“I think,” answered the captain, “it a mistake to suppose a horse is not fit for service much after he is twelve or fourteen years old. If he is used as he ought to be, and has good care, he will last well twenty, or even thirty years. The charger of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, which was wounded in the battle of Alexandria, afterwards died at Malta. On the stone erected there in commemoration of its services, the age of thirty-six is inscribed.
“And in 1790, there was alive near Haddington, in England, a Shetland pony which had been in battle in 1745, whose age was forty-seven years.”
“No doubt there are such cases,” answered the gentleman, “but they are rare in this country. I suppose we give our horses too much to do.”
“Yes, that is it; and too little care. No animal so richly repays the attention bestowed upon him as the horse.”
CHAPTER VI.
THE BLIND HORSE.
The next day, Minnie was walking through the grounds with her uncle, while Tiney and Fidelle were following at her heels, when the express-man drove into the yard. He had a cage, as Minnie called it, in his wagon, and she ran eagerly to see what it contained. How great was her delight to see a goat, and two cunning little kids, cuddling down on the hay at the bottom of the wagon!
When they were put into the stable, Minnie laughed and clapped her hands, and ran to summon all the family to come and see them.
Captain Lee’s wife had accompanied him on this voyage, and had now gone to see her mother. Her husband had promised to meet her the next day, and afterwards was coming with her to make them a longer visit.