and while Charlie
unsuspectingly nibbled at the apple he held, Dan quickly and quietly
took his seat. He did not keep it long, however, for with an astonished
snort, Charlie reared straight up, and deposited Dan on the ground. The
fall did not hurt him, for the turf was soft, and he jumped up, saying,
with a laugh,

"I did it anyway! Come here, you rascal, and I'll try it again."

But Charlie declined to approach, and Dan left him resolving to succeed
in the end; for a struggle like this suited him exactly. Next time he
took a halter, and having got it on, he played with the horse for a
while, leading him to and fro, and putting him through various antics
till he was a little tired; then Dan sat on the wall and gave him bread,
but watched his chance, and getting a good grip of the halter, slipped
on to his back. Charlie tried the old trick, but Dan held on, having had
practice with Toby, who occasionally had an obstinate fit, and tried to
shake off his rider. Charlie was both amazed and indignant; and after
prancing for a minute, set off at a gallop, and away went Dan heels over
head. If he had not belonged to the class of boys who go through all
sorts of dangers unscathed, he would have broken his neck; as it was, he
got a heavy fall, and lay still collecting his wits, while Charlie tore
round the field tossing his head with every sign of satisfaction at
the discomfiture of his rider. Presently it seemed to occur to him that
something was wrong with Dan, and, being of a magnanimous nature, he
went to see what the matter was. Dan let him sniff about and perplex
himself for a few minutes; then he looked up at him, saying, as
decidedly as if the horse could understand,

"You think you have beaten, but you are mistaken, old boy; and I'll ride
you yet see if I don't."

He tried no more that day, but soon after attempted a new method of
introducing Charlie to a burden. He strapped a folded blanket on his
back, and then let him race, and rear, and roll, and fume as much as
he liked. After a few fits of rebellion Charlie submitted, and in a few
days permitted Dan to mount him, often stopped short to look round, as
if he said, half patiently, half reproachfully, "I don't understand it,
but I suppose you mean no harm, so I permit the liberty."

Dan patted and praised him, and took a short turn every day, getting
frequent falls, but persisting in spite of them, and longing to try a
saddle and bridle, but not daring to confes