“Why wouldn’t Mr. Gossett sell Aaron?” asked Buster John. “I’ve heard he’s very fond of money.”
“He’s a queer man,” responded the grandfather, “hard in some things and clever enough in others. He had heard the speculator say that Aaron was a very dangerous character, and so Mr. Gossett declared that he was going to tame him. Gossett was a much younger man then than he is now, and about as reckless as any one in the county. I remember he said something in a light way that made Little Crotchet angry, and the lad spurred the Gray Pony at him and would have rode him down but for me.”
“Was he riding the Gray Pony, grandfather?” asked Buster John.
“Yes,” replied the old gentleman with a sigh: “yes, the Gray Pony. It was fifteen years ago, but it seems but yesterday.”
The grandfather was silent after that, and the children said no more. They went to bed when bedtime came, but not before Buster John had made up his mind to rise bright and early the next morning and call on the Gray Pony. He told Sweetest Susan and Drusilla of his plan, and they said they were anxious to go, too. So it was arranged that the housemaid should wake them when she came in from the quarters.
This was done, and to the surprise of everybody whose business it was to be up early, the children sallied forth a little after sunrise. They went into the orchard, hunting for the Gray Pony. Before they had gone far, a rabbit jumped up right at their feet, ran off a little distance, and then sat up and looked at them.
“He’s very much like Mr. Rabbit,” said Sweetest Susan.
“He’s lots better lookin’,” remarked Drusilla, who had never forgiven Mr. Rabbit for mistaking her for the Tar Baby.
While they were standing there looking at the rabbit, Sweetest Susan lifted her hands suddenly and uttered an exclamation that startled Buster John and Drusilla, and sent the rabbit scurrying off through the sedge.
“What is the matter?” asked Buster John.