He had been sitting carelessly on the board he used for a wagon-seat, the reins lying idly across his lap, his hands busy filling his pipe. When Josephus jumped—and Marty vowed afterward that the old horse’s eyes didn’t pop open until all four hoofs had struck the road again after his jump—Walky lost his balance, kicked up with both cowhided feet, and landed on his back with a grunt of astonishment in the empty wagon-box.
“Marty! how could you?” gasped Janice, springing out of the car and running to Walky’s assistance.
But Josephus did not offer to run. He merely looked surprised—and hurt. As for the village expressman, he naturally displayed some peevishness.
“Drat that boy!” he sputtered, rising slowly—for Walky was a portly man. “What did he wanter let go with that ’tarnal thing for? ’Nough to scare Josephus out of a year’s growth. An’ I broke my pipe, by jinks! Ain’t that a shame? Marty Day, you gotter buy me the best T. D. Hopewell Drugg’s got in his store, or I’ll bring the bill in to your father,” and he grinned again, for Walky could not hold venom for long.
“I won’t let him drive my car, Walky,” said Janice seriously, “if he plays such tricks.”
“But crackey!” gasped the boy, choked with laughter, “I got a rise out of old Josephus. I never did believe that hoss could move so quick, Walky.”
“I tell you,” said Janice, laughing, “Marty shall be punished for this caper. He can drive old Josephus home, Walky, and you shall come for a ride with me in the car.”
“Hold on!” protested the boy. “I don’t want to drive that old dead-and-alive to the barn. It’ll take all day, and I got something to do.”
But Walky fell right in with Janice’s suggestion. “That’s the ticket,” he said briskly. “I was going home, an’ I reckon I kin trust Josephus with Marty. They won’t run away with each other—ha, ha, ha!”
Marty was inclined to sulk a little; to come up through High Street in a shiny car and return in Walky’s old farm wagon behind his stumpy-tailed horse, seemed a terrible come-down—and so he grumbled. But Janice got briskly in behind the steering-wheel and the portly Mr. Dexter climbed in beside her.