no doubt that his rider would take advantage of so
fair a chance of following his trade. The clergyman, under the same
mistake, took out his purse without being asked, and assured the
innocent and surprised horseman that it was not necessary to draw his
pistol. The traveler drew back his horse with apologies to the
gentleman, whom he had unwillingly frightened, and pursued his journey.
The horse next made the same suspicious approach to a coach, from the
windows of which a blunderbuss was leveled, with threats of death to the
rider, who was innocent of all offense in deed or word. In short, after
his life had been once or twice endangered by the suspicions to which
his horse's conduct gave rise, and his liberty as often threatened by
peace officers, who were disposed to seize him as a notorious
highwayman, he found himself obliged to part with the animal for a mere
trifle, and had to purchase at a dearer rate, a horse of less fine
figure and action but of better morals.

[Illustration]

XIII

NOBLE PERSEVERENCE

Elephants were, of old, employed in India in the launching of ships. It
is told of one, that, being directed to force a very large ship into the
water, the work proved to much for its strength. Its master, in
sarcastic tones bade the keeper take away the lazy beast, and bring
another. The poor animal instantly put forth still greater efforts,
fractured his skull, and died on the spot.

[Illustration]

XIV

THE CAT AND THE CROWS

A pair of crows once made their nest in one of the trees that were
planted round the garden of a gentleman, who, in his morning walks, was
often amused by watching furious combats between the crows and a cat.
One morning the battle raged more fiercely than usual, till at last the
cat gave way, and took shelter under a hedge, as if to wait a better
chance of escaping to the house. The crows continued for a short time to
make a threatening noise; but seeing that on the ground they could do
nothing more than threaten, one of them lifted a stone from the middle
of the garden, and perched with it on a tree planted in the hedge, where
she sat, watching the movements of the cat, who, she feared, was after
her little ones. As the cat crept along under the hedge, the crow
followed her, flying from branch to branch, and from tree to tree; and
when at last puss dared to leave her hiding place, the crow, leaving the
tree, and hovering over her in the air, let the stone dro