Chapter-6
One day, John was riding me back to the park after finishing some work given by the master.
On the way, we encountered with a boy riding on a pony. The boy was urging the pony to jump over a gate which was too high for it. The pony was helpless, so it turned to one side. But the boy kept whipping it hard. When the pony got frustrated, it kicked him off his back. As a result, the boy fell among the shrubs.
John and I were quite amused at the site and were happy that the boy had learnt his lessons for mishandling the poor pony.
The boy cried for help, but John refused to accede to the request and said, “That’s the right place for you. I hope now you should know how to behave with pets. Don’t you see the gate is too high for the pony to jump over?” Turning a deaf ear to the cry the boy made, we simply left.
On our way, we crossed a farm house. We heard the farmer’s wife wondering about the delay of her son. When she saw John, she asked him about the same boy whom we had just met. She said that the pony he was on, had returned without him.
John, twitching his nose, said, “How will he come home? He is lying in the place he deserves. I haven’t seen such a merciless boy. The poor pony could not cross the gate and he kept whipping it. The pony kicked him off in the hedge. But you needn’t worry; he isn’t much hurt. I should go now or I’ll be late.”
He kept muttering, ‘How can they be so cruel to helpless animals?’
He turned his head and saw the farmer’s wife worried. As she stepped on the road to go in order to look for her son, Bill, the farmer, stopped her uttering the same thing that the boy should learn to behave properly.
At home, John narrated the incident to James. James knew Bill Bushby right from school days. He told that Bill used to keep his head high in front of poor boys saying that his father was a farmer. He kept bullying the ones who were younger than he.
My friends and I used to keep him away from the poor young boys.
“He was not even kind to animals whenever in the playground; he used to catch flies, break their wings and then clap and laugh at their disabilities. He was often punished for his mischiefs,” James told.
While John led me to my box, James got some oats for me. Soon, my master, Mr. Gordon, visited the stable. He had a letter in his hands for James.
He came up to John and asked, “John, is James carrying out his responsibilities well or are there any faults?”
“He is a perfect boy, Sir. He listens to orders and takes proper care of horses. There aren’t any complaints. But why do you ask so?” replied John.
The Squire said, “I wanted to know if he ever had mishandled the horses?”
John replied, “No sir! Never did I find him disobedient or dishonest or careless. If anyone comes and says to me that he has misbehaved, I won’t believe.”
I was listening to them. Then, I saw James enter the stable. He had also overheard them. He came up to my master but didn’t speak.
My master felt somebody behind and turned round, only to find James standing there. James approached me. Putting the oats in front of me, he turned towards the master and John. He knew they had something in store for him.
Just then, my master put his hand on his shoulder and said in an explanatory tone, “James, would you like to go for a transfer? You have proved to be a good boy. Actually, I got a letter from my brother-in-law. His name is Sir Clifford Williams. He requires a boy like you to take care of his stable and horses. He has asked for a trustworthy groom and I think you are fit to be placed there.”
James was a little shocked at first. But when he came to know that he would earn eighteen shillings a week with a personal bedroom, a stable dress and an assistant after his training was over, he readily agreed to the proposal.
My master said that we all would miss James but the new place would be financially good for him and he would be able to live a better life.
James told the Squire that he was eighteen, when my master asked him. So, it was decided finally that James would go at Sir Clifford’s place.
John was also happy for the offer James had received. He suggested some proper training for him before he left.
Ginger and I were also put into work. We were put to the carriages on which James practised with John guiding him the ways to handle us. Soon James would alone go out with us pulling the carriages.
Ginger and I disliked the harness but we were to give James gift for all the kindness he showered on us. So, we didn’t mind pulling carriages for him. We were surely going to miss him.
