utiful
mash ready for me."

I was led into a comfortable, clean-smelling stall with plenty of dry
straw, and after a capital supper, I lay down, thinking I was going to
be happy.

CHAPTER XII

A LONDON CAB HORSE

My new master's name was Jeremiah Barker, but as every one called him
Jerry, I shall do the same. Polly, his wife, was just as good a match as
a man could have. She was a plump, trim, tidy little woman, with smooth,
dark hair, dark eyes, and a merry little mouth. The boy was nearly
twelve years old, a tall, frank, good-tempered lad; and little Dorothy
(Dolly they called her) was her mother over again, at eight years old.
They were all wonderfully fond of each other; I never knew such a happy,
merry family before or since. Jerry had a cab of his own, and two
horses, which he drove and attended to himself. His other horse was a
tall, white, rather large-boned animal, called Captain. He was old now,
but when he was young he must have been splendid; he had still a proud
way of holding his head and arching his neck; in fact, he was a
high-bred, fine-mannered, noble old horse, every inch of him. He told me
that in his early youth he went to the Crimean War; he belonged to an
officer in the cavalry, and used to lead the regiment.

The next morning, when I was well-groomed, Polly and Dolly came into the
yard to see me and make friends. Harry had been helping his father since
the early morning, and had stated his opinion that I should turn out "a
regular brick." Polly brought me a slice of apple, and Dolly a piece of
bread, and made as much of me as if I had been the Black Beauty of olden
time. It was a great treat to be petted again and talked to in a gentle
voice, and I let them see as well as I could that I wished to be
friendly. Polly thought I was very handsome, and a great deal too good
for a cab, if it was not for the broken knees.

"Of course there's no one to tell us whose fault that was," said Jerry,
"and as long as I don't know I shall give him the benefit of the doubt;
for a firmer, neater stepper I never rode. We'll call him Jack, after
the old one--shall we, Polly?"

"Do," she said, "for I like to keep a good name going."

[Illustration]

Captain went out in the cab all the morning. Harry came in after school
to feed me and give me water. In the afternoon I was put into the cab.
Jerry took as much pains to see if the collar and bridle fitted
comfortably as if he had been John Manly over