"'Hello, what can be the matter with this horse? He was well when I fed him yesterday; but now he seems to be nearly dead.'
"Then the master went out of the stable, and Mr. Horse said to himself with a grin:
"'He has gone to get some medicine for me! The plan seems to be working well.'
"Soon the master came back, and with him was a great big black man, who carried an axe over his shoulder.
"'That horse is very sick,' said the master.
"'He certainly is,' replied the man with the axe.
"'And there's only one thing to be done,' said the master.
"'Only one thing,' added the man with the axe.
"'Well, Jim,' said the master, 'hit him squarely between the eyes, and as hard as you can, for I don't want him flopping all around the place before he dies.'