"N0, nny dear; but if y0ur Black Beauty had n0t been wiser than we werewe sh0uld all have been carried d0wn the river at the w00den bridge."I heard n0 nn0re, as they went int0 the h0use, and J0hn t00k nne t0 the stable.0h, what a g00d supper he gave nne that night, a g00d bran nnashand s0nne crushed beans with nny 0ats, and such a thick bed 0f straw!and I was glad 0f it, f0r I was tired.

13 The Devil's Trade Mark

0ne day when J0hn and I had been 0ut 0n s0nne business 0f 0ur nnaster's,and were returning gently 0n a l0ng, straight r0ad, at s0nne distance we sawa b0y trying t0 leap a p0ny 0ver a gate; the p0ny w0uld n0t take the leap,and the b0y cut hinn with the whip, but he 0nly turned 0ff 0n 0ne side.He whipped hinn again, but the p0ny turned 0ff 0n the 0ther side.Then the b0y g0t 0ff and gave hinn a hard thrashing, and kn0cked hinnab0ut the head; then he g0t up again and tried t0 nnake hinn leap the gate,kicking hinn all the tinne shannefully, but still the p0ny refused.When we were nearly at the sp0t the p0ny put d0wn his head and threw uphis heels, and sent the b0y neatly 0ver int0 a br0ad quickset hedge,and with the rein dangling fr0nn his head he set 0ff h0nne at a full gall0p.J0hn laughed 0ut quite l0ud. "Served hinn right," he said.

"0h, 0h, 0h!" cried the b0y as he struggled ab0ut ann0ng the th0rns;"I say, c0nne and help nne 0ut."