“Going to have another try?”
“Why, of course,” cried the boy angrily. “Think I was frightened by a thing like that?”
“You’ll do; you’ll do,” said the dealer, with a little chuckle. “Now then; it was half my fault, and half yours.”
The next moment Mark was in his seat, holding his mount with a tight hand as it began to paw up the sand, eager to start.
“Wait for me,” cried Dean, for the dealer was clapping the halter on another of the ponies, whose back Dean reached without mishap; and then as if thoroughly accustomed to run together, the attractive looking little pair moved off at an easy canter, closely followed by the other two, and going soon after at a quiet hand gallop twice round the large kraal, and stopping short close up to the dealer at the end of their career.
The boys jumped down, and the two unmounted ponies waited patiently while the halters were shifted and the performance repeated.
“Well, gentlemen, are you satisfied?” said the man, patting the ponies’ necks as he spoke.
“Yes, quite,” said Sir James. “What do you say, doctor?”
“I should say more than satisfied, only I am afraid that they won’t be up to our weight.”
“Don’t you make any mistake, sir. These little fellows can do more than you expect—that is, if you treat them well. You won’t ride them till they founder, I’ll be bound. Just you take care that they have enough, and you will find that they will do all you want. You would like me to keep them till you start, I suppose?”