Again Jed's chest heaved.
"Well, I'm a—"
He ended in inarticulate distress, searching for a proper expletive, mouth open and ready, should he find one. Then he was off his horse, both hands on the boy's shoulders, looking into the eyes that met his so steadily.
"You done it, Young VB!" he cried brokenly. "You done it! Oh, I'm proud of you! Your old adopted daddy sure is! You done it all by yourself, an' it's somethin' that nobody has ever been able to do before!"
Then they both laughed aloud, eyes still clinging.
"Come over and get acquainted," suggested VB. "He's waiting for us."
They started for the corral, Jed's eyes, now flaming as they took in the detail of that wonderful creature, already seen by him countless times, but now for the first time unfree.
The stallion watched them come, moving his feet up and down uneasily and peering at them between the bars. VB reached for the gate fastening, and the horse was away across the corral, snorting, head up, as though fearful.
"Why, Captain!" the boy cried. "What ails you?"
"What ails him?" cried Jed. "Man alive, I'd expect to see him tryin' to tear our hearts out!"