“He has fallen lame, Wing.”
“A pebble in his shoe, perhaps?”
“No; I have examined carefully; there is nothing of the kind.”
“Will you let me look, sir?”
“Certainly, if you like,” said the colonel, taking the bridles of both horses in his hands so as to leave Wing at liberty to make the examination he wished.
“See here, sir. It was not a pebble, but it was something worse,” said the boy, drawing a thorn from the horse’s foot, and holding it up to view.
“Now, then, why couldn’t I have seen that?” exclaimed Justin, in some surprise and impatience.
“Because it was not easy to be seen, sir. I did not see it. I felt it with the ends of my fingers.”
“You have a very delicate touch, Wing—as delicate as a woman’s.”
“I think you can mount your horse now, sir. I think he will go without trouble,” said the boy.