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childhood　by　attendants　ready　to　carry　out　every　wish。　　He　had　his

father's　cheerful　disposition　and　good　temper；　together　with　the

decisive　manner　so　frequently　acquired　by　a　service　in　the　army；

and　at　the　same　time　be　had　something　of　the　warmth　and

enthusiasm　of　the　Virginian　character。



Good　rider　as　he　was　he　was　somewhat　surprised　at　the　horse　the

overseer　had　selected　for　him。　　It　was　certainly　a　splendid　animal；

with　great　bone　and　power；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the

expression　of　its　turned…back　eye；　and　the　ears　that　lay　almost　flat

on　the　head　when　any　one　approached　him。



〃It　is　a　splendid　animal；　no　doubt；　Jonas；〃　he　said　the　first　time　lie

inspected　it；　〃but　he　certainly　looks　as　if　lie　had　a　beast　of　a

temper。　　I　fear　what　was　told　my　mother　about　him　is　no

exaggeration；　for　Mr。　Markham　told　me　to…day；　when　I　rode　down

there　with　his　son；　and　said　that　we　had　bought　Wildfire；　that　a

friend　of　his　had　had　him　once；　and　only　kept　him　for　a　week；　for

he　was　the　most　vicious　brute　he　ever　saw。〃



〃I　am　sorry　I　have　bought　him　now；　sir；〃　Jonas　said。　〃Of　course　I

should　not　have　done　so　if　I　had　heard　these　things　before；　but　I

was　told　he　was　one　of　the　finest　horses　in　the　country；　only　a　little

tricky；　and　as　his　price　was　so　reasonable　I　thought　it　a　great

bargain。　　But　I　see　now　I　was　wrong；　and　that　it　wouldn't　be　right

for　you　to　mount　him；　so　I　think　we　had　best　send　him　in　on

Saturday　to　the　market　and　let　it　go　for　what　it　will　fetch。　You　see；

sir；　if　you　had　been　three　or　four　years　older　it　would　have　been

different；　but　naturally　at　your　age　you　don't　like　to　ride　such　a

horse　as　that。〃



〃I　sha'n't　give　it　up　without　a　trial；〃　Vincent　said　shortly。　　〃It　is

about　the　finest　horse　I　ever　saw；　and　if　it　hadn't　been　for　its

temper；　it　would　be　cheap　at　five　times　the　sum　you　gave　for　it。　　I

have　ridden　a　good　many　bad…tempered　horses　for　my　friends

during　the　last　year；　and　the　worst　of　them　couldn't　get　me　off。〃



〃Well；　sir；　of　course　you　will　do　as　you　please；〃　Jonas　said；　〃but

please　to　remember　if　any　harm　comes　of　it　that　I　strongly　advised

you　not　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it；　and　I　did　my　best　to

dissuade　you　from　trying。〃



Vincent　nodded　carelessly；　and　then　turned　to　the　black　groom。



〃Jake；　get　out　that　cavalry　saddle　of　my　father's；　with　the　high

cantle　and　pommel；　and　the　rolls　for　the　knees。　It's　like　an

armchair；　and　if　one　can't　stick　on　on　that；　one　deserves　to　be

thrown。〃



While　the　groom　was　putting　on　the　saddle；　Vincent　stood　patting

the　horse's　head　and　talking　to　it；　and　then　taking　its　rein　led　it

down　into　the　inclosure。



〃No；　I　don't　want　the　whip；　〃　he　said；　as　Jake　offered　him　one。　　〃I

have　got　the　spurs；　and　likely　enough　the　horse's　temper　may　have

been　spoiled　by　knocking　it　about　with　a　whip；　but　we　will　try

what　kindness　will　do　with　it　first。〃



〃Me　no　like　his　look；　Massa　Vincent；　he　debbie　ob　a　hoss　dat。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　has　a　nice　temper；　Jake；　but　people　learn　to

control　their　temper；　and　I　don't　see　why　horse　shouldn't。　　At　any

rate　we　will　have　a　try　at　it。　　He　looks　as　if　he　appreciates　being

patted　and　spoken　to　already。　Of　course　if　you　treat　a　horse　like　a

savage　he　will　become　savage。　　Now；　stand　out　of　the　way。〃



Gathering　the　reins　together；　and　placing　one　hand　upon　the

pommel；　Vincent　sprang　into　the　saddle　without　touching　the

stirrups；　then　he　sat　for　a　minute　or　two　patting　the　horse's　neck。　

Wildfire；　apparently　disgusted　at　having　allowed　himself　to　be

mounted　so　suddenly；　lashed　out　viciously　two　or　three　times；　and

then　refused　to　move。　For　half　an　hour　Vincent　tried　the　effect　of

patient　coax…jug；　but　in　vain。



〃Well；　if　you　won't　do　it　by　fair　means　you　must　by　foul；〃　Vincent

said　at　last；　and　sharply　pricked　him　with　his　spurs。



Wildfire　sprang　into　the　air；　and　then　began　a　desperate　series　of

efforts　to　rid　himself　of　his　rider；　rearing　and　kicking　in　such　quick

succession　that　he　seemed　half　the　time　in　the　air。　　Finding　after

awhile　that　his　efforts　were　unavailing；　he　subsided　at　last　into

sulky　immovability。　Again　Vincent　tried　coaxing　and　patting；　but

as　no　success　attended　these　efforts；　he　again　applied　the　spur

sharply。　　This　time　the　horse　responded　by　springing　forward　like

an　arrow　from　a　bow；　dashed　at　the　top　of　his　speed　across　the

inclosure；　cleared　the　high　fence　without　an　effort；　and　then　set　off

across　the　country。



He　had　attempted　to　take　the　bit　in　his　teeth；　but　with　a　sharp　jerk

as　he　drove　the　spurs　in；　Vincent　had　defeated　his　intention。　　He

now　did　not　attempt　to　check　or　guide　him；　but　keeping　a　light

hand　on　the　reins　let　him　go　his　own　course。　　Vincent　knew　that　so

long　as　the　horse　was　going　full　speed　it　could　attempt　no　trick　to　

unseat　him；　and　he　therefore　sat　easily　in　his　saddle。



For　six　miles　Wildfire　continued　his　course；　clearing　every

obstacle　without　abatement　to　his　speed；　and　delighting　his　rider

with　his　power　and　jumping　qualities。　　Occasionally；　only　when

the　course　he　was　taking　would　have　led　him　to　obstacles

impossible　for　the　best　jumper　to　surmount；　Vincent　attempted　to

put　the　slightest　pressure　upon　one　rein　or　the　other；　so　as　to　direct

it　to　an　easier　point。



At　the　end　of　six　miles　the　horse's　speed　began　slightly　to　abate；

and　Vincent；　abstaining　from　the　use　of　his　spurs；　pressed　it　with

his　knees　and　spoke　to　it　cheerfully　urging　it　forward。　　He　now

from　time　to　time　bent　forward　and　patted　it；　and　for　another　six

miles　kept　it　going　at　a　speed　almost　as　great　as　that　at　which　it

had　started　Then　he　allowed　it　gradually　to　slacken　its　pace；　until

at　last　first　the　gallop　and　then　the　trot　ceased；　and　it　broke　into　a

walk。



〃You　have　had　a　fine　gallop；　old　fellow；〃　Vincent　said；　patting　it；

〃and　so　have　I。　　There's　been　nothing　for　you　to　lose　your　temper

about；　and　the　next　road　we　come　upon　we　will　turn　our　face

homeward。　　Half　a　dozen　lessons　like　this；　and　then　no　doubt　we

shall　be　good　friends。〃



　The　journey　home　was　performed　at　a　walk；　Vincent　talking　the

greater　part　of　the　time　to　the　horse。　　It　took　a　good　deal　more　than

six　lessons　before　Wildfire　would　start　without　a　preliminary

struggle　with　his　master；　but　in　the　end　kindness　and　patience

conquered。　　Vincent　often　visited　the　horse　in　the　stables；　and；

taking　with　him　an　apple　or　some　pieces　of　sugar；　spent　some　time

there　talk。　mg　to　and　petting　it。　　He　never　carried　a　whip；　and　never

used　the　spurs　except　in　forcing　it　to　make　its　first　start。



Had　the　horse　been　naturally　ill…tempered　Vincent　would　probably

have　failed；　but；　as　he　happened　afterward　to　learn；　its　first　owner

had　been　a　hot…tempered　and　passionate　young　planter；　who；

instead　of　being　patient　with　it；　had　beat　it　about　the　head；　and　so

rendered　it　restive　and　bad…tempered。　　Had　Vincent　not　laid　aside

his　whip　before　mounting　it　for　the　first　time；　he　probably　would

never　have　effected　a　cure。　　It　was　the　fact　that　the　animal　had　no

longer　a　fear　of　his　old　enemy　the　whip　as　much　as　the　general

course　of　kindness　and　good　treatment　that　had　effected　the

change　in　his　behavior。



It　was　just　when　Vincent　had　established　a　good　under　standing

between　himself　and　Wildfire　that　he　had　the　altercation　with　the

overseer；　whom　he　found　about　to　flog　the　young　negro　Dan。　

Pearson　had　sent　the　lad　half　an　hour　before　on　a　message　to　some

slaves　at　work　at　the　other　end　of　the　estate；　and　had　found　him

sitting　on　the　ground　watching　a　tree　in　which　he　had　discovered　a

possum。　　That　Dan　deserved　punishment　was　undoubted。　He　had　at

present　no　regular　employment　upon　the　estate　Jake；　his　father；

was　head　of　the　stables；　and　Dan　had　made　himself　useful　in　odd

jobs　about　the　horses；　and　expected　to　become　one　of　the　regular

stable　hands。　　The　overseer　was　of　opinion　that　there　were　already

more　negroes　in　the　stable　than　could　find　employment；　and　had

urged　upon　Mrs。　Wingfield　that　one　of　the　hands　there　and　the　boy

Dan　should　be　sent　out　to　the　fields。　　She；　however；　refused。



〃I　know　you　are　quite　right；　Jonas；　in　what　you　say。　But　there　were

always　four　hands　in　the　stable　in　my　father's　time；　and　there

always　have　been　up　to　now；　and　though　I　know　they　have　an　easy

time　of　it；　I　certainly　should　not　like　to　send　any　of　them　out　to　the

fields。　　As　to　Dan；　we　will　think　about　it。　　When　his　father　was

about　his　age　he　used　to　lead　my　pony　when　I　first　took　to　riding；

and　when　there　is　a　vacancy　Dan　must　come　into　the　stable。　　I

could　not　think　of　sending　him　out　as　a　field　hand；　in　the　first

place　for　his　father's　sake；　but　still　more　for　that　of　Vincent。　　Dan

used　to　be　told　off　to　see　that　he　did　not　get　into　mischief　when　he

was　a　little　boy；　and　he　has　run　messages　and　been　his　special　boy

since　he　came　back。　　Vincent　wanted　to　have　him　as　his　regular

house　servant；　but　it　would　have　brok