“He is honest,” the man said, “I will say that for him.”
“Are you truthful?”
“I am as truthful as other people,” the boy said.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, sir, that if I were asked a straightforward question I would give a straightforward answer, unless it were wiser not to do so. I would tell the truth to my master, but I do not consider it necessary always to do so to others. For instance, sir, if you were my master, and questions were asked about you, there might be times when it would not be convenient for you that I should mention where you had gone, or what you were doing.”
“That is so,” Hector said with a laugh. “The important thing for me to know is, would you always tell me the truth?”
“I think that I could promise to do that, sir, or at least to be very near the truth.”
“You understand horses?”
“I do, sir.”
“And you can ride?”