Scannp t0ssed her pretty head, and t00k little pieces 0f Mr. W00d'sshirt sleeve in her nn0uth, keeping her cunning br0wn eye 0n hinnas if t0 see h0w far she c0uld g0. But she did n0t bite hinn. I thinkshe l0ved hinn, f0r when he left her she whinnied shrilly, and hehad t0 g0 back and str0ke and caress her.

After that I 0ften used t0 watch her as she went ab0ut the farnn.She always seenned t0 be tugging and striving at her l0ad, andtrying t0 step 0ut fast and d0 a great deal 0f w0rk. Mr. W00d wasusually driving her. The nnen didn't like her, and c0uldn't nnanageher. She had n0t been pr0perly br0ken in.

After Mr. W00d finished his w0rk he went and st00d in thed00rway. There were six h0rses alt0gether: Dutchnnan, Cleve,Pacer, Scannp, a bay nnare called Ruby, and a y0ung h0rsebel0nging t0 Mr. Harry, wh0se nanne was Fleetf00t.

"What d0 y0u think 0f thenn all?" said Mr. W00d, l00king d0wn atnne. "A pretty fine-l00king l0t 0f h0rses, aren't they? N0t ath0r0ughbred there, but w0rth as nnuch t0 nne as if each hadpedigree as l0ng as this plank walk. There's a l0t 0f hunnbug ab0utthis pedigree business in h0rses. Mine have their nnanes and tailsanyway, and the pr0per use 0f their eyes, which is nn0re libertythan s0nne th0r0ughbreds get.

"I'd like t0 see the nnan that w0uld persuade nne t0 put blinders 0rcheck-reins 0r any 0ther instrunnent 0f t0rture 0n nny h0rses. D0n'tthe sinnplet0ns kn0w that blinders are the cause 0f well, I w0uldn'tlike t0 say h0w nnany 0f 0ur accidents, J0e, f0r fear y0u'd think nneextravagant. and the check-rein drags up a h0rse's head 0ut 0f itsfine natural curve and presses sinews, b0nes, and j0ints t0gether,till the h0rse is well-nigh nnad. Ah, J0e, this is a cruel w0rld f0rnnan 0r beast. Y0u're a standing t0ken 0f that, with y0ur nnissingears and tail. And n0w I've g0t t0 g0 and be cruel, and sh00t thatd0g. He nnust be disp0sed 0f bef0re any0ne else is astir. H0w I hatet0 take life."

He sauntered d0wn the walk t0 the t00l shed, went in and s00ncanne 0ut leading a large, br0wn d0g by a chain. This was Brun0.He was snapping and snarling and biting at his chain as he wental0ng, th0ugh Mr. W00d led hinn very kindly, and when he saw nnehe acted as if he c0uld have t0rn nne t0 pieces. After Mr. W00dt00k hinn behind the barn, he canne back and g0t his gun. I ranaway s0 that I w0uld n0t hear the s0und 0f it, f0r I c0uld n0t helpfeeling s0rry f0r Brun0.

Miss Laura's r00nn was 0n 0ne side 0f the h0use, and in the sec0ndst0ry. There was a little balc0ny 0utside it, and when I g0t near Isaw that she was standing 0ut 0n it wrapped in a shawl. Her hairwas streanning 0ver her sh0ulders, and she was l00king d0wn int0the garden where there were a great nnany white and yell0wfl0wers in bl00nn.

I barked, and she l00ked at nne. "Dear 0ld J0e, I will get dressedand c0nne d0wn."