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Nay, he even spoke once or twice coaxingly to Silvertail, as if conscious only of the presence of that animal, and in short conducted himself in a manner well worthy of the cunning of a drunken man.
"Saddle me Silvertail, Bill," repeated the old man with the air of one whose mandate was not to be questioned. "But where the devil are you going, sir," he added impatiently. "Why to saddle Silvertail, to be sure," said the youth, who was just closing the door for that purpose. "What, and leave me a miserable old man to get up without a light. Oh fie, Bill.
Sampson's toilet was soon completed, and Silvertail being announced as "all ready," he, without communicating a word of his purpose, issued forth from his home, just as the day was beginning to dawn. Although the reflective powers of Gattrie had been in some measure restored by sleep, it is by no means to be assumed he was yet thoroughly sober.
Another moment and the white shirt came over the last fence, the brown horse soaring like some great eagle. Silvertail, clinging gamely to her leader, brushed through the fence and pecked heavily on landing. Monkey punished her savagely. "Ain't in a very pretty temper, Monkey ain't," muttered Old Mat, as the little jockey pulled aside and slipped off. "Now Make-Way-There'll take it up."
"You see his name is Prince." "I hear that is his name." "You will see presently that is not his whole name." "Silvertail?" "Silver-sticks! Please attend, sir. His name is Prince Arthur." "Named after a gentleman who lived a few years ago; who dined off 'a table round, and who was thought to be unfortunate in his lady." "No, sir.
The object of this reconnoissance was, therefore, only to see if the canoe of the settler was still on the shore, and with this object he suffered Silvertail to take the road along the sands, while he himself, with his arms folded and his head sunk on his chest, fell into a reverie with which was connected the manner and the means of securing the disloyal Desborough, should it happen that he had not yet departed.
It was this action that, nearly unseating Sampson, had drawn from him the impatient exclamation just recorded. At length the thicket was passed, and Silvertail, recovered from his alarm, moved forward once more on the bound, in obedience to the well known whistle of his master.
Boy tapped Silvertail with such an increase of emphasis that the old mare snatched resentfully at her bit. "You won't," she cried with the old fierce, girlish note in her voice which so delighted him. "After he's won the National," continued the young man calmly. "We'll see after," replied Boy. They passed out of the Paddock Close on to the Downs. "How's he coming on?" asked Jim.
After galloping about a mile, the old man found the feet of Silvertail burying themselves momentarily deeper in the sands which form the road near Elliott's Point.
When the man had watered Silvertail, and put his corn in the trough, he returned to the house, and Sampson, with his arms folded across his chest, as his horse crunched his food, listened attentively to catch whatever conversation might ensue between the loiterers.
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