At this thought, Evans shouted with laughter.
“Gentlemen,” he said, when he could speak seriously, “I am ashamed to ask my horse to pull a little weight like that on a test—couldn’t two or three of you get on and ride?”
Then Evans was sure he saw a twinkle in True’s eye.
A loud laugh greeted the proposal.
“But, man, that there’s a dead lift!” expostulated the miller.
“Well, mine’s a live horse,” Evans cried, with a grin. “Get on there! Justin Morgan’s waitin’ for to take you to drive!”
From this day the young horse was called Justin Morgan’s. It was an easy transition to drop the possessive “s,” after a while, and call him “Justin Morgan.”
With much hilarity three men climbed up on the log.
By this time darkness had fallen and Master Chase ran to get his lanthorn, swinging it back and forth, as he returned.
“Mind you don’t fall off,” Evans warned the men. “‘Something’ is about to ‘come’.”