s I was at that moment astonished to see the
saddle slowly slide under Chu Chu's belly, and her figure resume, as if
by magic, its former slim proportions. Enriquez followed my eyes,
lifted his shoulders, shrugged them, and said smilingly, "Ah, you see!"

When the girths were drawn in again with an extra pull or two from the
indefatigable Enriquez, I fancied that Chu Chu nevertheless secretly
enjoyed it, as her sex is said to appreciate tight-lacing. She drew a
deep sigh, possibly of satisfaction, turned her neck, and apparently
tried to glance at her own figure--Enriquez promptly withdrawing to
enable her to do so easily. Then the dread moment arrived. Enriquez,
with his hand on her mane, suddenly paused and, with exaggerated
courtesy, lifted his hat and made an inviting gesture.

"You will honor me to precede."

I shook my head laughingly.

"I see," responded Enriquez gravely. "You have to attend the obsequies
of your aunt who is dead, at two of the clock. You have to meet your
broker who has bought you feefty share of the Comstock lode[149-1]--at
thees moment--or you are loss! You are excuse! Attend! Gentlemen, make
your bets! The band has arrived to play! 'Ere we are!"

With a quick movement the alert young fellow had vaulted into the
saddle. But, to the astonishment of both of us, the mare remained
perfectly still. There was Enriquez bolt upright in the stirrups,
completely overshadowing by his saddle-flaps, leggings, and gigantic
spurs the fine proportions of Chu Chu, until she might have been a
placid Rosinante,[149-2] bestridden by some youthful Quixote. She
closed her eyes, she was going to sleep! We were dreadfully
disappointed. This clearly would not do. Enriquez lifted the reins
cautiously! Chu Chu moved forward slowly--then stopped, apparently lost
in reflection.

"Affront her on thees side."

I approached her gently. She shot suddenly into the air, coming down
again on perfectly stiff legs with a springless jolt. This she
instantly followed by a succession of other rocket-like propulsions,
utterly unlike a leap, all over the inclosure. The movements of the
unfortunate Enriquez were equally unlike any equitation I ever saw. He
appeared occasionally over Chu Chu's head, astride her neck and tail,
or in the free air, but never in the saddle. His rigid legs, however,
never lost the stirrups, but came down regularly, accentuating her
springless hops. More than that, the disproportionate excess of rider,