“I was thinking that my legs are almost too long now to go to the meet on poor Scallowa. Not that Scallowa would mind. But don’t you think, mummie dear, that a long boy on a short pony looks odd?”
“A little, Archie.”
“Well, why couldn’t father let me have Tell to-morrow? He is not going out himself.”
His father was reading the newspaper, but he looked at Archie over it. Though only his eyes were visible, the boy knew he was smiling.
“If you think you won’t break your neck,” he said, “you may take Tell.”
“Oh,” Archie replied, “I’m quite sure I won’t break my neck!”
The Squire laughed now outright.
“You mean you might break Tell’s, eh?”
“Well, dad, I didn’t say that.”
“No, Archie, but you thought it.”