‘I haven’t seen his equal for years; don’t know as I ever saw a better. Why he’s fool enough to sell him I can’t tell. But it’s all square. I know the man, and where his run is; you’d better go over and see him.’
‘So I will; but how can he be kept or broken in?’
‘I’ll break him; I can rough-ride a bit, and will put him among the other horses and short-hobble him.’
Accordingly Ernest went over and saw a noble, good-tempered-looking dark gray colt. He had a large full eye, black mane, legs, and tail, with a shoulder noticeable even amid the rounded proportions of colthood.
‘So this young horse is for sale?’ he said inquiringly of a middle-aged stout man, like enough to be a brother to their own overseer.
‘Yes!’ said the man, pulling at the halter, which had galled the colt’s under jaw. ‘I started to take him down to the lower station, and he’s such a brute to lead that he has nearly pulled me off more than once. I won’t lead him a step farther if we can deal.’
‘What will you take for him?’ asked Ernest.
‘Well,’ said the stranger, ‘I believe he’s a real good ‘un, though he’s never been backed yet. I don’t know or care much about horses myself; they’re useless brutes, and eat more grass than they are worth. I’ll take ten pounds for him.’
‘Very well,’ said Ernest, ‘he’s mine at that price, and I will send a man over with the money, if you will deliver the horse to him.’
Jack Windsor was overjoyed to hear that the colt was actually bought.