to raise colts, havin' plenty of hoss stock on hand, and perhaps
you do.'

"'How old is your hoss?' said the Frenchman.

"'I didn't raise it,' sais Steve, 'Ned Wheelock, I believe, brought her
to our parts.'

"'How old do you take her to be?'

"'Poor critter, she'd tell you herself, if she could,' said he, 'for
she knows best, but she can't speak; and I didn't see her, when she was
foalded.'

"'How old do you think?'

"'Age,' sais Steve, 'depens on use, not on years. A hoss at five, if ill
used, is old; a hoss at eight, if well used is young.'

"'Sacry footry!' sais Goodish, 'why don't you speak out like a man? Lie
or no lie, how old is she?'

"'Well, I don't like to say,' sais Steve, 'I know she is eight for
sartain, and it may be she's nine. If I was to say eight, and it turned
out nine, you might be thinkin' hard of me. I didn't raise it. You can
see what condition she is in; old hosses ain't commonly so fat as that,
at least I never, see one that was.'

"A long banter then growed out of the 'boot money.' The Elder, asked
7 pounds 10s. Goodish swore he wouldn't give that for him and his hoss
together; that if they were both put up to auction that blessed minute,
they wouldn't bring it. The Elder hung on to it, as long as there was
any chance of the boot, and then fort the ground like a man, only givin'
an inch or so at a time, till he drawed up and made a dead stand, on one
pound.

"Goodish seemed willing to come to tarms too; but like a prudent man,
resolved to take a look at the old mare's mouth, and make some kind of
a guess at her age; but the critter knowed how to keep her own secrets,
and it was ever so long, afore he forced her jaws open, and when he did,
he came plaguy near losin' of a finger, for his curiosity; and as he
hopped and danced about with pain, he let fly such a string of oaths,
and sacry-cussed the Elder and his mare, in such an all-fired passion,
that Steve put both his hands up to his ears, and said, 'Oh, my dear
friend, don't swear, don't swear; it's very wicked. I'll take your pony,
I'll ask no boot, if you will only promise not to swear. You shall have
the mare as she stands. I'll give up and swap even; and there shall be
no after claps, nor ruin bargains, nor recantin', nor nother, only don't
swear.'

"Well, the trade was made, the saddles and bridles was shifted, and
both parties mounted their new hosses. 'Mr. Slick,' sais Steve,' who was
afraid he would lose the pony, if h