ul
mash ready for me."

"Sausage dumpling and apple turnover!" shouted the boy, which set them
all laughing. I was led into a comfortable, clean-smelling stall, with
plenty of dry straw, and after a capital supper I lay down, thinking I
was going to be happy.

33 A London Cab Horse

Jeremiah Barker was my new master's name, but as every one called him
Jerry, I shall do the same. Polly, his wife, was just as good a match as
a man could have. She was a plump, trim, tidy little woman, with smooth,
dark hair, dark eyes, and a merry little mouth. The boy was twelve years
old, a tall, frank, good-tempered lad; and little Dorothy (Dolly they
called her) was her mother over again, at eight years old. They were all
wonderfully fond of each other; I never knew such a happy, merry family
before or since. Jerry had a cab of his own, and two horses, which he
drove and attended to himself. His other horse was a tall, white, rather
large-boned animal called "Captain". He was old now, but when he was
young he must have been splendid; he had still a proud way of
holding his head and arching his neck; in fact, he was a high-bred,
fine-mannered, noble old horse, every inch of him. He told me that in
his early youth he went to the Crimean War; he belonged to an officer
in the cavalry, and used to lead the regiment. I will tell more of that
hereafter.

The next morning, when I was well-groomed, Polly and Dolly came into the
yard to see me and make friends. Harry had been helping his father since
the early morning, and had stated his opinion that I should turn out a
"regular brick". Polly brought me a slice of apple, and Dolly a piece
of bread, and made as much of me as if I had been the "Black Beauty" of
olden time. It was a great treat to be petted again and talked to in a
gentle voice, and I let them see as well as I could that I wished to be
friendly. Polly thought I was very handsome, and a great deal too good
for a cab, if it was not for the broken knees.

"Of course there's no one to tell us whose fault that was," said Jerry,
"and as long as I don't know I shall give him the benefit of the doubt;
for a firmer, neater stepper I never rode. We'll call him 'Jack', after
the old one--shall we, Polly?"

"Do," she said, "for I like to keep a good name going."

Captain went out in the cab all the morning. Harry came in after school
to feed me and give me water. In the afternoon I was put into the
cab. Jerry took as much pain