l I ever followed. He doesn't seem to know the
difference between uphill and down. It's all the same to him. I did
think he'd walk now and then, or I'd never have travelled to the village
behind him."

"He's not lazy, like some people," Miss Kitty Cat hissed; and then crept
into the farmhouse before Spot could chase her. She had a poor opinion
of old Spot. And she never failed to let him know it.

It was true that Twinkleheels was not lazy. And it was just as true that
he liked to play. When Johnnie Green turned him loose in the pasture he
kicked and frisked about so gayly that Jimmy Rabbit and Billy Woodchuck
and their friends had to step lively now and then, to get out of his
way. They said they liked high spirits, but that Twinkleheels was almost
too playful.

When Twinkleheels took it into his head to do anything he did it without
the slightest warning. If he decided to shy at a bit of paper he was out
of the road before Johnnie Green knew what had happened. And if he
wanted to take a wrong turn, just for fun, he darted off so fast that he
usually had his way before Johnnie could shout "Whoa!" Everybody said
that he was as quick as Miss Kitty Cat. And that was the same as saying
that there wasn't anybody any quicker--unless it was Grumpy Weasel
himself.

But Twinkleheels and Miss Kitty were not alike in any other way; for
Twinkleheels was both merry and good-natured. He let Johnnie Green pick
up his feet, one at a time, and clean them. And the worst he ever did
was to give Johnnie a playful nip, just as Johnnie himself might have
pinched the boy that sat in front of him at school.

Only, of course, Johnnie Green wouldn't have used his teeth to do that.

II

FUN IN THE PASTURE

The first time he tried to catch Twinkleheels in the pasture, Johnnie
Green found his new pet entirely too playful to suit him. In response to
Johnnie's whistling Twinkleheels came galloping towards the bars. But
when he caught sight of the halter that Johnnie held he stopped short.
And he snorted, as if to say, "I don't believe I'll go with you. I'm
having too much fun here."

"Come on!" Johnnie called. "We're going to the village."

But that news didn't catch Twinkleheels. When Johnnie Green began to
walk towards him Twinkleheels waited until his young master reached out
a hand to take hold of his mane. Then Twinkleheels wheeled like a flash
and tore off across the pasture, leaving Johnnie to clutch the empty
air.

Joh