Then Susan walked off to the kitchen. Phil had intended to speak to her in regard to the meals, but he forgot all about that.
This little contest was now over, and Philip did not know whether he had conquered or not. He was obliged to be content to wait and see what the result would be, and, in the mean time, there was a good deal for him to do.
He put his uncle’s letter to Mr. Welford in his pocket and went down to the stables.
If Joel had resisted his authority, or questioned his orders, it is likely there would have been a serious outbreak of temper; but Joel was a cautious man, and, although he was a good deal surprised when Philip requested him to put the saddle and bridle on Jouncer, he immediately stopped the work he was doing and went to the paddock. At the gate, however, he stopped.
“If you’d rather have your own horse,” he said, “I can send Dick down to ketch him.”
“No, I’d rather have Jouncer this morning,” said Philip.
And Jouncer was saddled and bridled.
Philip had been gone about twenty minutes, when Susan came down to the stable-yard.
“And so he’s gone off on his uncle’s horse,” said she. “He’s getting high and mighty! He’s just been ordering me to take that gun and hang it on the pegs I got it from!”
“How did he know you had it?” asked Joel.