Part 23 (1/2)

”Be wise. Speak to no one unless forced to. Poke a sharp toe against Hotspur's side should any one try to stop you. If speak you must, let it be in the words and tones of the black people. This you could do very well. Make a queer jumble of what you say, to confuse any who may question you.”

And Sally answered, demurely:

”All these commands will I obey.”

Then she laughed merrily, and Hotspur suddenly kicked out his hind legs as if full of sport himself.

For two hours Sally rode on undisturbed, then there loomed a great wagon she must either meet or hide somewhere to avoid it.

She thought it safer to ride to the back of a great barn and hide. But Hotspur liked not being drawn up into the dark shadow. Just as the wagon rumbled by he gave a loud neigh. Up went a window somewhere overhead.

”Who's there?” called a harsh voice. ”Answer, or I'll let out the dogs.”

”Say, Mars',” called Sally, in a shrill tone, ”how far to Parson Kendall's, and how far to Farmer Hinds's?”

”You must be a fool!” replied the gruff voice. ”Parson Kendall's lies way behind, two or three hours' ride. Hinds's place is two hours ahead, straight along by the bushes, through the oak belt, and on by the river path.”

”De bushes road straight on, isn't it?” asked Sally.

”Follow your stupid nose, and half an hour's ride will bring you to it.

I say, whose horse have you got there?”

”Yah! yah! dis hoss get me dar all right,” cried Sally, and hitting a heel against Hotspur, she was off like a rocket, hearing nothing more.

But alack! five or six hors.e.m.e.n next approached on the lonely road, and there appeared no way of escape. The house and barn were far behind, nor would she have turned and fled. Only open fields and meadows lay ahead.

Then Sally made a mistake.

She pulled a stinging sapling from a bush, thinking to give Hotspur a smart switch, and so race by as the men came up. Had she but known it, a gentle slap from her hand on his s.h.i.+ning flank and a hiss in ear would have sent the proud animal bounding forward like a deer, exactly as she wished.

So fine a horse would be noticed anywhere, and men were abroad who would gladly have s.n.a.t.c.hed Hotspur as a rich prize, and borne him away where a great price he would have brought and none too many questions asked.

Sally gave the men a wide path, but one called, sharply:

”Halt! Who goes there? In the king's name, who art thou?”

Sally gave Hotspur a wild cut from the whip in her hand. The spirited creature stopped short, then reared so high that only by flinging her arms about his neck did the maid keep from being flung to the ground.

”Hotspur! Hotspur!” she cried in his ear, ”go on, oh, go on!”

Aloud, she cried:

”Oh, wot Mars' Kendall, wot Mars' Hanc.o.c.ke do if we gets late!”

”Who are you?” cried another man, riding nearer; and Sally wailed again about getting late.

”Stop your nonsense!” sung out another man, trying to get close enough to the still prancing Hotspur to clutch at the frail bridle.