"It's a famous good thing!—though I confess my soul never 'glided into the boughs' of any tree when my body didn't go along. Apropos—Do you like to be on the back of a good horse?"
"Why yes," said Mr. Linden, "when circumstances place me there."
"Will you let me be a circumstance to do it? I have an animal of that description—with almost the facility of motion possessed by Andrew Marvell's soul. Will you try him?"
"Can he run?" said Mr. Linden with comic demureness.
"Fleetly. Whether away with you depends, you know, on what I have no knowledge of; but I should think not."
"I should like to know beforehand—" said Mr. Linden in the same tone.
"However—Is it to be on simple or compound interest, doctor?"
"I never take simple interest," said Dr. Harrison. "I want all I can get."
"Well if I take your horse, what will you ride alongside of me?"
"That is easily arranged," said the doctor smiling. "This fellow is a new-comer, comparatively, and a pet of mine. I want to know what you think of him. When is your next time of leisure?"
"My daylight leisure is pretty limited now. Part of Saturday I could take."