There were three or four buggies under cover, but no horses at all,
they were farther afield. Across the paddock they went, and up the
hill. Half a dozen answered Mr. Hassal's strange whistle; the
others were wild, unbroken things, that tossed their manes and fled
away at the sight of people to the farthermost parts where the trees
grew.
Pip chose one, a grey, with long, fleet-looking legs and a narrow,
beautiful head; he prided himself upon knowing something about
"points." Judy picked a black, with reddish, restless eyes, but
Mr. Hassal refused it because it had an uncertain temper, so she
had to be content with a brown with a soft, satiny nose.
Meg asked for "something very quiet" in a whisper Judy and Pip could
not hear, and was given a ruggy horse that had carried Mrs. Hassal
eighteen years ago. Each animal was to be at the complete disposal
of the young people during their stay at Yarrahappini, but the rides
would have to take place before breakfast or after tea, they were told,
if they wanted any pleasure out of them; the rest of the day was
unbearable on horseback. Nellie was disappointed in the sheep,
exceedingly so. She had expected to find great snow-white beautiful
creatures that would be tame and allow her to put ribbon on their
necks and lead them about.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169