walk came the two horses
with their riders. The fierce steed had found his master, and looked
quiet and subdued. Never till that day had he been broken. Till this
time he had felt his power, now he felt the power of another. Gilbert
seemed perfectly at home on his back, and from his manner no one would
have supposed that he had had a hard conflict with the brute, from
which, had he not come forth victorious, the result might have been
death or serious injury.

"He's dangerous," thought his uncle. "A boy who can subdue such a horse
must have an unconquerable will. _While he lives, I am not safe._"

To John he said, wishing to keep up appearances:

"I told you he would come back safe. You only made a fool of yourself
by worrying."

"Shure he must be a splindid rider, sir," said John, perplexed, "or
else he has the divil's own luck, the one or the other."

Mr. Grey waited till the boys came up, and John took the liberty of
doing the same, though he had been bidden to go back to his work.

"How did you enjoy your ride?" he inquired, looking to Gilbert. "I see
you rode Bucephalus."

"I had a little fight with the horse," answered Gilbert, "but I came
off best."

"So he undertook to trouble you, did he?" asked Mr. Grey, with
curiosity.

"Yes. He thought he was master, and undertook first to disobey, and
afterward to run away with me. But I think he met his match, didn't
you, Bucephalus?" said Gilbert, with a laugh, as he stroked the horse's
neck.

Bucephalus showed signs of pleasure, and the fierce glance of his eye
was softer and more gentle than Mr. Grey had ever known it.

"Shure and I'm glad you come back safe, Mr. Gilbert," said John,
earnestly. "I don't see how you did it."

"I don't think you'll find him so troublesome after this, John," said
our hero, dismounting. "We are better friends than we were--eh,
Bucephalus?"

"Ye must have had a charm," said John, more than half in earnest. "I
never saw such a change in a creetur before. He was a lion when he went
out, and he comes back a lamb."

"It's a great secret," said Gilbert, laughing.

"Will it last, do you think?"

"I think so. When a horse is once conquered he remembers it."

"Shure, thin, he's worth twice the sum he was before," said John.

"Do you want me to charge Mr. Grey for my services?" asked Gilbert,
laughing.

"Shure he could afford to pay you," answered John, "and that handsome."

"How far did you go, Jasper?" inquired his father