o?"

"To B.G.," said Davy, hastily referring to the Hole-keeper's letter.

"All right," said the cabman, yawning again. "Climb in, and don't put
your feet on the cushions."

Now, this was a ridiculous thing for him to say, for when Davy stepped
inside he found the only seats were some three-legged stools huddled
together in the back part of the cab, all the rest of the space being
taken up by a large bath-tub that ran across the front end of it. Davy
turned on one of the faucets, but nothing came out except some dust and
a few small bits of gravel, and he shut it off again, and, sitting down
on one of the little stools, waited patiently for the cab to start.

Just then the cabman put his head in at the window, and, winking at him
confidentially, said, "Can you tell me why this horse is like an
umbrella?"

"No," said Davy.

"Because he's used _up_," said the cabman.

"I don't think that's a very good conundrum," said Davy.

"So do I," said the cabman. "But it's the best one I can make with this
horse. Did you say N.B.?" he asked.

"No, I said B.G.," said Davy.

[Illustration: "THE CABMAN HAD CLIMBED UP ON TOP OF THE CAB AND WAS
THROWING STONES AT THE HORSE."]

"All right," said the cabman again, and disappeared from the window.
Presently there was a loud trampling overhead, and Davy, putting his
head out at the window, saw that the cabman had climbed up on top of the
cab and was throwing stones at the horse, which was still sleeping
peacefully.

"It's all right," said the cabman, cheerfully, as he caught sight of
Davy. "If he doesn't start pretty soon I'll give him some snuff. That
_always_ wakes him up."

"Oh! don't do that," said Davy, anxiously. "I'd rather get out and
walk."

"Well, I wish you would," said the cabman, in a tone of great relief.
"This is a very valuable stand, and I don't care to lose my place on
it;" and Davy accordingly jumped out of the cab and walked away.

Presently there was a clattering of hoofs behind him, and Ribsy came
galloping along the road, with nothing on him but his collar. He was
holding his big head high in the air, like a giraffe, and gazing proudly
about him as he ran. He stopped short when he saw the little boy, and,
giving a triumphant whistle, said cheerfully, "How are you again?"

It seemed rather strange to be spoken to by a cab-horse, but Davy
answered that he was feeling quite well.

"So am I," said Ribsy. "The fact is, that when it comes to beating a