CHAPTER XXIV.
A CHAPTER ON PONIES.
It was a proud day for Bert when he came home from school, bearing ahandsome volume of Captain Gordon Cumming's Adventures in Africa, and hefelt as though he could scarcely wait for his father's return from theoffice, so eager was he to show him his prize. As it was, he watchedimpatiently for him, and so soon as he came in sight rushed toward him,holding the book above his head, and shouting:
"I've won it. I've won the prize."
The Lloyds were all quite as proud as Bert himself over his success, andthey made a very merry quartette as they sat around the dinner-tablethat evening.
"Dear me! I suppose I'll have to keep my promise now, though it takes mylast cent to pay for it," said Mr. Lloyd, with a pretence of lookingrueful.
"Indeed you will, father. I'm not going to let you off, of that you maybe sure," exclaimed Bert, gleefully, knowing very well that his fatherwas only in fun, and that it would take the cost of a good many poniesto reach his last cent.
"Well, then, sir, since you insist upon it, may I venture to inquirewhat sort of a pony you would like."
"Oh, I don't know, father."
"I suppose you're not very particular, Bert, so long as he'll let youstay on his back," said Mr. Lloyd, smiling.
"That's about it, father," assented Bert.
"Be sure and get a nice, quiet pony that won't run away with Bert, orgive him a nasty kick some time," interposed Mrs. Lloyd, with an anxiouslook, as she contemplated the possibility of some accident happening toher darling.
"Never fear, mother, I'll make sure of that," answered Mr. Lloyd, with areassuring smile. "And for that very reason," he continued, addressinghimself to Bert, "I may be some time in finding one just to suit. So youmust be patient, my little man, and be willing to wait, so that whenyour pony does come, he may be a good one."
As it turned out, Bert had to wait several months, and the chill winterhad given way to the warm sunshine of spring, and the boy's patience hadalmost given way altogether, when at last his father, on coming home oneevening, announced, to his immense joy, that after much searching he hadsecured a pony that thoroughly suited him, and that this equine treasurewould be brought to the house the next morning early.
If Bert was too much excited to sleep for more than half-an-hour at atime that night, who cannot sympathise with him? And if, when he didfall into a troubled doze, he had nightmare visions which soon woke himup again, who would dare laugh at him? In all his young life he hadnever been in such a fever of expectation, and long before dawn he waswide awake, with no hope of again closing his eyes, and tossed andtumbled about until it was light enough to get up and dress himself.
As soon as he had dressed he went down to the barn to assure himself forthe twentieth time that the little stall was in perfect readiness; thatthere was no lack of oats in the bin or hay in the loft; that thebrand-new halter was hanging in its place, waiting to be clasped uponthe head of the coming pony, and thus he managed to while away the timeuntil the breakfast bell rang.
The pony was to arrive shortly after breakfast, and, hungry as he was,Bert could scarcely be persuaded to taste his porridge, toast, orcoffee, and he made the others laugh by jumping up to run to the door atthe slightest suspicion of a sound in the street. At length, just whenhe had settled down again after one of these excursions, the door bellrang vigorously. Bert rushed through the hall, opened the door, andimmediately there was a glad shout of "Hurrah! Here he is! Isn't he abeauty?" which brought the whole family to the door, and there theybeheld the overjoyed boy with his arms clasped tightly round the neckof a brown pony that seemed to quite appreciate this littledemonstration, while the groom looked on with a superior smile at Bert'senthusiasm.
The pony was indeed a beauty. He was of a rich brown colour, without awhite spot upon him, just high enough for Bert to see comfortably overhis back, and as round and plump as the best master could wish. His headwas small and perfectly shaped, his neck beautifully arched, and he hadlarge brown eyes that looked out upon the world with an intelligencealmost human. He had the highest testimonials as to soundness of windand limb, and sweetness of temper, and was altogether just the very kindof a pony to make a boy happy.
And yet all of his good points have not been recounted. He had a list ofaccomplishments quite as long as his list of virtues, for at someprevious stage of his life he had, on account of his beauty and greatdocility, been put in training for the circus; and although for somereason or other he had never got so far as to make his appearance in thesaw-dust arena, he had been taught a great many tricks, and these he wasgenerally willing to perform, provided an apple or lump of sugar wereheld out as a reward.
All this the groom explained while they were standing at the door, andthen the pony, having been sufficiently introduced, was led round to theyard, and duly installed in his corner of the stable, Bert clinging asclose to him as if he feared he had wings like the fabled Pegasus,and might fly away if not carefully watched.
"The pony was a beauty, just high enough for Bert to seecomfortably over his back."--_Page_ 256.]
The days that followed were days of unalloyed happiness to Bert. He, ofcourse, had to learn to ride "Brownie," as the pony was christened byMary, to whom was referred the question of a name. But it was an easymatter learning to ride so gentle and graceful a creature. First at awalk, then at a trot, then at a canter, and finally at full gallop, Bertere long made the circuit of the neighbouring squares; and as he becamemore thoroughly at home he extended his rides to the Point, where therewere long stretches of tree-shaded road that seemed just intended forbeing ridden over.
The best of it was that, as Bert prophesied, the wish being in his casefather to the thought, Mr. Bowser did follow Mr. Lloyd's example.
"I reckon I can stand a pony for my boy about as well as Lawyer Lloydcan for his," said he to himself, pressing his hand upon a fat wallet inhis pocket, after Frank had been earnestly petitioning him, withouteliciting any favourable response. "There's no point in Frank's going onfoot while Bert's on horseback. I must see about it."
He gave poor disappointed Frank, however, no hint of what he had inmind; and then one day he made him fairly wild with delight, by sendinghome a pretty bay pony with a star in his forehead, which, although hewas not quite as handsome or accomplished as "Brownie," was anexcellent little animal, nevertheless. Oh, what proud, happy boys thetwo friends were, the first day they rode out together! It was a lovelyafternoon, not too warm to make it hard upon the ponies, and they roderight round the Point, and along the road skirting the arm of the sea,going much farther than Bert had ever been before; now pattering alongthe smooth dry road at a rattling pace, and now jogging on quietly withthe reins hanging loosely on the ponies' necks. If Bert's pony knew themore tricks, Frank's showed the greater speed, so they both hadsomething to be especially proud of, and were content accordingly.
Brownie's performances were very amusing indeed, and after he and hisyoung master had become thoroughly acquainted, he would go through themwhenever called upon to do so. Often when the Lloyds had guests, theywould entertain them by having Bert put Brownie through his programme.Then the cute little fellow would be at his best, for he evidentlyenjoyed an appreciative audience quite as much as they did his feats. Hewould begin by making a very respectful bow to the spectators, liftinghis pretty head as high as he could, and bringing it down until his nosetouched his breast. He would then, as commanded, "say his prayers,"which he did by kneeling with his forefeet, and dropping his head uponhis knees; "knock at the door," which meant going up to the nearestdoor, and knocking at it with his hoof until some one opened it; "walklike a gentleman"--that is, rear up on his hind legs, and walk up anddown the yard; "go to sleep," by lying down and shutting his big browneyes tight; shake hands by gracefully extending his right hoof; allow acap to be placed on his head, and then sidle up and down the yard in themost roguish way; and other little tricks no less amusing, which neverfailed to elicit rounds of applause from the de
lighted spectators.
There were many ways in which Brownie endeared himself to every memberof the Lloyd family. If Mrs. Lloyd or Mary happened to come into theyard when, as often happened, he was roaming about loose, he would go upto them and rub his nose gently against their shoulder, thus saying asplainly as could be, "Haven't you got a crust for me?" and the momentMr. Lloyd showed himself, Brownie's nose would be snuffing at his coatpockets for the bit of apple or lump of sugar that rarely failed to bethere. As for his bearing toward Bert, it showed such affection,obedience, and intelligence, that it is not to be wondered at, if theboy sometimes asked himself if the "Houyhnhnms" of Gulliver's Travelshad not their counterpart in nature, after all.
Great, then, was the concern and sorrow when, after he had been just ayear with them, Brownie fell sick, and the veterinary surgeon said thathe must be sent away to the country to see if that would make him wellagain. Bert sobbed bitterly when the little invalid was led away. Hewould have dearly loved to accompany Brownie, but that could not bemanaged, so there was nothing for it but to wait patiently at home forthe news from the sick pony.
Unhappily, the reports were not cheering. Each time they were lesshopeful, and at last one dull rainy day that Bert was long inforgetting, the farmer came himself to say that despite his utmost caredear little Brownie had died, and was now buried beneath a willow treein a corner of the pasture. Poor Bert! This was the first great grief ofhis life. Had Brownie been a human companion, he could hardly have felthis loss more keenly or sorrowed more sincerely. The little, emptystall, the brass-mounted bridle, and steel-stirruped saddle hanging upbeside it, brought out his tears afresh every time he looked upon them.Frank did his best to console him by offering him the use of his ponywhenever he liked; but, ah! though "Charlie" was a nice enough pony, hecould not fill the blank made by Brownie's loss.
In the meantime Mr. Lloyd had been making diligent inquiry about asuccessor to Brownie, and had come to the conclusion to await the annualshipment from Sable Island, and see if a suitable pony could not bepicked out from the number. The announcement of this did much to arouseBert from his low spirits, and as Mr. Lloyd told him about those SableIsland ponies he grew more and more interested. They certainly have acurious history. To begin with, nobody knows just how they got on thatstrange, wild, desolate, sand bank that rises from the ocean about ahundred miles to the east of Nova Scotia. Had they the power of speech,and were they asked to give an account of themselves, they wouldprobably reply with Topsy that "they didn't know--they 'spects theygrow'd." There they are, however, to the number of several hundred, andthere they have been ever since anybody knew anything about SableIsland. And such a place for ponies to be! It is nothing but a bank ofsand, not twenty-five miles long, by about one and a-half wide, coveredhere and there with patches of dense coarse grass, wild pea vine, andcranberry swamps. There are no trees, no brooks, no daisied meadows, andthrough all seasons of the year the ponies are out exposed to theweather, whether it be the furious snow storms of winter, the burningheat of summer, or the mad gales of the autumn.
Once a year the Government officials who live upon the island, havingcharge of the lighthouses and relief stations, for it is a terribleplace for wrecks, have what the Western ranchmen would call a "round-up"of the ponies. They are all driven into a big "corral" at one end of theisland, and the best of the younger ones carefully culled out, the restbeing set free again. Those selected are then at the first opportunityput on board a ship and carried off to Halifax, where rough, shaggy,ungroomed, and untamed, they are sold at auction to the highestbidders.
It was one of these ponies that Mr. Lloyd proposed to purchase for Bert.The latter was an expert rider now, and could be intrusted with a muchmore spirited animal than dear, little Brownie. The arrival of theannual shipment was accordingly looked forward to by both Bert and hisfather with a good deal of interest, Bert wondering if on the wholeshipload there would be anything to compare with Brownie, and Mr. Lloydhoping that he would be able to obtain a pony big enough to carry him ifhe felt in the humour for a ride on a bright summer morning.