Fear: The Horse and His Boy

Chapter 2

"There you are at last," the Horse said when he got back to it. "I was beginning to wonder what had become of you."

"I was getting your things out of the stable," Shasta replied. "And now, can you tell us how to put them on?"

For the next few minutes the children were at work, very cautiously to avoid jingling, while the Horse said things like, "Get that girth a bit tighter," or "You'll find a buckle lower down," or "You'll need to shorten those stirrups a good bit." When all was finished it said:

"Now; we've got to have reins for the look of the thing, but you won't be using them. Tie them to the saddle-bow: very slack so that I can do what I like with my head. And remember—you are not to touch them."

"What are they for, then?" Shasta asked.

"Ordinarily they are for directing me," the Horse replied. "But as I intend to do all the directing on this journey, you'll please keep your hands to yourself. And there's another thing. I'm not going to have you grabbing my mane."

"But, I say," Shasta pleaded. "If I'm not to hold on by the reins or by your mane, what am I to hold on by?"

"You hold on with your knees," the Horse said. "That's the secret of good riding. Grip my body between your knees as hard as you like; sit straight up, straight as a poker; keep your elbows in. And by the way, what did you do with the spurs?"

"Put them on my heels, of course," Shasta said. "I do know that much."

"Then you can take them off and put them in the saddle-bag. We may be able to sell them when we get to Tashbaan. Ready? And now I think you can get up."

Alvina climbed up with Shasta's help then he went to climb up in front of her.

"Ooh! You're a dreadful height," Shasta gasped after his first, and unsuccessful attempt. Alvina giggled at Shasta's comment.

"I'm a horse, that's all," was the reply. "Anyone would think I was a haystack from the way you're trying to climb up me! There, that's better. Now sit up and remember what I told you about your knees. Funny to think of me who has led cavalry charges and won races having a potato-sack like you in the saddle! However, off we go." It chuckled, not unkindly.

And it certainly began their night journey with great caution.

First of all it went just south of the fisherman's cottage to the little river which there ran into the sea, and took care to leave in the mud some very plain hoof-marks pointing south. But as soon as they were in the middle of the ford it turned upstream and waded till they were about a hundred yards further inland than the cottage.

Then it selected a nice gravelly bit of bank which would take no footprints and came out on the northern side.

Then, still at a walking pace, it went northward till the cottage, the one tree, the donkey's stable, and the creek, everything, in fact, that Shasta had ever known, had sunk out of sight in the grey summer-night darkness.

They had been going uphill and now were at the top of the ridge, that ridge which had always been the boundary of Shasta's known world. He could not see what was ahead except that it was all open and grassy. It looked endless; wild and lonely and free.

"I say!" the Horse observed. "What a place for a gallop, eh?"

"Oh don't let's," Shasta said. "Not yet. I don't know how to, please, Horse."

"We don't know your name." Alvina said.

"Breehy-hinny-brinny-hoohy-hah," the Horse said.

"I'll never be able to say that," Shasta said.