I and the horse are footing it together."
"He is not long for this world," I remarked, eyeing his ill-favored
steed, "but neither are we far from Jamestown. He'll last that far."
Master Sparrow shook his head, with a rueful countenance. "I
bought him from one of the French vignerons below Westover," he
said. "The fellow was astride the poor creature, beating him with a
club because he could not go. I laid Monsieur Crapaud in the dust,
after which we compounded, he for my purse, I for the animal;
since when the poor beast and I have tramped it together, for I
could not in conscience ride him. Have you read me ’sop his
fables, Captain Percy?"
"I remember the man, the boy, and the ass," I replied. "The ass
came to grief in the end. Put thy scruples in thy pocket, man, and
mount thy pale horse."
"Not I!" he said, with a smile. " 'T is a thousand pities, Captain
Percy, that a small, mean, and squeamish spirit like mine should
be cased like a very Guy of Warwick. Now, if I were slight of
body, or even if I were no heavier than your servant there" -
"Oh!" I said. "Diccon, give his reverence the mare, and do you
mount his horse and bring him slowly on to town. If he will not
carry you, you can lead him in."
Sunshine revisited the countenance of Master Jeremy Sparrow; he
swung his great body into the saddle, gathered up the reins, and
made the mare to caracole across the path for very joy.
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