Draw Swords! Part 11

"I do not profess to teach any one, sir," said d.i.c.k angrily; "but I could ride that beautiful Arab, and it would be a shame to send it away."

"You don't know what you are talking about," said Wyatt in a low voice.

"Hold your tongue."

"I beg your pardon, sir," said d.i.c.k proudly; "I've ridden restive horses before now. The gunner here took him on the curb, and he has a tremendous bit in his mouth; look how he champs. I'll ride him if you'll give me leave, Captain Hulton."

"Mount, then, and show us," said the captain haughtily.

d.i.c.k started forward at once towards the horse, while the sergeant looked frowningly from one to the other, as if he could not believe his ears.

"No, no," said Wyatt warmly; "he'll break the poor lad's neck."

"No; he will only fall lightly. It will take some of the conceit out of the young puppy. It's intolerable."

"But he was hot and excited. He's only a boy. Stop it."

"I will not," said the captain angrily. "A mere cadet to come and talk to me like that on the parade-ground; it's insufferable!"

"Well, you may be answerable if he comes to grief," said Wyatt; "I wash my hands of it all."

"Silence, if you please," said Hulton; "we are not alone."

Note. This has been greatly altered now. Our cavalry ride with shorter stirrups and in better style.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

"THAT YOUNG CHAP'S ALL THERE!"

Captain Hulton was all the time watching what was going on by the Arab, where the slight youth, full of eagerness and activity, had nearly covered his hands with foam as he loosened the tight curb-chain, which evidently worried the horse, and was nearly bitten for his pains.

Then, as he stood wiping his fingers on his handkerchief, he made one of the syces shorten the stirrups to a considerable extent.

"You are going to risk it, then?" said Wyatt.

"I don't think there is any risk," said d.i.c.k.

"You are as blind as you are obstinate, my lad," said Wyatt. "I tell you it is a terrible risk; give it up."

"It wouldn't be acting like a soldier," replied the lad earnestly. "The men are all looking on, and even if I felt afraid I shouldn't dare to back out. But I don't feel a bit afraid; and who wouldn't long to ride a horse like this?"

"I wouldn't, for one," said Wyatt. "Well, good luck to you, then, my lad; but mind, for the brute's as full of tricks as a monkey."

"I'll mind, but I wish I'd a whip instead of these spurs. That will do!" he cried sharply to the syce, who had finished altering the last buckle.--"Now, then, old fellow," he cried, going to the Arab's head and taking hold of the snaffle on either side, "it's of no use; I'm going to ride you, so none of your tricks."

The horse whinnied and threw up its muzzle as the lad resigned it to the groom. Then, without a moment's hesitation, he took up the snaffle-rein, seized his opportunity when the off-side groom made the horse sidle towards him, thrust his foot in the stirrup, and heard Wyatt utter a kind of gasp as he sprang into the saddle, while the syces darted back to avoid the coming plunge.

Every eye was fixed upon the group, and the gunner who had been thrown smiled grimly at the sergeant, as much as to say, "Wait a minute and you'll see."

The horse uttered an angry squeal as he felt himself once more backed by a stranger, and then gave himself a tremendous shake as if to dislodge saddle and rider by bursting off the girths; but, finding this of no avail, he reared up till it seemed as if he must go over backward, and repeated the action again and again. But d.i.c.k sat fast, and gave and bent as if he were, as the sergeant said, a portion of his horse.

"Bravo! Well done!" muttered the captain. "By George! Wyatt, the boy can ride."

"Ride!" whispered the lieutenant in husky tones. "Look at that."

For the horse, disappointed at the failure of its efforts, began once more to bound off the earth; but there was no better result, the young rider bending and giving like a cane, but always sitting slightly bent forward as the beautiful creature made another of its graceful bounds.

"Well, I'm blest!" muttered the sergeant.

"He'll begin to buck directly," whispered the gunner who was using one hand to softly rub his back.

But this did not follow till a few more bounds had been made: and then it was after two or three angry squeals, the animal's back being arched, head and tail down, and feet drawn together for the necessary springs, each coming more quickly after the last, while every one who watched felt to a certainty that the rider must be thrown at the next leap, and the gunner wondered that the lad had not come off at the last.

But d.i.c.k's mettle was roused; and, in spite of being nearly dislodged, he gripped the saddle fast and gave with his steed's muscular efforts, getting fast again in his seat before the next effort.

Ten or a dozen of these mad leaps were made, the horse squealing fiercely as he bucked; but d.i.c.k was still in his seat when the Arab tossed up his head again, swerved to his right, and, laying himself out like a greyhound, went off at speed along the parade-ground for the opening at the end, and with his rider sitting well down to this comparatively easy work, disappeared like a flash.

"After him, Wyatt!" cried the captain. "Poor lad! I ought not to have let him mount.--You, too, Sergeant,--Follow them, Smith."

The three set spurs to their horses in the same order as their names were uttered, and went off in single file in full pursuit, while a thrill ran along the ranks of the artillery-men, who had to hold in their horses, which partic.i.p.ated in their riders' desire to join in the chase.

The road ran straight away from the gateway for about a mile, and then turned off at right angles to where a bridge crossed the river; and d.i.c.k soon saw that if his swift steed tried to turn and make for the bridge, going at such a racing speed, they must for certain have a mishap. He was quite cool now, felt easy in his saddle, and knew that he could keep there no matter how the pace was increased. It was wildly exhilarating, and he had to repress the desire to urge the horse on and on. He looked back, and far behind he could see the dust flying in a cloud where evidently some one was coming in pursuit; but it was only a momentary glance, and then he was looking straight ahead so as to make out his course.

This was soon done. He had only to make the horse swerve a little to his right and there was the open country, where a long stretch of closely-cut gra.s.sland parallel with the river offered good going, and over which the horse might gallop till he could pull him in.

But to reach that land there was a broad dike to cross; and if, going at such a speed, the horse failed to clear it down they must come.

There was no time for thought. The great dike had to be cleared, and not many seconds later they were flying through the air, to land on the opposite side; and the horse uttered a tremendous snort as he stretched out more, and made the wind whistle by the rider's ears as he tore on faster still.

"This doesn't seem like mastering him," thought d.i.c.k, "for he has mastered me; but I said I could ride him, and I can. I wish I knew the country so that I could make a round and take him back regularly done."

He bore gently on the rein, increasing the pull by degrees; but the horse's head was stretched straight out now, and, when it came to the hardest drag upon the reins, it had very little effect upon the swift creature, who tore along as fast as ever.

"Have your own way, then," said d.i.c.k quietly; and thoroughly enjoying the pace now, he contented himself with trying to guide his mount and avoid doubtful-looking places and jumps that were too exciting, finding, to his great delight, that the horse was amenable to the lightest touch in this direction; while, when they had raced on for about a couple of miles, he began to slacken of his own accord.

A few minutes later the horse was fully under control, yielding to every touch, and stopped short, turned, and began to canter gently back till the little party in pursuit was sighted, when, apparently tamed for the day by the run, he suffered the fine charger Wyatt rode to range up alongside, and took no heed whatever of the two which fell into rank behind.

"My dear boy," cried Wyatt hoa.r.s.ely, "I've been expecting to come upon all that was left of you every minute since the brute bolted."

"Have you?" said d.i.c.k, looking at him curiously. "It was nothing; one only had to sit fast."

"Nothing? Well, perhaps you're right, but you gave us a tremendous scare."

"I'm sorry," replied d.i.c.k. "But I hope you won't have the horse sent away. I'll buy him if the price isn't too much."