ven to all the servants, he did not
dare to make the experiment of soliciting their assistance.

While he was in this embarrassment a new and sudden expedient presented
itself to his fertile genius, which he instantly resolved to adopt.
Tommy went to his mamma's maid, and without difficulty, obtained from
her a couple of the largest-sized pins, which he thrust through the
leather of his boots, and, thus accoutred, he mounted his horse without
suspicion or observation.

Tommy had not ridden far before he began to give vent to his reigning
passion, and asked William if he had ever seen an Arabian on horseback.
The answer of William sufficiently proved his ignorance, which Tommy
kindly undertook to remove by giving him a detail of all the particulars
he had heard the preceding night; but, unfortunately, the eloquence of
Tommy precipitated him into a dangerous experiment; for, just as he was
describing their rapid flight across the deserts, the interest of his
subject so transported him that he closed his legs upon his little
horse, and pricked him in so sensible a manner, that the pony, who was
not deficient in spirit, resented the attack, and set off with him at a
prodigious rate.

William, when he saw his master thus burst forth, was at a loss whether
to consider it an accident or only an oratorical grace; but seeing the
horse hurrying along the roughest part of the common, while Tommy tugged
in vain to restrain his efforts, he thought it necessary to endeavour to
overtake him, and therefore pursued him with all the speed he could use.
But the pony, whose blood seemed to be only the more inflamed by the
violence of his own exertions, ran the faster when he heard the
trampling of another horse behind him.

In this manner did Tommy scamper over the common, while William pursued
in vain; for, just as the servant thought he had reached his master, his
horse would push forward with such rapidity as left his pursuer far
behind. Tommy kept his seat with infinite address; but he now began
seriously to repent of his own ungovernable ambition, and would, with
the greatest pleasure, have exchanged his own spirited steed for the
dullest ass in England.

The race had now endured a considerable time, and seemed to be no nearer
to a conclusion, when, on a sudden, the pony turned short, upon an
attempt of his master to stop him, and rushed precipitately into a large
bog or quagmire, which was full before him; here he made him a mom