass came
to grief in the end. Put thy scruples in thy pocket, man, and mount thy
pale horse."

"Not I!" he said, with a smile. "'T is a thousand pities, Captain Percy,
that a small, mean, and squeamish spirit like mine should be cased like
a very Guy of Warwick. Now, if I were slight of body, or even if I were
no heavier than your servant there"--

"Oh!" I said. "Diccon, give his reverence the mare, and do you mount his
horse and bring him slowly on to town. If he will not carry you, you can
lead him in."

Sunshine revisited the countenance of Master Jeremy Sparrow; he swung
his great body into the saddle, gathered up the reins, and made the mare
to carac