Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/447

 They were tried comrades in many a rough adventure, and it takes a good deal to turn a man's heart from an old friend.

"Of course I will," he assented, putting his arm through Florian's. "We can cross the deer-park, and go over the footbridge above the waterfall. It saves nearly half a mile. Slap-Jack," he added, emerging from the house, "take that horse home, under easy sail, d'ye mind? and see him well dressed over when you get to the stable."

Then he and Florian strolled quietly away to cross the deer-park and thread a certain picturesque dingle adorned by the above-mentioned waterfall. It was the show bit of scenery at Hamilton Hill, and the track leading to it was so precipitous as to be impassable by any four-footed animal less nimble than a goat.

It was Slap-Jack's duty to conduct Emerald by an easier route to his own stable; and for this purpose the adventurous seaman proceeded to "get up the side," as he called it, an ascent which he effected with some difficulty, and so commenced his voyage with considerable prudence, according to orders, "under easy sail."

But Emerald's blood was up after his gallop. The seaman's awkward seat and unskilled hand on the rein irritated him considerably. He fretted, he danced, he sidled, he snatched at his bridle, he tossed his head, he showed symptoms of mutiny from the very beginning.

"I knowed as we should make bad weather of it," said Slap-Jack, relating his adventure that evening in the servants' hall, "when we come into open sea. Steer he wouldn't, and every time I righted him he broached-to, as if he was going down stern foremost. So I lashed the helm amid-ships, and held on by my eyelids to stand by for a capsize."

In truth the horse soon took the whole affair into his own management, and after one or two long reaching plunges, that would have unseated Slap-jack had he not held on manfully by the mane, started off at a furious gallop, which brought him to his own stable-yard in about five minutes from the time he left the inn door.

Cerise, wandering pale and listless amongst her roses, heard the clatter of hoofs entering at this unusual pace,