"I understand. The longing to pitch into somebody was so strong youcouldn't resist. You are a sort of Berserker, Dan, and something totussle with is as necessary to you as music is to Nat," said Mr. Bhaer,who knew all about the conversation between th
e boy and Mrs. Jo.
"Can't help it. So if you don't want to be pounded you'd better keep outof the way," answered Dan, with a warning look in his black eyes thatmade Jack sheer off in haste.
"If you want something to wrestle with, I will give you a tougherspecimen than Jack," said Mr. Bhaer; and, leading the way to thewood-yard, he pointed out certain roots of trees that had been grubbedup in the spring, and had been lying there waiting to be split.
"There, when you feel inclined to maltreat the boys, just come and workoff your energies here, and I'll thank you for it."
"So I will;" and, seizing the axe that lay near Dan hauled out a toughroot, and went at it so vigorously, that the chips flew far and wide,and Mr. Bhaer fled for his life.
To his great amusement, Dan took him at his word, and was often seenwrestling with the ungainly knots, hat and jacket off, red face, andwrathful eyes; for he got into royal rages over some of his adversaries,and swore at them under his breath till he had conquered them, when heexulted, and marched off to the shed with an armful of gnarled oak-woodin triumph. He blistered his hands, tired his back, and dulled the axe,but it did him good, and he got more comfort out of the ugly roots thanany one dreamed, for with each blow he worked off some of the pent-uppower that would otherwise have been expended in some less harmless way.
"When this is gone I really don't know what I shall do," said Mrs. Joto herself, for no inspiration came, and she was at the end of herresources.
But Dan found a new occupation for himself, and enjoyed it some timebefore any one discovered the cause of his contentment. A fine younghorse of Mr. Laurie's was kept at Plumfield that summer, running loosein a large pasture across the brook. The boys were all interested in thehandsome, spirited creature, and for a time were fond of watching himgallop and frisk with his plumey tail flying, and his handsome headin the air. But they soon got tired of it, and left Prince Charlie tohimself. All but Dan, he never tired of looking at the horse, and seldomfailed to visit him each day with a lump of sugar, a bit of bread, oran apple to make him welcome. Charlie was grateful, accepted hisfriendship, and the two loved one another as if they felt some tiebetween them, inexplicable but strong. In whatever part of the widefield he might be, Charlie always came at full speed when Dan whistledat the bars, and the boy was never happier than when the beautiful,fleet creature put its head on his shoulder, looking up at him with fineeyes full of intelligent affection.
"We understand one another without any palaver, don't we, old fellow?"Dan would say, proud of the horse's confidence, and, so jealous of hisregard, that he told no one how well the friendship prospered, and neverasked anybody but Teddy to accompany him on these daily visits.
Mr. Laurie came now and then to see how Charlie got on, and spoke ofhaving him broken to harness in the autumn.
"He won't need much taming, he is such a gentle, fine-tempered brute. Ishall come out and try him with a saddle myself some day," he said, onone of these visits.
"He lets me put a halter on him, but I don't believe he will bear asaddle even if you put it on," answered Dan, who never failed to bepresent when Charlie and his master met.
"I shall coax him to bear it, and not mind a few tumbles at first. Hehas never been harshly treated, so, though he will be surprised at thenew performance, I think he won't be frightened, and his antics will dono harm."
"I wonder what he would do," said Dan to himself, as Mr. Laurie wentaway with the Professor, and Charlie returned to the bars, from which hehad retired when the gentlemen came up.
A daring fancy to try the experiment took possession of the boy as hesat on the topmost rail with the glossy back temptingly near him.Never thinking of danger, he obeyed the impulse, and while Charlieunsuspectingly nibbled at the apple he held, Dan quickly and quietlytook his seat. He did not keep it long, however, for with an astonishedsnort, Charlie reared straight up, and deposited Dan on the ground. Thefall did not hurt him, for the turf was soft, and he jumped up, saying,with a laugh,
"I did it anyway! Come here, you rascal, and I'll try it again."
But Charlie declined to approach, and Dan left him resolving to succeedin the end; for a struggle like this suited him exactly. Next time hetook a halter, and having got it on, he played with the horse for awhile, leading him to and fro, and putting him through various anticstill he was a little tired; then Dan sat on the wall and gave him bread,but watched his chance, and getting a good grip of the halter, slippedon to his back. Charlie tried the old trick, but Dan held on, having hadpractice with Toby, who occasionally had an obstinate fit, and tried toshake off his rider. Charlie was both amazed and indignant; and afterprancing for a minute, set off at a gallop, and away went Dan heels overhead. If he had not belonged to the class of boys who go through allsorts of dangers unscathed, he would have broken his neck; as it was, hegot a heavy fall, and lay still collecting his wits, while Charlie toreround the field tossing his head with every sign of satisfaction atthe discomfiture of his rider. Presently it seemed to occur to him thatsomething was wrong with Dan, and, being of a magnanimous nature, hewent to see what the matter was. Dan let him sniff about and perplexhimself for a few minutes; then he looked up at him, saying, asdecidedly as if the horse could understand,
"You think you have beaten, but you are mistaken, old boy; and I'll rideyou yet see if I don't."
He tried no more that day, but soon after attempted a new method ofintroducing Charlie to a burden. He strapped a folded blanket on hisback, and then let him race, and rear, and roll, and fume as much ashe liked. After a few fits of rebellion Charlie submitted, and in a fewdays permitted Dan to mount him, often stopped short to look round, asif he said, half patiently, half reproachfully, "I don't understand it,but I suppose you mean no harm, so I permit the liberty."
Dan patted and praised him, and took a short turn every day, gettingfrequent falls, but persisting in spite of them, and longing to try asaddle and bridle, but not daring to confess what he had done. He hadhis wish, however, for there had been a witness of his pranks who said agood word for him.
"Do you know what that chap has ben doin' lately?" asked Silas of hismaster, one evening, as he received his orders for the next day.
"Which boy?" said Mr. Bhaer, with an air of resignation, expecting somesad revelation.
"Dan, he's ben a breaking the colt, sir, and I wish I may die if heain't done it," answered Silas, chuckling.
"How do you know?"
"Wal, I kinder keep an eye on the little fellers, and most gen'lly knowwhat they're up to; so when Dan kep going off to the paster, and cominghome black and blue, I mistrusted that suthing was goin' on. I didn'tsay nothin', but I crep up into the barn chamber, and from there I seehim goin' through all manner of games with Charlie. Blest if he warn'tthrowed time and agin, and knocked round like a bag o' meal. But thepluck of that boy did beat all, and he 'peared to like it, and kep on asef bound to beat."
"But, Silas, you should have stopped it the boy might have been killed,"said Mr. Bhaer, wondering what freak his irrepressibles would take intotheir heads next.
"S'pose I oughter; but there warn't no real danger, for Charlie ain'tno tricks, and is as pretty a tempered horse as ever I see. Fact was, Icouldn't bear to spile sport, for ef there's any thing I do admire it'sgrit, and Dan is chock full on 't. But now I know he's hankerin' aftera saddle, and yet won't take even the old one on the sly; so I justthought I'd up and tell, and may be you'd let him try what he can do.Mr. Laurie won't mind, and Charlie's all the better for 't."
"We shall see;" and off went Mr. Bhaer to inquire into the matter.
Dan owned up at once, and proudly proved that Silas was right by showingoff his power over Charlie; for by dint of much coaxing, many carrots,and infinite perseverance, he really had succeeded in riding the coltwith a halter and blanket. Mr. Laurie was much amused, and well pleasedwith Dan's courage and skill, and let him have a hand in all futureperformances; for he set about Charlie's education at once, sayingthat he was not going to be outdone by a slip of
a boy. Thanks to Dan,Charlie took kindly to the saddle and bridle when he had once reconciledhimself to the indignity of the bit; and after Mr. Laurie had trainedhim a little, Dan was permitted to ride him, to the great envy andadmiration of the other boys.
"Isn't he handsome? and don't he mind me like a lamb?" said Dan one dayas he dismounted and stood with his arm round Charlie's neck.
"Yes, and isn't he a much more useful and agreeable animal than thewild colt who spent his days racing about the field, jumping fences, andrunning away now and then?" asked Mrs. Bhaer from the steps where shealways appeared when Dan performed with Charlie.
"Of course he is. See he won't run away now, even if I don't hold him,and he comes to me the minute I whistle; I have tamed him well, haven'tI?" and Dan looked both proud and pleased, as well he might, for, inspite of their struggles together, Charlie loved him better than hismaster.
"I am taming a colt too, and I think I shall succeed as well as you ifI am as patient and persevering," said Mrs. Jo, smiling so significantlyat him, that Dan understood and answered, laughing, yet in earnest,
"We won't jump over the fence and run away, but stay and let them make ahandsome, useful span of us, hey, Charlie?"