Mr. Brown, who had not yet gone down to his fish dock, now came out of the house and paid Mr. Tallman for the Shetland pony. And when Bunny and Sue saw that done they felt sure the pet was their very own.
"For," said Bunny to Sue, as they stood patting Toby, "when you buy anything at the store, and give your pennies for it, the storekeeper can't take it back."
"Yes, I guess that's so," said Sue, as though not quite sure. "But Mr. Tallman isn't a storekeeper."
"Well, Toby's ours now; isn't he, Daddy?" asked the little boy.
"Yes, he surely is," said Mr. Brown.
Mr. Tallman told Bunny and Sue what to feed the little horse, and how to treat him.
"Bunker Blue will look after Toby in the stable," said Mr. Brown. "Bunker knows a lot about horses as well as about boats, and he'll harness the pony for the children until they get big enough to do it themselves. We have a nice little box-stall in the stable where Toby can make himself at home."
"And we'll put some soft straw in for his bed," added Bunny.
"And we'll pull grass and give it to him to eat," said Sue. "Will he like green grass, Mr. Tallman?"
"Oh, yes, very much. But he likes hay, too, and now and then a bit of apple or a lump of sugar."