“Well, if the department don’t mind laying out their money in repairs, I don’t doubt he’ll learn in time, but I don’t like the look of his eye,” said the driver.
“What’s the matter with his eye?” demanded the man.
“It’s a skittish eye,” replied the driver,—“shows too much of the white to suit me.”
“I’d be willing to pay for all the machines he smashes,” replied the man; but the driver did not change his mind.
The new off-horse took possession of old Jim’s stall as if it were his by right, and made himself at home immediately. He was very intelligent, it is true, and he learned his duties very soon, but still his youth was against him. He started off with the engine as if the whole thing were great sport and gotten up especially for his entertainment; and if the other two horses had not kept him back, there would have been a runaway engine the very first time he was taken out. He enjoyed going to a fire of all things, because he could use his strong muscles and let off some of the young life he didn’t know what to do with, but he didn’t like coming back. The other two horses were quite ready to go home at a gentle trot, but not so the new horse; and as they lumbered along he felt that it devolved upon him to give a little style to the team. He certainly did it, and many turned to watch the fine knee action and spirited bearing of the new engine-horse.
One day his youthful spirits got the better of the new horse. The department was called out to a fire in the business section of the city, and Engine 33 left the engine-house in a mad rush at full speed, as usual. When about half-way down the slope of the hill, a man on a bicycle came suddenly around the corner from a side street. The new horse was taken by surprise and shied badly. All the movements of such a powerful young horse are vigorous, and the engine was thrown against a lamp-post and wrecked.
When the chief heard of the accident, he remembered the dog who always ran in front of the engine, and he at once said that the dog was the cause of the accident and that they must get rid of him. “It is enough to make any horse shy to have a dog getting under his feet,” he said.
It was in vain for the firemen to explain that Jack had nothing whatever to do with the accident; the chief refused to be convinced.