n with the following
salutation: "Art thou come back, my darling? ah, Gilbert, Gilbert! a pize
upon thee! thou hadst like to have been a dear Gilbert to me! how couldst
thou break the heart of thy old friend, who has known thee from a colt?
seven years next grass have I fed thee and bred thee; provided thee with
sweet hay, delicate corn, and fresh litter, that thou mought lie warm,
dry, and comfortable. Han't I currycombed thy carcass till it was as
sleek as a sloe, and cherished thee as the apple of mine eye? for all
that thou hast played me an hundred dog's tricks; biting, and kicking,
and plunging, as if the devil was in thy body; and now thou couldst run
away with a thief, and leave me to be flayed alive by measter. What
canst thou say for thyself, thou cruel, hard-hearted, unchristian tuoad?"
To this tender expostulation, which afforded much entertainment to the
boys, Gilbert answered not one word; but seemed altogether insensible to
the caresses of Timothy, who forthwith led him into the stable. On the
whole, he seems to have been an unsocial animal; for it does not appear
that he ever contracted any degree of intimacy, even with Bronzomarte,
during the whole course of their acquaintance and fellowship. On the
contrary, he has been more than once known to signify his aversion, by
throwing out behind, and other eruptive marks of contempt for that
elegant charger, who excelled him as much in personal merit, as his rider
Timothy was outshone by his all-accomplished master.

While the squire accommodated Gilbert in the stable, the knight sent for
the footman who had brought him back; and, having presented him with a
liberal acknowledgment, desired to know in what manner the horse had been
retrieved.

The stranger satisfied him in this particular, by giving him to
understand, that the highwayman, perceiving himself pursued across the
country, plied Gilbert so severely with whip and spur, that the animal
resented the usage, and being besides, perhaps, a little struck with
remorse for having left his old friend Crabshaw, suddenly halted, and
stood stock still, notwithstanding all the stripes and tortures he
underwent; or if he moved at all, it was in a retrograde direction. The
thief, seeing all his endeavours ineffectual, and himself in danger of
being overtaken, wisely quitted his acquisition, and fled into the bosom
of a neighbouring wood.

Then the knight inquired about the situation of the lady in the coach,