me to the horses; you see Jack will
be all the better for the rest of a week or two in a warm stable, and
you can easily take him a turn up and down the street to stretch his
legs; but this young one, if he does not get work, he will soon be all
up on end, as you may say, and will be rather too much for you; and when
he does go out there'll be an accident."
"It is like that now," said Harry. "I have kept him short of corn, but
he's so full of spirit I don't know what to do with him."
"Just so," said Grant. "Now look here, will you tell your mother that
if she is agreeable I will come for him every day till something is
arranged, and take him for a good spell of work, and whatever he earns,
I'll bring your mother half of it, and that will help with the horses'
feed. Your father is in a good club, I know, but that won't keep the
horses, and they'll be eating their heads off all this time; I'll come
at noon and hear what she says," and without waiting for Harry's thanks
he was gone.
At noon I think he went and saw Polly, for he and Harry came to the
stable together, harnessed Hotspur, and took him out.
For a week or more he came for Hotspur, and when Harry thanked him or
said anything about his kindness, he laughed it off, saying it was all
good luck for him, for his horses were wanting a little rest which they
would not otherwise have had.
Jerry grew better steadily, but the doctor said that he must never go
back to the cab work again if he wished to be an old man. The children
had many consultations together about what father and mother would do,
and how they could help to earn money.
One afternoon Hotspur was brought in very wet and dirty.
"The streets are nothing but slush," said the governor; "it will give
you a good warming, my boy, to get him clean and dry."
"All right, governor," said Harry, "I shall not leave him till he is;
you know I have been trained by my father."
"I wish all the boys had been trained like you," said the governor.
While Harry was sponging off the mud from Hotspur's body and legs Dolly
came in, looking very full of something.
"Who lives at Fairstowe, Harry? Mother has got a letter from Fairstowe;
she seemed so glad, and ran upstairs to father with it."
"Don't you know? Why, it is the name of Mrs. Fowler's place--mother's
old mistress, you know--the lady that father met last summer, who sent
you and me five shillings each."
"Oh! Mrs. Fowler. Of course, I know all abou
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