On Monday Jack was informed that next day he was to join the recruit squad in the riding-school. This news gave him genuine delight, for he was exceedingly fond of horses and longed to have one of his own. Accordingly, next morning, in undress uniform and without spurs, Jack paraded with the squad of recruits with whom he had been doing extension drill.
They went off to the stables, where they took possession of their horses. Jack was given a pretty animal that he quite fell in love with at the first glance. She had belonged to a bandsman who had just left the regiment, and was a very pretty bay, as were most of the band-horses. She was rather small, but her broad chest and tapering legs denoted both strength and swiftness. She had an arching neck, and soft, limpid eyes that looked as intelligent as a human being’s.
The horse had its bridle already on, but no saddle, as the first lessons are taken bareback.
‘Don’t jar her mouth, youngster,’ said the old soldier who had groomed her, as he handed the bridle to Jack. ‘Use her gently and she’ll carry you as comfortably as though you were in an arm-chair.’
They then went off to the riding-school, and as they entered the rough-riding sergeant seemed to Jack to eye his ‘victims’ with a sinister glance.
The men were placed in position, the sergeant standing in the middle, armed with a long whip like a circus-master’s. His assistant rough-riders stood near him, all looking, it seemed to Jack, grimly earnest. The men, being in position, were called sharply up to ‘Attention!’
‘Spring smartly up,’ cried the sergeant, ‘the left hand holding the snaffle-rein near the ring, the right arm down, little finger behind the stripe of the overalls.’
The assistants saw that the men were in position; then they were instructed how to stand on the command, ‘Prepare to mount!’
‘On the command “Mount!”’ continued the sergeant, ‘place the right hand on the horse’s withers, then spring lightly up, remaining perfectly still when seated.’
‘Mount!’