Froken Helga regards me with suspicion; and no one in
Jutland appears to believe more than they see."

"Yes; but it is impossible," said Pastor Lindal.

The next day after breakfast, Buffalo and one of the Danish horses
were taken to the parsonage by Robert Garth. Buffalo had an English
saddle on, and looked fully recovered from his journey to Denmark, and
fit for anything. The Pastor, his daughter, and his two boys came out
to see the English horse. Froken Helga had not seen it before, and it
struck her as being the handsomest horse she had ever seen; and she
observed the respect the English groom showed Hardy.

"What do you think of the oats, Bob?" said Hardy.

"First-rate," said Garth, touching his hat; "they have picked Buffalo
up wonderful, and he is fit to go anywhere."

Hardy mounted his horse. His mother had sent over his hunting
breeches, and when mounted, the Pastor was struck with the manly
figure of the quiet-mannered Englishman.

"The horse will not take even such a jump as your garden wall," said
Hardy, "in cold blood. I will give him a gallop down the field below,
and then bring him up and jump the wall. You will see the grand spread
of his stride as he gallops."

Hardy rode like an English country gentleman accustomed to the saddle,
and the great wide strides taken by Buffalo even the Pastor observed
with astonishment. Suddenly Hardy turned and came at the garden wall,
with Buffalo well in hand, who rose to the jump and cleared it easily,
and out through a break in the shrubbery over the wall at the other
side.

Hardy rode quietly in through the entrance gate and dismounted. It was
clear, by the demeanour of the English groom, that he saw nothing
unusual in what had passed; but it was very different with the Danish
family. The boys cheered, but Froken Helga had disappeared.

"If you were not accustomed to do this," said the Pastor, "I should
consider it was not right to risk so good a horse and your own limbs.
A fall must be dangerous to you and your horse."

"Yes; a fall would be, and is," said Hardy. "I have broken my arm and
a collar-bone by falls when hunting."

"Now, Herr Pastor," added Hardy, "you will see the difference between
my English horse and one of the best horses we could buy here."

"He can't jump a yard, master," said Garth; "it is no use trying him."

Hardy mounted the Danish horse, and the difference was apparent in
pace and action.

"Bob," said Hardy, "they are no use