“In Australia girls are nearly grown up at that age,” said Phil, who was thinking of Gabrielle. “Now, Rachel, let us go back to the others.”
The others were getting impatient. They had played hide-and-seek, and hunted for squirrels, and climbed trees, and quarreled and made it up again, until all their resources had come to an end; and when Rachel and Phil made their appearance they found that Robert had packed up the remains of the picnic, and that Clementina and Abby had already mounted their ponies, preparatory to riding home. Robert was leading up the other ponies as the two missing children appeared.
Rachel’s mind was still a good deal preoccupied, and it was not until she was preparing to mount her own pony that she discovered that Clementina had secured Ruby and was now seated comfortably on his back.
“Oh, Clementina, it is not safe for you to ride Ruby,” she called out at once. “He’s only just broken in and he’s full of spirit.”
“Thank you,” replied Clementina. “I prefer riding horses with spirit. I would not have another ride on that slow little creature, Surefoot, for the world.”
“But indeed that is not the reason,” said Rachel, who felt herself, she scarcely knew why, both softened and subdued. “It is that Ruby is not safe. I am the first girl who has ever been on his back. He knows me and will do what I tell him, but I am sure it is dangerous for you to ride him. Is it not dangerous, Robert, for Miss Marmaduke to ride Ruby?” called out Rachel to the groom.
Robert came up and surveyed the spirited little horse and the young rider critically.
“If Miss Marmaduke don’t whip him, and if she humors him a good bit and don’t set him off in a canter, why, then no harm may be done,” he said. “Ruby’s fresh, miss, and have a good deal of wild blood in him, and I only broke him in for Miss Rachel a fortnight back.”
Clementina’s color had risen very high during this discussion.
“I presume,” she said in an insolent tone, “that a pupil of Captain Delacourt’s can ride any horse that a pupil of one of the grooms at Avonsyde can manage! I’m sorry you’re so disobliging as to grudge me your horse, Rachel. I’ll just ride on in front now, and you all can follow me when you are ready.”