n
ridden, and was as wild as a wild goat. Thomas is too old, in fact,
to break it in, and I should have had to get someone to do it, and
pay him two or three pounds for the job.

"It was not the first time the boy had been on her back, I could
see. The pony was not quite broken and, just as I came on the
scene, was trying its best to get rid of him; but it couldn't do
it, and I could see, by the way he rode her about afterwards, that
he had got her completely in hand; and a very pretty-going little
thing she will turn out."

"But what did you say to him, William? I am sure I should never
stop to think whether he was breaking in the pony, or not, if I saw
him riding it about."

"I daresay not, my dear," the squire said, laughing; "but then you
see, you have never been a boy; and I have, and can make
allowances. Many a pony and horse have I broken in, in my time; and
have got on the back of more than one, without my father knowing
anything about it."

"Yes, but they were your father's horses, William," Mrs. Ellison
persisted. "That makes all the difference."

"I don't suppose it would have made much difference to me," the
squire laughed, "at that time. I was too fond of horse flesh, even
from a boy, to be particular whose horse it was I got across.
However, of course, after waiting till he had done, I gave the
young scamp a blowing up."

"Not much of a blowing up, I am sure," Mrs. Ellison said; "and as
likely as not, a shilling at the end of it."

"Well, Mary, I must own," the squire said pleasantly, "that a
shilling did find its way out of my pocket into his."

"It's too bad of you, William," Mrs. Ellison said indignantly.
"Here is this boy, who is notoriously a scapegrace, has the
impertinence to ride your horse, and you encourage him in his
misdeeds by giving him a shilling."

"Well, my dear, don't you see, I saved two pounds nineteen by the
transaction.

"Besides," he added more seriously, "I think the boy has been
maligned. I don't fancy he's a bad lad at all. A little mischief
and so on, but none the worse for that. Besides, you know, I knew
his father; and have sat many a time on horseback chatting to him,
at the door of his mill; and drank more than one glass of good ale,
which his wife has brought out to me. I am not altogether easy in
my conscience about them. If there had been a subscription got up
for the widow at his death, I should have put my name down for
twenty pounds; and all that I have