“Nay; I was close here, and your chatter came rattling into my ears like peas. We’re not waiting for you now. How did your pony go this morning?”
“Splendid. Just halted a little on the bad leg; but it’s better than it was yesterday.”
“Did you canter this morning?”
“Canter? We went at a good swinging gallop.”
“And what about you?”
“Oh, I’m only a little stiff still. Here, I want for us to be off. We shall get strong more quickly journeying over the plains or climbing in and out among the mountains. I don’t like to bother my father any more, but what does he say?”
“He says we’re to start to-morrow at daybreak.”
“Hurrah!” cried Chris.
“But we shan’t, my lad.”
“Why not?”