CHAPTER XVI.
It had been arranged that Robert should borrow a horse from DoctorJohn's stables, ride it over to Gault House, and keep it there till hisreturn to Second Westings. But as he was strolling down the villagestreet before breakfast, he saw, in a paddock beside an unpretentiouscottage, a splendid Narragansett pacer, a dark sorrel, one of thehandsomest of the breed that he had ever seen. He had long coveted oneof these horses, famous in all the thirteen colonies for their easygait, speed over rough country, and unparalleled endurance. Withcharacteristic promptness in getting to his point, he went in,interviewed the owner, tried the horse, loved it, and asked the price.The owner was not anxious to sell; but when he found out who thewould-be purchaser was, and the liberal price he was ready to pay, theprospect of an immediate draft on the bank at Hartford provedirresistible, and Robert rode off with his prize. He knew horse-flesh,and did not grudge the price; and both Doctor John and Doctor Jim, whoknew this sorrel pacer well, were constrained to commend the purchase,though to them it seemed that so weighty an action demanded, if but forform's sake, the tribute of delay and pondering.
"Buy a horse like that, Robert, in three shakes of a ram's tail? It'sundignified!" roared Doctor Jim, eyeing the beast with unmixedapprobation. "It's an insult to the horse. And it's a slight upon thevalue of our assistance, you cock-sure young rascal. But it's just themulish way your father would have gone and done it, so I suppose wemust forgive you."
Doctor John, meanwhile, had been handling the beast critically, andlooking at its teeth.
"Worth all you gave for him, Bobby; and not a day over five years old!"was the verdict. "I see you're old enough to go about alone. Don'tyou mind what Jim Pigeon says. He'd have had you run to him and ask ifyou might have a horse of your own, and then get him and me to go downand look at the beast, and come back here and talk it all over incouncil, and then go back and bully Enoch Barnes some more about theprice, and then all three of us ride the beast up to MistressMehitable's, to ask the opinion of her and Barbara on the subject, andthen--"
But Robert interrupted at this point in the tirade.
"That _would_ have been a good idea," he asserted, regretfully. "Iwish I had thought to consult the ladies. But, you know, I _knew_ thathorse was just the one I'd so long been wanting the moment I set eyeson him. So I didn't dare wait, lest some one else should come alongand snap him up. Of course you both know a thousand times more abouthorses than I do,--but I knew enough to know I wanted this one!"
"You _generally_ seem to know what you want, Master Gault!" said DoctorJim. "And you seem like to get it, generally, if I don't mistake thecut of you,--eh, what?"
"Tut, tut," said Doctor John, scowling upon him quizzically. "That'sall very well as far as horses are concerned, and men! But wait tillit comes to women, Robert. You've a lot to learn, my son. If I'm notmuch mistaken, you'll be taught a lot, and not spared in the teaching!"
"I'm always anxious to learn," answered Robert, modestly.
"You will! You will!" said Doctor John.
Breakfast was a substantial meal of boiled "Yokeag" with molasses, andbroiled salmon, and venison cutlets, and fried ham, and rich guavajelly from the West Indies. Robert was surprised to see each of hisfriends preface the repast with a quart mug of the hardest and headiestold cider, he himself being accustomed to a small cup of light alemerely, or a sip of claret, at this hour. Both Doctor John and DoctorJim assured him that there was nothing like sound cider to tone up thestomach for its day's adventures; and on their advice he tried it,though sparingly, and therefore with no tragic results.
After breakfast, he was so obviously restless that the big-heartedbrothers made no effort to detain him. With heavy hands upon hisshoulders, they told him to make the least possible delay in hisreturn, and to bear in mind how warm the welcome ever awaiting him atSecond Westings.
"How like to Richard in the saddle!" exclaimed Doctor John, when Roberthad mounted the sorrel pacer.
"And that's a compliment not many a lad of your age could win, my son!"said Doctor John.
Robert's dark face flushed with pleasure.
"I try hard to be as like my father as possible," said he. "Don't youthink I might properly ride around and pay my respects to the ladiesbefore I leave?"
"Unquestionably you might! 'Pon my word a capital idea!" laughedDoctor Jim, with huge derision.
"Unquestionably, my boy, you would find yourself in hot water if youdidn't!" said Doctor John.
So Robert, without more ado, turned the head of his Narragansett pacertoward Westings House, whose wide white gables were partly visiblethrough the trees.
A very erect, graceful, and masterful young figure he made, as hereined in his tall sorrel before Mistress Mehitable's porch. MistressMehitable from her window above had seen him coming, and was on thesteps to greet him. He flung himself from the saddle, kissed her handdeferentially, thanked her with fervour for her delightfulhospitality,--and at the same time cast a solicitous eye about thewalks and windows, wondering where Barbara could be. MistressMehitable had an amused smile, but would not help him. She said politethings, and assured him of the pleasure with which she would lookforward to his next visit,--and even added that he had better notpostpone that next visit beyond five or six days, or a week at most, asMr. Glenowen was expected at once, and might not be able to stay longat Second Westings. But of Barbara she said not a word. Robert showedher, with pride, his sorrel pacer, related with an abstracted air thecircumstances of its purchase, and enlarged upon the special merits ofthe breed, while Mistress Mehitable patted the silky white nose, andmurmured boundless admiration. But still no sign, no word, of Barbara.
At last Robert could contain himself no longer.
"I ought to be on the road," he stammered, "but I should be sorry toleave without making my adieux to Mistress Barbara. Is she within?"
"She went out about half an hour ago!" said Mistress Mehitable, "anddid not say where she was going!"
Robert's face fell so pathetically that Mistress Mehitable felt alittle flush of resentment against Barbara for her cruelty.
"She left kindest messages for you," she continued, hastily. "She toldme to say how sorry she was not to see you this morning, and that shewould never forgive you if you did not come again to Second Westingsvery soon. And I was to say good-bye to you for her!"
"I thank you," said Robert, heavily. "Pray you give her my devotions,and tell her how grieved I am to be denied the privilege of paying themin person. I kiss your hand again, dear Mistress Ladd!" And with thathe rode off musingly, through a morning whose sunlight had on thesudden lost its sparkle, whose spicy airs had all at once lost theirzest. His pride in the new pacer, which he had hoped to show off toBarbara, was all fallen flat. He forced the restive beast to walksoberly for some moments. Then a swift heat of anger, a sense ofundeserved injury, went over him. He swore he would come no more toSecond Westings all that summer; and setting spurs to the willingsorrel, he tore away down the road at a pounding gallop.