. Any
one, you know, may be frightened, but to face the fear and see if it is
an afraid thought, or something really scary--that takes a truly brave
person. And always afterward Sunny Boy was to be glad that he had had the
courage to go back and see.

For his snake was only an old twisted tree root, after all!

"But I guess it's dinner time, an' I can come again an' look for the
bonds," he told a chipmunk. "Maybe Jimmie will come to-morrow and help
hunt."

This time Sunny Boy crossed the stone crossing without getting either
foot wet and he was half way up to the house when he saw Peter and Paul
standing hitched to the fence. They had been hauling the tomato plants
for Jimmie and Grandpa, who was always kind to the farm animals, had
ordered them to be unharnessed and tied in the shade while the plants
were being set out.

"No horse likes to be anchored to a wagon when 'tisn't necessary," said
kind Grandpa.

"Jimmie's always saying he will let me ride Peter," grumbled Sunny Boy,
looking very little as he stood by the fence, fumbling with the strap
that tied Peter fast. "Pretty soon we'll be going home, Mother says, and
I won't ever learn to ride."

Sunny's busy, mischievous fingers had untied the strap as he talked, and
now Peter could have walked away to the barn and his dinner, had he only
known it. He didn't though, and so he was very much surprised to feel
little feet digging into him as Sunny Boy scrambled desperately to get on
his back. Peter and Paul were fat and slow or they never would have stood
the antics of Sunny as that small person, clinging to Peter's mane, and
using Paul as a kind of step-ladder, pushed and pulled and climbed till
he found himself where he wished to be--on Peter's broad back.

"Gee, you're a tall horse!" he observed, gathering the halter strap in
one hand as he had seen Jimmie take the reins. "Oh, there's what you
ought to have on--I didn't see it."

The bridles and reins lay on the ground where Jimmie had dropped them
when he had unharnessed the horses from the wagon. But Sunny Boy was not
minded to get down after such a trifle--he had had too much trouble to
secure his present seat.

"Gid-ap!" he said loudly, and jerked the halter strap.

Over in the field, Jimmie straightened an aching young back and gazed in
amazement.

"Say--hey, Sunny--Sunny Horton! Get off that horse--do you hear me?" he
shouted.

Sunny Boy heard. He turned and grinned impishly. He delighted to plag