summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authornfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>2025-01-28 04:26:36 -0800
committernfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>2025-01-28 04:26:36 -0800
commit86019dd0416e8fda480d97b0742b858e18ba82b7 (patch)
tree34e6b8a07e6a3760c5d4490454d903ecb48c91e3
parent6d07fa468b3ae753799f8bc5c4c0aa7721243eac (diff)
NormalizeHEADmain
-rw-r--r--.gitattributes4
-rw-r--r--LICENSE.txt11
-rw-r--r--README.md2
-rw-r--r--old/61847-0.txt3494
-rw-r--r--old/61847-0.zipbin52244 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h.zipbin822749 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/61847-h.htm4986
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/cover.jpgbin148637 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_bm01.jpgbin10188 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_frontis.jpgbin59099 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_p023.jpgbin89816 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_p045.jpgbin78525 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_p059.jpgbin96735 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_p081.jpgbin82397 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_p101.jpgbin99772 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/i_p117.jpgbin93521 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/61847-h/images/logo.jpgbin6616 -> 0 bytes
17 files changed, 17 insertions, 8480 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7b82bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+*.txt text eol=lf
+*.htm text eol=lf
+*.html text eol=lf
+*.md text eol=lf
diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6312041
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
+the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org.
+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
+jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize
+this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright
+status under the laws that apply to them.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5a2cd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #61847 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61847)
diff --git a/old/61847-0.txt b/old/61847-0.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 6be2025..0000000
--- a/old/61847-0.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3494 +0,0 @@
-The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tinkle, the Trick Pony, by Richard Barnum
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
-other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
-the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
-
-Title: Tinkle, the Trick Pony
- His Many Adventures
-
-Author: Richard Barnum
-
-Illustrator: Walter S. Rogers
-
-Release Date: April 16, 2020 [EBook #61847]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKLE, THE TRICK PONY ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration: He nosed around among all the flags until he found the
-one he knew he wanted, and with that in his teeth he trotted over to
-Mr. Drake.]
-
-
-
-
- _Kneetime Animal Stories_
-
-
- TINKLE
- THE TRICK PONY
-
- HIS MANY ADVENTURES
-
-
- BY
- RICHARD BARNUM
-
- Author of “Squinty, the Comical Pig,” “Mappo, the
- Merry Monkey,” “Tum Tum, the Jolly Elephant,”
- “Don, a Runaway Dog,” “Flop Ear, the
- Funny Rabbit,” etc.
-
-
- _ILLUSTRATED BY
- WALTER S. ROGERS_
-
-
- [Illustration]
-
-
- PUBLISHERS
- BARSE & HOPKINS
- NEW YORK, N. Y. NEWARK, N. J.
-
-
-
-
- Copyright, 1917
- by
- BARSE & HOPKINS
-
- Tinkle, The Trick Pony
-
-
- _Printed in the United States of America_
-
-
-
-
-CONTENTS
-
-
- CHAPTER PAGE
- I TINKLE IN THE SWAMP 7
- II TINKLE MAKES TROUBLE 16
- III TINKLE AND GEORGE 26
- IV TINKLE’S NEW HOME 36
- V TINKLE’S FRIENDS 47
- VI TINKLE MEETS DIDO 55
- VII TINKLE DOES SOME TRICKS 65
- VIII TINKLE IS TAKEN AWAY 74
- IX TINKLE IN THE CIRCUS 85
- X TINKLE AND TUM TUM 94
- XI TINKLE IS SAD 103
- XII TINKLE IS HAPPY 111
-
-
-
-
-ILLUSTRATIONS
-
-
- PAGE
-
- He nosed around among all the flags until he found the
- one he knew he wanted, and with that in his teeth he
- trotted over to Mr. Drake _Frontispiece_
-
- And the next time he did jump high enough to go over the
- fence 23
-
- It was the first time Tinkle had ever had any one on his
- back 45
-
- “Oh, what a nice pony cart!” cried the boys and girls 59
-
- It took a little time to make him stand upon his hind
- legs without anything on which to rest his front feet 81
-
- As Tinkle looked he saw one funny elephant slyly reach
- out his trunk and pull the tail of the elephant in
- front of him 101
-
- George threw his arms around the pony’s neck 117
-
-
-
-
-TINKLE, THE TRICK PONY
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER I
-
-TINKLE IN THE SWAMP
-
-
-Tinkle stopped nibbling the sweet, green grass of the meadow, blew a
-long breath from his nose, raised his head and looked around. Then he
-blinked his eyes slowly, turned to look first on one side, then on the
-other, and to himself he said:
-
-“I’m going to run away!”
-
-He did not say this aloud for fear some of the other ponies or the
-horses would hear him. Oh! I forgot to tell you that Tinkle was a
-little pony, that lived in the big green meadow; and, being a pony, of
-course Tinkle ate grass, and liked it, too.
-
-So, as I said, Tinkle stopped eating the grass and said to himself once
-more:
-
-“I’m going to run away!”
-
-The reason Tinkle did not want the other ponies and the horses to know
-what he was going to do was because his mother and father were over
-in one corner of the meadow, and if they knew he intended to run away,
-they would not let him do it; any more than your mother or father would
-let you run away.
-
-Of course I know that horses sometimes run away when they are
-frightened by something, and I suppose ponies, too, may, once in a
-while, trot off when they ought not. But that isn’t saying it is right.
-
-“Yes,” said Tinkle to himself, “I’m going to run away. I’m tired of
-staying in this meadow all the while. Why, I’ve been here over a year
-now, and there hasn’t a thing happened except a thunder storm now and
-then, or a rain shower. I want to see something more than that. I want
-to have some fun, and go off to a big city, such as the other horses
-tell about.
-
-“Why, there’s Dapple Gray,” went on Tinkle, looking at an old horse who
-had come to the green meadow for a long rest. “I’ve heard Dapple tell
-stories about drawing a big shiny wagon that spouted fire and smoke
-just like the chimney on the house where The Man lives. That was great!
-I’d like to pull the kind of wagon Dapple tells about, and hear the
-bells ring and see the sparks fly and the water spout out on the fire.
-I wonder what kind of wagon it was?”
-
-Of course _you_ have guessed. It was a fire engine that Dapple Gray had
-pulled, and he never tired of telling the other horses about it.
-
-Tinkle used often to listen to the stories Dapple Gray and the other
-horses told as they gathered in the shade of the clump of trees in the
-green meadow after their dinner or their breakfast of sweet, green
-grass.
-
-For Tinkle lived on what is called a stock farm, not far from a big
-city. The farm was owned by a person whom the horses called “The Man.”
-Really his name was John Carter and he raised horses and ponies to sell
-to other men.
-
-Mr. Carter liked his horses very much, and was very kind to them, and
-he loved his little ponies, of whom Tinkle was one. The ponies and the
-horses lived in a warm barn in the Winter, but in the Summer they were
-“turned out to grass,” and could walk or run all over the big meadow,
-and do almost as they pleased.
-
-Sometimes men would come to the stock farm to buy horses. They might
-want one to pull a coal wagon or a wagon from which vegetables were
-sold. Some of the horses, like Dapple, were used to haul fire engines,
-while others pulled fine carriages in which rode men and women. The
-ponies were sold, too, but they were only put to such easy work as
-carrying boys and girls around on their backs, or pulling little
-carriages in the parks.
-
-“But nothing like that ever happened to me,” said Tinkle as he began
-slowly to walk away. “So I’m going to run off, as far as I can go, and
-maybe I’ll have some adventures like Dapple Gray.”
-
-Tinkle had eaten plenty of the sweet, green grass, so he was no longer
-hungry. He did not need to take anything to eat with him when he ran
-away. In the first place ponies have no pockets in which to carry
-anything, though, of course, if they are hitched to a wagon, that would
-hold corn, hay or oats which ponies like to eat.
-
-But, as for that, all round in the meadow where Tinkle lived was grass
-to eat. He had only to stop and nibble some when he was hungry, so he
-had no need to carry anything with him.
-
-“There is more here than I could eat all Summer,” thought the little
-pony. “And when I get tired of running away I can just rest myself, eat
-grass and then run on some more.”
-
-Though Tinkle called it “running away” he was really walking. Just as
-some children do when they start to run away, they don’t run at all,
-but walk.
-
-One reason why Tinkle did not care to run was that he did not want his
-father, mother or the other ponies or the horses to see him. They
-might not notice him if he just walked, but if he started to run some
-one would be sure to ask:
-
-“Why, where is that Tinkle pony going now?”
-
-And then Tinkle’s mother would look up and say:
-
-“Oh, dear! That silly little pony will get into trouble! I must go and
-bring him back.”
-
-Then she would run after Tinkle, and all his fun would be spoiled. Of
-course the ponies and horses in the meadow used often to run about,
-kick up their heels and roll over and over on their backs in the soft
-grass. But this was only because they felt so good and frisky and
-lively that they simply could not do anything else.
-
-But when the colts ran that way, they nearly always went around in a
-circle, like a merry-go-round, only bigger, and the father and mother
-horses thought nothing of that.
-
-“I’m not going to run that way,” said Tinkle to himself. “I’m going far
-off.”
-
-By this time he was quite away from the other horses. But, as he looked
-back, he saw them all standing in a circle with their noses close
-together. Dapple Gray was in the center of the ring, and Tinkle’s
-father and mother were among those on the outside.
-
-“Dapple is telling another story about how he drew the funny wagon with
-the chimney on,” thought Tinkle. “I don’t want to hear that again.”
-
-Ponies and horses, you know, can talk among themselves and think, just
-as we can, only, of course, they can’t think quite as much perhaps,
-nor as hard. But if they could not talk among themselves how could the
-mother pony tell the little pony what was good to eat and what not? So,
-though horses and ponies can’t talk to us in words as we talk to one
-another, they do speak among themselves.
-
-You have often heard horses and ponies whinny, I suppose; and perhaps
-that is when they are trying to talk to us, though I must say I never
-could understand what they were trying to say. Perhaps some day I may.
-
-At any rate Tinkle was thinking to himself, as he slowly wandered
-across the meadow. He was thinking what wonderful things might happen
-to him――adventures and travels.
-
-On and on he wandered, looking back now and then to make sure neither
-his father nor his mother nor any of the others saw him. But they were
-listening to Dapple Gray tell of once falling down in the street while
-drawing the fire engine and how nearly a trolley car ran over him.
-
-And the other horses liked the story so much that none of them thought
-of Tinkle, or looked at him. They listened to Dapple Gray.
-
-The other young ponies, many of whom were about the size of Tinkle,
-were down at the far end of the meadow, having a game of what you
-would, perhaps, call tag, though what the ponies called it I do
-not know. Probably they had some funny name among themselves like
-“hoof-jump” or “tail-wiggle,” or something like that.
-
-Anyhow, they were having so much fun among themselves that none of them
-paid any attention to Tinkle.
-
-“They won’t see me at all,” thought the little pony. “I’ll run away
-where they can never find me.”
-
-Of course Tinkle was not doing this to be bad, but he was just tired of
-staying in one place so long, and he wanted to have adventures.
-
-On and on he wandered, and finally he came to a fence. Now the fence
-was put around the meadow to keep the horses and the ponies from
-getting out. But Tinkle had heard stories of horses jumping fences so
-he thought he would try it; for he was not strong enough to push down
-the fence, as he had once heard of Bellow, the big black bull, doing.
-
-Standing off a little way from the fence Tinkle ran toward it, gave a
-jump up in the air, and then――he did not get over the fence. Instead he
-fell against it and hurt himself.
-
-“Ha! that is no fun!” thought Tinkle. “I must jump higher next time.”
-And the next time he did jump high enough to go over the fence, coming
-down on the other side, kerplunk!
-
-“At last I have really run away,” thought the little pony.
-
-He found himself in another green meadow, but it was not as nice as the
-one he had left. The grass was longer, but it was hard and tough, and
-hurt Tinkle’s mouth and tongue when he chewed it.
-
-“But I don’t have to eat it,” said the little pony. “I can wait until I
-get to where there is better grass. I’m not very hungry.”
-
-So he walked on a little farther, and pretty soon he came to some
-trees. In and out among them he wandered, and when he stopped to look
-back he found that he could no longer see the meadow in which he had
-lived so long with his father, his mother and the other ponies and the
-horses.
-
-“And they can’t see me, either,” thought Tinkle. “They won’t know where
-I’ve gone, so they can’t find me. I’m going to have a good time all by
-myself, and there’ll be nobody to say: ‘Don’t do this. Don’t do that’;
-as they always do when I’m in the green meadow.”
-
-On and on went Tinkle and soon he was quite a long distance from what
-had been his home. Then he noticed that the ground, instead of being
-hard and firm under his hoofs, was getting soft and springy, and that
-his feet sank down in it a little way. He saw, too, that when he lifted
-his hoofs from the marks they left little pools of water in the holes
-they made.
-
-“This is queer,” thought Tinkle. “I must be getting near the lake I
-have heard my father tell about. I wonder if I can swim?”
-
-Tinkle looked about, and just ahead he saw a puddle of water. It was
-too small for a lake, but there was enough of it for him to splash in,
-and, as he was now thirsty, he ran on to get a drink. And then a queer
-thing happened.
-
-Just before Tinkle reached the water he felt his legs and hoofs sinking
-down in the soft ground. He tried to lift his left front foot, but
-could not. And his right hind foot was also stuck fast.
-
-“Oh, dear! What has happened to me?” cried poor Tinkle. “I can’t move!”
-
-And really he could not. Tinkle was caught fast in the sticky mud of a
-big swamp!
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER II
-
-TINKLE MAKES TROUBLE
-
-
-Dapple Gray had just finished telling the story of his being caught
-under the trolley car, the time he was drawing the fire engine.
-
-“And so,” went on the old horse, “men came and pushed the car off my
-legs. The firemen loosened my harness and then I could get up.”
-
-“Weren’t you hurt?” asked Mrs. Chestnut, who was called that because
-she was colored brown.
-
-“Well, my legs _were_ a bit scratched, and I had some bruises on
-my side, but I could still run and pull the engine. You see we
-horses couldn’t stop whenever we wanted to. We had to pull the funny
-chimney-wagon to where the fire was blazing so the men could squirt
-water on it.
-
-“Men are queer,” went on Dapple Gray. “They’ll build a big fire in a
-house so the house almost burns up, and then they’ll make us horses run
-like mad to draw water to put it out. I never could understand it.”
-
-Of course Dapple Gray did not know that the house caught fire by
-accident and that it had to be put out for fear other houses near it
-might burn.
-
-“And so you ran on, even if your legs were cut?” asked Tinkle’s father.
-
-“Oh, yes, of course,” replied Dapple Gray. “The cuts hurt me, but when
-I got back to the stable the firemen put some cooling salve on the
-wounds and bound my legs up with white rags so they felt better.”
-
-“Well, I don’t believe I’d like that,” said Tinkle’s mother. “Life is
-too exciting in the city. I like it best in this quiet country meadow,
-where you can eat grass whenever you like, or rest in the shade when
-you are tired.”
-
-“Look at those ponies having fun down there,” said another horse,
-pointing with his nose toward the group that was playing tag. “I
-remember when I was young I liked to play that way.”
-
-“Is Tinkle there?” asked the pony’s father. “He is one of the best
-taggers I’ve ever seen. When he grows a little bigger he’ll be a fine
-racer, I think.”
-
-Tinkle’s mother looked toward where the ponies were running about,
-touching one another with their hoofs or noses, or switching at one
-another with their frisky tails.
-
-“I don’t see Tinkle,” she said.
-
-“Oh, he _must_ be there,” said Tinkle’s father. “I’ll go and look.”
-
-Off he trotted to where the other colts were playing. He looked at them
-for a little while, but he did not see Tinkle among them.
-
-“That’s queer,” thought the father pony. “Tinkle likes tag so much, I
-wonder why he isn’t here?”
-
-He stood still, looking more closely, to make sure he had not missed
-the little pony; but no, Tinkle was not there.
-
-“I’ll ask some of them,” said the father pony to himself. So, giving
-a loud whinny, to make himself heard above the noise the tag-playing
-ponies were making, the father pony asked:
-
-“Have any of you seen our Tinkle?”
-
-“No, I haven’t,” said a little brown pony.
-
-“Nor I,” added one who was speckled brown and white.
-
-“I saw him a while ago, eating grass,” answered a third.
-
-“He hasn’t been playing tag with us this morning,” added a fourth pony,
-who had a very long tail.
-
-“I wonder where Tinkle can be,” murmured his father.
-
-Then up spoke a little pony with a white spot on his back.
-
-“I saw Tinkle going over that way,” he said, and he raised his hoof and
-pointed toward a fence on the far side of the field.
-
-“Did you really see him going that way?” asked the father pony.
-
-“I really did,” answered the little pony.
-
-“Oh my! That’s too bad!” thought Tinkle’s father to himself, but he did
-not say this to the ponies, for he did not want to frighten them. Well
-did the older pony know of the dangerous swamp that was on the other
-side of the fence.
-
-“If he is in the sticky bog-mud we’ll have trouble getting him out,”
-said the father pony to himself. “I must go back and tell some of the
-others. But I don’t want Tinkle’s mother to know. What shall I do?”
-
-The father pony trotted back to where Dapple Gray and the others stood.
-
-“Well, was he there?” asked Tinkle’s mother.
-
-Tinkle’s father shook his head.
-
-“Where is he then?”
-
-“Oh, he probably went off for a little walk by himself. I’ll go and
-find him,” and he tried to speak easily.
-
-“But I don’t see him anywhere!” and the mother pony looked anxiously
-about the big green meadow. She could see every corner of it, and
-Tinkle was not in sight.
-
-“Now you just stay here, and I’ll bring him back,” said Tinkle’s
-father quietly. At the same time he nodded his head at Dapple Gray and
-one or two of the other men-horses, and two or three of his closest
-friends among the men-ponies. They moved away together. Tinkle’s mother
-looked at them as if to say:
-
-“I wonder if anything could have happened?”
-
-“What’s the matter?” asked Dapple Gray in a low voice of Tinkle’s
-father, speaking in horse-talk, of course.
-
-“I’m not sure, but I’m afraid Tinkle has jumped the fence and has gone
-over to the big swampy bog,” was the answer. “If he has, and is stuck
-fast, we’ll have to go and get him out. But I don’t want his mother to
-know it.”
-
-The men-animals walked over toward the fence. Tinkle’s father looked
-down at the ground. He saw little hoof marks.
-
-“Yes, Tinkle has been here,” he said. “I can see where he ran to get a
-good start so he could jump over the fence.”
-
-“He is a good jumper to do that,” remarked one of the horses.
-
-“Yes, Tinkle is a good jumper, for a colt,” said his father. “I think
-he will be very smart when he grows up. But he should not jump fences
-into the swamp. That is not right.”
-
-“How are we going to get over the fence to help him if he is stuck?”
-asked Dapple Gray.
-
-“Can’t we jump?” another horse inquired.
-
-“Maybe you can, but I can’t,” returned Dapple Gray. “One of my legs is
-stiff, where I was hurt by the trolley car. Once I could easily have
-jumped over that fence, but I’m afraid I can’t do it now.”
-
-“I don’t know whether I can either,” observed Tinkle’s father. “I’m
-not so young as I once was. But if we all push together I think we can
-knock the fence down. Then we can get through to see what has happened
-to my pony boy. We want you to come along, Dapple, because you have
-been in the big city where all sorts of things happen to horses. You’ll
-know what is best to do.”
-
-“Thank you,” whinnied Dapple Gray. “I’ll do my best.”
-
-Together the big horses and the ponies pushed at the fence. Tinkle’s
-mother watched them, and when she saw what was being done she became
-frightened.
-
-“Something dreadful must have happened to Tinkle,” she said. “I can’t
-stay here. I’m going to see what it is.”
-
-So she began to run toward the men-animals. By this time they were
-giving a second push to the fence, and, as they were very strong, they
-knocked off some boards so they could get through.
-
-“Now we’ll see what has happened to Tinkle,” said his father. “Tinkle!
-Tinkle! Where are you?” he called.
-
-But Tinkle did not answer, for he was far away in the swamp, and just
-then he was splashing around in the mud and water trying to pull loose
-his feet from the sticky place.
-
-“We’ll have to go farther on into the swamp,” said Dapple Gray, when
-they had waited a minute to see if Tinkle would answer.
-
-“But we must be careful,” said one horse, slowly picking his steps.
-“This is soft ground here. See how deep my hoofs sink.”
-
-“Indeed it _is_ a bad place,” agreed Tinkle’s father. “I hope nothing
-happens to us. Be careful, every one.”
-
-Slowly the horses and the ponies walked along, picking out the hardest
-and firmest ground they could find on which to step, especially the
-horses, for they were, of course, heavier than the most grown-up pony.
-Now and then all stopped to listen, and Tinkle’s father would call the
-pony’s name. At last one of the horses said:
-
-“Hark! I think I heard something.”
-
-They all listened. Through the trees of the swamp came a call:
-
-“Help me! Help me!”
-
-“That’s Tinkle!” cried his father. “We’re coming, Tinkle. Where are
-you?” he asked.
-
-[Illustration: And the next time he did jump high enough to go over the
-fence.]
-
-“I’m over here, and I’m stuck in the swamp. I can’t get my feet out of
-the mud!”
-
-“I thought so!” exclaimed Dapple Gray. “Just like a foolish little
-pony! Now we must get him out.”
-
-So anxious was he to help his little pony that Tinkle’s father galloped
-on ahead. Some of the others did the same. They did not listen to
-Dapple calling:
-
-“Wait! Be careful! Look out or you’ll be caught in the swamp
-yourselves!”
-
-On and on ran Tinkle’s father and the others. They could tell which way
-to go by hearing Tinkle’s voice calling to them, just as your dog can
-tell where you are, even though he can not see you, when he hears you
-whistling to him.
-
-“There he is! I see him!” cried Tinkle’s father as he came in sight of
-the pool of water, on the edge of which the pony was stuck in the mud.
-
-“We’re coming! We’re coming, Tinkle!” he cried.
-
-Then something dreadful happened. Tinkle’s father, and four or five of
-his friends, became stuck in the swamp mud also. Their feet sank away
-down, for they were heavier than Tinkle, and, try as they did, they
-could not lift themselves out.
-
-“Oh!” cried Tinkle’s father. “We are caught too!”
-
-Only Dapple Gray had not been caught. He had run slowly, fearing
-something like this might happen.
-
-Just see what trouble Tinkle made by running away! For it was really
-his fault that the other ponies and the horses became mired, though of
-course Tinkle had not meant to do wrong. He had not thought; but often
-not thinking makes as much trouble as doing something on purpose.
-
-“Help! Help!” cried Tinkle’s father. “We are caught in the mud too.”
-
-“Oh, dear!” whinnied Tinkle.
-
-Dapple Gray saw what the matter was.
-
-“Keep quiet, all of you!” he said. “The more you flop about, the deeper
-you will sink in the mud. I’ll go and get The Man to come with ropes
-and pull you out. He and his helpers are the only ones who can save you
-now. This is no work for us horses alone. I’ll go for help.”
-
-And, leaving Tinkle and the others stuck in the swamp, back to the
-green meadow ran Dapple Gray.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER III
-
-TINKLE AND GEORGE
-
-
-Dapple Gray, running toward the hole which the horses had made by
-pushing against the fence, met Tinkle’s mother going into the swamp.
-
-“Oh, my dear lady!” exclaimed the old fire horse, “you must not go in
-there! You really must not!”
-
-“Why?” asked Tinkle’s mother. “Oh, I’m sure something dreadful has
-happened! Tell me what it is. Is Tinkle――Is Tinkle――” and she could not
-ask any more.
-
-“Now, it isn’t as bad as you think,” said Dapple Gray. “Horses and
-ponies have been caught in the swamp before. I remember when I was a
-young colt I――”
-
-“Oh, is my little Tinkle caught in the bog?” asked his mother.
-
-“Yes, I am sorry to say he is, and so are some of the other ponies and
-horses――Tinkle’s father among them,” said Dapple Gray. “But don’t be
-worried. All they will have to do will be to stay there until we can
-get The Man to come with ropes and pull them out. They won’t be a bit
-the worse for the adventure after they wash the mud off. Now please
-don’t go in there, my dear lady-horse, or you might get stuck too; and
-goodness knows there is trouble enough!”
-
-“Oh, I am so sorry Tinkle made trouble!” exclaimed his mother. “He is
-usually such a good little pony――”
-
-“Oh well, boys will be boys!” exclaimed Dapple Gray, or he said
-something about like that which meant the same thing. And you all know
-how frisky colts are; always kicking up their heels and never knowing
-where they are going to land.
-
-“Of course Tinkle didn’t do exactly right in running away and making
-this trouble,” said Dapple Gray in a kind voice. “But then it will be a
-lesson to him, and he won’t do it again, I’m sure.”
-
-“I should think once _would_ be enough,” sighed his mother. “But are
-you sure I can not do anything to help?”
-
-“Not in there,” said Dapple Gray, nodding his head toward the swamp.
-“But you can come with me, if you like, and we’ll go to get The Man to
-help pull Tinkle and the others out of the swamp.”
-
-“Yes, I’ll do that!” whinnied Tinkle’s mother.
-
-So she and Dapple Gray ran back to the green meadow.
-
-“What is it? What is it?” asked all the other animals that were waiting
-by the hole in the fence. These were the horses and the ponies who had
-not gone into the swamp.
-
-Dapple Gray quickly told them of the trouble. At the same time he said:
-
-“Don’t any of you go in there. The ground is too soft now and if a lot
-of you horses trample on it that will make it so much the softer, and
-The Man and his friends will have trouble getting in with their ropes
-and boards. So please keep out.”
-
-The horses promised they would, while Dapple Gray and Tinkle’s mother
-ran as fast as they could across the meadow. They wanted to get to the
-long lane which led to the barn, not far from which was the house where
-lived “The Man,” as the horses called Mr. John Carter, the stock dealer.
-
-“How are we going to tell him that Tinkle and the others are in the
-mire?” asked the pony’s mother. “We can’t talk man-talk, you know.”
-
-“Yes, I know,” said Dapple Gray. “But I guess I can find a way to make
-him understand. I know what I’ll do,” he said, as he galloped on. “I’ll
-pick up a piece of rope in the barn and take it to The Man in my teeth.
-He’ll know that means we want him to bring other ropes and get the
-horses out of the swamp.”
-
-“I hope he will understand,” said Tinkle’s mother.
-
-“Oh, I think he will,” replied Dapple Gray, hopefully.
-
-As they ran past the barn, the big doors of which were open, the old
-fire horse trotted inside. He looked about, and on the floor he saw a
-piece of rope. Picking this up in his teeth, Dapple Gray, with Tinkle’s
-mother, ran on toward the house. Out in the back yard stood Mr. Carter
-talking to some of his hands.
-
-“Look!” suddenly called one of the men. “Some of the horses are out of
-the meadow. They’re coming here!”
-
-“So they are!” ejaculated Mr. Carter. “I wonder what that means.”
-
-“And Dapple Gray has a rope in his teeth,” went on the man.
-
-“Why, so he has!” exclaimed Mr. Carter. “I wonder what _that_ means.”
-
-Right up to where the stock breeder and his men stood ran Dapple Gray
-and Tinkle’s mother. The old fire horse stretched out his neck and
-shook his head up and down, the rope flapping to and fro. He seemed to
-be offering it to Mr. Carter.
-
-“Ha! Dapple wants something,” said the stockman. “I wonder what it is.
-I wish he could talk.”
-
-And then Dapple Gray did something which was almost as good as talking.
-He rubbed the rope that was in his mouth against Mr. Carter’s hand,
-and then, dropping it at his feet, took hold of the man’s coat in his
-teeth. Then the old fire horse began to pull gently, just as often a
-dog, when it finds some one in danger, will try to lead somebody to the
-place to help.
-
-“Why!” cried the surprised Mr. Carter. “I believe Dapple wants me to
-come with him.”
-
-“That’s what he does!” exclaimed one of the hands.
-
-“But what about the rope?” asked another.
-
-“Maybe he wants me to bring that, too,” observed the stockman. “I
-wonder if anything can have happened to the horses?”
-
-“I’ll go and take a look,” offered Mr. Carter’s overseer. He quickly
-ran to a place where he could look down into the green meadow.
-
-“What is it?” asked Mr. Carter.
-
-“All the horses seem to be over near a hole in the fence,” the man
-reported. “And some seem to be missing. I don’t see that little pony,
-Tinkle, anywhere.”
-
-“Whew!” whistled Mr. Carter. “Something certainly has happened. This is
-Tinkle’s mother,” he went on, looking at Dapple’s companion.
-
-“Wouldn’t it be queer if Tinkle were in trouble, and she had come to
-get you to help him?” asked the overseer.
-
-And of course you and I know that is just what Tinkle’s mother did
-want, but the stockman and his helpers did not know that yet.
-
-“I think I see what the trouble is!” suddenly cried Mr. Carter. “Some
-of the animals must have broken down the fence and gotten into the
-swamp! They’re mired there! We must get ropes and haul them out. Smart
-horse, is Dapple to tell me that! I’ll come right away. Come on, men!
-Lively now.”
-
-The man ran toward the barn for ropes, led by Mr. Carter. Though Dapple
-and Tinkle’s mother could not understand what the men said, they knew
-that help would soon be carried to Tinkle and the others held fast
-in the mud. They trotted along after the men, who were talking among
-themselves.
-
-Of course horses and ponies understand some man-talk, else how would
-they know they are to stop when a man says “Whoa!” or to start when
-they hear “Gid-dap!” or to back when told to do so. But it takes a
-little time for a horse to get to know these words, just as it does
-your dog to know you want him to run toward you when you say: “Come
-here!” or go back when you point toward home, and tell him to go there.
-
-“Things will be all right now,” said Dapple Gray to Tinkle’s mother,
-using horse-talk, of course. “The Man will soon have all the horses and
-ponies out of the bog.”
-
-“Oh, I’m so glad you thought of a way to tell him,” said Tinkle’s
-mother.
-
-Taking some ropes and planks out of the barn, Mr. Carter and his men
-ran on toward the green meadow. It did not take them long to reach the
-broken fence.
-
-“Here’s where the rascals got through to the swamp!” cried Mr. Carter.
-“I must make the fence much stronger.”
-
-Of course he did not know that Tinkle had made all the trouble by first
-jumping over the fence. The others had only broken it down to go to
-help the boy-pony.
-
-“Come on!” cried the stockman. “That bog is a bad place. If they sink
-down too far we’ll never be able to get them up again. Come on, I say!”
-
-On ran the men with the planks and the ropes. They soon came to the
-place where the horses and ponies were mired, as it is called.
-
-“Tinkle is in deeper than any of them,” said Mr. Carter. “We must get
-him out first.”
-
-The men laid down the wide planks. The pieces of wood were so broad
-that they did not sink down in the soft mud, any more than wide snow
-shoes will sink down when an Indian, or any man, walks on them.
-
-Then, standing on the planks, the men put ropes about Tinkle and began
-to pull on them. They also laid down planks near him so that when he
-got one foot out of the mire he could put it on a plank and it would
-not sink down again.
-
-After some hard work and much pulling on the ropes, which hurt the
-little pony, Tinkle was pulled out of the swamp, and led to firm, dry
-ground, back in the meadow.
-
-“And now you’d better stay there,” said Mr. Carter. “Don’t try a thing
-like this again.”
-
-“No indeed, you must never do it again!” said Tinkle’s mother, for she
-could tell by Mr. Carter’s voice that he was, in a way, scolding the
-pony. “See what a lot of trouble you made your father and me, as well
-as Dapple Gray and our other friends,” said Tinkle’s mother.
-
-“I――I’m sorry,” said the little pony. “I’m never going to run away
-again.”
-
-“And see how muddy and dirty you are,” went on his mother. “You had
-better go to the brook and wash yourself.”
-
-“Oh, let me stay and watch them get my father and the others out of the
-swamp,” begged Tinkle, so his mother let him stay.
-
-It was not quite so hard to get the others out as it had been to save
-Tinkle, for they were not so deep in the mud. But it took Mr. Carter
-and his men quite a while. Finally, however, the ponies and the horses
-were all saved from the swamp.
-
-“And I hope they never get caught that way again,” said the stockman,
-while Tinkle and the ponies and the horses hoped the same thing.
-
-After the mud was washed off them, the animals were not much worse off
-for what had happened. Tinkle was sorry and ashamed for all the trouble
-he had caused, and he told the other ponies and his horse-friends so.
-
-For some time after this Tinkle lived with his father, mother and
-friends in the green meadow. He played with the other children-ponies,
-but he did not try to run away again. He did want to have some
-adventures, though, and he was soon to have some very strange ones.
-
-One day, about a year later, a rich man called at the stock farm to buy
-a horse for his carriage. With the man, who was a Mr. Farley, was his
-son George, about nine years old.
-
-“Yes, I have some good carriage horses,” said Mr. Carter to Mr. Farley.
-“Suppose you come down to the meadow and pick out the one you like
-best.”
-
-“May I come too?” asked George.
-
-“Yes, I think so,” answered his father. “The horses won’t kick; will
-they?” he questioned.
-
-“Oh, not at all,” answered Mr. Carter. “They are all gentle.”
-
-So George went with his father to look at the horses. But no sooner had
-the little boy caught sight of the ponies than he cried:
-
-“Oh, see the little horses. I want one of them. Please, Daddy, buy me a
-pony!”
-
-“Eh? What’s that? Buy you a pony!” cried his father, half teasing. “Why
-you couldn’t ride a pony.”
-
-“Oh, yes I could!” said the little boy. “Anyhow I could drive him
-hitched to a pony cart.”
-
-“But we haven’t a pony cart.”
-
-“Well, couldn’t you get one? Oh, please get me a pony, Daddy!”
-
-“Ah, um! Well, which one would you want, if you could have one?” asked
-Mr. Farley, half in fun.
-
-George looked over the ponies who were cropping grass not far away. The
-boy’s eyes rested longest on Tinkle, for Tinkle was a pretty pony, with
-four white feet and a white star right in the middle of his head.
-
-“This is the pony I want!” cried George, and, before his father could
-stop him the boy ran straight to Tinkle and put his arms around the
-pony’s neck.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER IV
-
-TINKLE’S NEW HOME
-
-
-“George! George! Come away!” cried his father. “That pony may kick or
-bite you!”
-
-“Oh, no, Tinkle won’t do that,” said Mr. Carter. “Tinkle is a gentle
-pony, which is more than I can say of some I have. A few of them are
-quite wild. But the only bad thing Tinkle ever did was, one day, to
-leave the meadow and get mired in a swamp. But I got him out.”
-
-“He wasn’t really bad, was he?” asked George, who was standing near the
-pony, patting him.
-
-“Well, no, I guess you wouldn’t call it exactly bad,” said the stockman
-with a smile. “Tinkle just didn’t know any better. He wanted to have
-some fun, perhaps; but I guess he won’t do that again.”
-
-“I won’t let him run away when I have him,” said George.
-
-“Oh, ho!” cried Mr. Farley with a laugh. “So you think you are going to
-have Tinkle for your own, do you?”
-
-“Won’t you get him for me?” begged the little boy. “Mabel and I could
-have _such_ fun riding and driving him.” Mabel was George’s sister. She
-was a year younger than he.
-
-“Do you think it would be safe for a little boy like mine to have a
-pony?” asked Mr. Farley of the stockman.
-
-“Why, yes, after Tinkle is trained a bit,” said Mr. Carter. “He has
-never been ridden or driven, but I could soon get him trained so he
-would be safe to use both ways. Do you think you want to buy him?”
-
-“Well, I might,” said Mr. Farley slowly. He was thinking whether it
-would be best or not. He did not want either of his little children to
-be hurt by a pony that might run away.
-
-“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said the owner of the stock farm. “I’ll
-sell you a horse for yourself, and then I’ll start at once to teach
-Tinkle what it means to have some one on his back, and also how he must
-act when he is hitched to a pony cart. I am going to train some of
-the other ponies, and I’ll train him also. He is old enough now to be
-trained. Then you and your little boy come back in about two weeks and
-we’ll see how George likes Tinkle then,” finished Mr. Carter.
-
-“Oh, I’ll love him all the more!” cried George. “I love him now, and
-I want him for my very own! He is a fine pony!” and once more George
-patted the little creature.
-
-“You couldn’t do that to some of the ponies,” said Mr. Carter, as he
-and George’s father walked back toward the house. “They would be too
-wild, and would not stand still. But Tinkle is a smart little chap.”
-
-“Good-by!” called George to Tinkle as the small boy walked away with
-his father. “I’ll come back to see you soon,” and he waved his hand at
-Tinkle and Tinkle waved his tail at George. At least George thought so,
-though I imagine that Tinkle was only brushing off a tickling fly.
-
-But one thing I do know, and that was that Tinkle really liked the
-little boy who patted him so nicely.
-
-“He has very nice, soft hands,” said Tinkle to Curley Mane, another
-pony, as they cropped the sweet grass together. “I’m sure he would be
-good to me.”
-
-“Are you going to live with him?” asked Curley Mane.
-
-“Oh, I don’t know,” Tinkle answered. “But I’ve always noticed that
-whenever any strange men or boys come to the farm here, in a few days
-afterward some of the horses or ponies go away, and I guess the men and
-boys take them.”
-
-“Yes, that is right,” said old Dapple Gray walking up beside the two
-ponies. “You’ve guessed it, Tinkle. The Man, here, raises us horses to
-sell. I’ve been sold more than once.”
-
-“Is it nice to be sold?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“Well, it all depends,” was the answer. “The first place I was sold to
-was not nice. I had to draw a grocery wagon through the streets, and
-the boy who sat on the seat used to strike me with a whip.”
-
-“What did you do?” asked Curley Mane.
-
-“Well, I’m sorry to say I ran away. It wasn’t the right thing to do,
-only I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stand being beaten. The boy fell
-off the seat of the wagon, I ran so fast, and he bumped his nose. Then
-the wagon was smashed and I was cut and bruised and I had a terrible
-time,” said Dapple Gray.
-
-“Then the grocery man brought me back here, saying he didn’t want me,
-and after that I was sold to some men that made me draw the big shiny
-wagon that had a chimney spouting flames and smoke. I was treated well
-there. I had a nice stall with plenty of hay to eat and clean straw
-to sleep on. Sometimes I had oats, and I got so I could run very fast
-indeed.
-
-“But it was hard work, and I soon grew tired. So they brought me back
-here again. That’s what being sold means. You never can tell where
-you’re going.”
-
-“Do you think some of the horses here were sold to that man and little
-boy?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“We can tell pretty soon,” answered Dapple Gray, “by watching to see if
-any horses or ponies are taken away.”
-
-And, surely enough, the next day one of the men on the stock farm
-took away one of the horses. He was called Hobble by the other horses
-because, when he was a colt, he hurt his foot on a sharp stone and had
-to hobble for a week or two. But he soon got over that. And Hobble was
-the horse George’s father had bought for himself, though Mr. Carter
-named the horse Prince.
-
-“Good-by!” called Hobble, or as we must call him, Prince, to his
-friends as he was led away from the stock farm. “Maybe I’ll see some of
-you again before long.”
-
-“I don’t believe so,” called back Dapple Gray. But neither he nor any
-one else knew what was going to happen to Tinkle.
-
-When Prince had been driven to a big city, a few miles away from the
-stock farm, he was taken into a nice clean stable where there were one
-or two other horses.
-
-“Ah, so that’s the new horse I bought, is it?” asked a voice, and
-looking behind him, from where he was tied in his stall, Prince saw Mr.
-Farley. Of course Prince did not know the man’s name but he knew he
-was the same one who had been at the stock farm.
-
-“I wonder,” thought Prince, “where the little boy is that was patting
-Tinkle.”
-
-He did not have to wonder long for he soon heard another voice calling:
-
-“Oh, Daddy! Did the new horse come?”
-
-“Yes, he’s in his stall,” said Mr. Farley.
-
-“And did he bring Tinkle?” asked George.
-
-“No, not yet. Tinkle won’t be ready for a week or so. And I am not sure
-I am going to get him for you.”
-
-“Oh, yes you are, Daddy! I know you are when you smile that way!” cried
-Mabel, who, with her little brother, had come out to the stable. “Won’t
-we have fun, George,” she cried gaily, “when we have a pony of our own?”
-
-“We surely will!” said George.
-
-“Don’t be _too_ sure,” returned Mr. Farley, but he could not keep his
-eyes from laughing, even if his lips did not smile.
-
-Prince soon made friends with the other horses in Mr. Farley’s stable,
-and they rubbed noses and talked among themselves in a way that all
-horses have.
-
-And now I must go back to the stock farm to see how Tinkle is getting
-on, for this story is mostly about him.
-
-“Well,” said Mr. Carter to one of his men a day or two after Prince had
-been sold and taken to Mr. Farley, “I think it is time we started to
-train Tinkle, if that little boy George is to have him. We want to get
-the pony used to having a saddle on his back, and also teach him how to
-draw a pony cart.”
-
-So Tinkle began to have his first lessons, for animals like horses
-and dogs, as well as trained animals in a circus, have to be taught
-lessons, just as you are taught lessons in school. Only, of course, the
-lessons are different.
-
-Tinkle was driven into the stable yard and while one of the men was
-patting him and giving him some oats to eat――which Tinkle liked very
-much――another man slipped some leather straps over the pony’s head.
-Tinkle did not like this, for never, in all his life, had he felt
-anything tied on his head before. He tried to run away and shake it
-off, but he found himself held tightly by a long strap, which was fast
-to the other straps on his head.
-
-“I wonder what in the world this is?” thought Tinkle, when he found
-he could not shake off the straps. Afterward he learned it was a
-halter, which is the rope, or strap, that is used to keep a horse or
-pony tied in his stall. Sometimes the straps, or ropes, are called a
-“head-stall.”
-
-So this is what Tinkle was held fast by, and when he found that no
-amount of pulling or shaking would get it off his head he stood quietly.
-
-“Maybe if I am good they’ll take it off anyhow,” he thought.
-
-But Tinkle had many more lessons to learn. I will not tell you all
-about them here, because I know lessons aren’t any too much fun, though
-we all have to learn them.
-
-So I’ll just say that after Tinkle had become used to the halter he was
-given a bridle. This was not so nice, as there was an iron thing fast
-to it, called a “bit,” and this had to go in Tinkle’s mouth so he could
-be driven.
-
-“Oh, I don’t like this at all!” cried Tinkle as he tried to get the bit
-out from between his teeth. But it was held fast by straps, and a man
-pulled first on one strap, and then on the other, hauling Tinkle’s head
-to the left or right. Soon the pony found that when his bit was pulled
-to the left it meant he was to walk or run that way, and so, also, when
-the other strap, or rein, was pulled, he must go to the right. After a
-while he did not mind the bit at all.
-
-Next Tinkle had to learn to have a saddle fastened to his back. First
-a blanket was strapped on him, and Tinkle tried to get this off by
-rolling over and over. But the blanket stayed on, for it was fastened
-by straps, and soon the little pony did not mind that. Then when the
-saddle was put on he thought it was only another kind of blanket at
-first, and when he came to know (for his mother told him) that all
-horses and ponies had to wear saddles part of the time Tinkle did not
-mind that.
-
-Tinkle was frightened when one of the boys on the stock farm got in the
-saddle on the pony’s back to have a ride. It was the first time Tinkle
-had ever had any one on his back and he really was quite frightened.
-But he soon grew used to that also, and trotted around, walking and
-running as the boy told him to.
-
-“Well, Tinkle is learning quickly!” said Mr. Carter one day. “As soon
-as he learns to draw a pony cart he will be ready for that boy George
-to drive.”
-
-Being hitched to a cart, with harness straps all over him, did not feel
-comfortable to Tinkle at first.
-
-“I don’t like this at all!” he thought. “It isn’t any fun!” But
-he found he could not get away from the cart, which followed him
-everywhere because he was hitched fast to it. Then he was driven about,
-made to turn around, and to the left and to the right by a boy who rode
-in the pony cart.
-
-[Illustration: It was the first time Tinkle had ever had any one on his
-back.]
-
-“Well, I might as well make up my mind to it,” said Tinkle, telling the
-other ponies what had happened to him.
-
-“Yes, indeed,” remarked Dapple Gray. “That is what you ponies and we
-horses are for――to give people rides, or to pull their wagons. That is
-our life and if you are good you will be treated kindly.”
-
-“Then I am going to be good,” said Tinkle.
-
-In another week the pony could be ridden or driven very easily, and Mr.
-Carter sent word to Mr. Farley to come and bring George with him to the
-stock farm.
-
-“Oh, what a fine pony he is!” cried the little boy as he saw how easily
-Tinkle was ridden and driven. “Do get him for me, Daddy!”
-
-“Yes, I think I’ll buy him,” said Mr. Farley, so he paid Mr. Carter
-for the pony. Tinkle was taken to his new home, George and his father
-riding in the pony cart. Mr. Farley drove, but let George hold the
-reins part of the time.
-
-“For you must learn to drive if you are going to have a real live
-pony,” said George’s father.
-
-So Tinkle left the stock farm, and went to live in his new home, a big
-city stable.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER V
-
-TINKLE’S FRIENDS
-
-
-“Well, I never expected to see you here!” exclaimed a whinnying voice
-as Tinkle was led into his stall. The little pony looked up in surprise
-and saw a big horse.
-
-“Oh! Why, hello, Hobble!” cried Tinkle, as he saw the horse that used
-to live on the stock farm with him.
-
-“My name isn’t Hobble any more――it’s Prince.”
-
-“Oh, well. Hello, then, Prince!” called Tinkle in a cordial, off-hand
-manner, for he now felt quite grown up. Had he not been hitched up, and
-had he not carried a boy on his back? “I didn’t know you were here.”
-
-“And I didn’t know _you_ were coming,” observed Prince. “How is
-everything back on the farm?”
-
-“Oh, there’s not much change. I was sorry to come away and leave my
-father and mother.”
-
-“Well, that’s the way things happen in this world,” said Prince. “We
-are colts for a little while, and then some of us grow to be big
-horses or grown-up ponies and have to go away from our friends. It’s
-just the same with men and women, I’ve heard. But you’ll like it here.”
-
-“Is it nice?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“Nice? I should say it is! Of course, I miss being out in the big,
-green, grassy meadow. But I get plenty to eat here, and every day a man
-scratches my back――”
-
-“Scratches your back?” cried Tinkle. “I don’t believe I should like
-that!”
-
-“Oh, yes you will,” said Prince. “You can’t imagine how your back
-begins to itch and ache when you’ve been in the harness all day. And
-when a man uses a brush and comb on you――”
-
-“A brush and comb!” cried Tinkle. “Come, you’re joking! I know men and
-women, as well as boys and girls, use brushes and combs, but ponies or
-horses――”
-
-“Yes, we really have our own brushes and combs, though they are
-different from those which humans use,” said Prince. “The brush is a
-big one, more like a broom, and the comb is made of iron and is called
-a currycomb. But they make your skin nice and clean and shiny. You’ll
-like them.”
-
-“Maybe,” said Tinkle. “Is anything else different here from what it was
-on the farm?”
-
-“Oh, lots and lots of things. You have to have shoes on your feet.”
-
-“Oh, now I’m _sure_ you’re fooling me!” cried Tinkle in horse-talk.
-“Who ever heard of ponies having shoes!”
-
-“Well, of course they’re not _leather_ shoes, such as boys and girls
-wear,” went on Prince. “They are made of iron, and they are nailed on
-your hoofs.”
-
-“Nailed on!” cried Tinkle. “Oh, doesn’t that hurt?”
-
-“Not a bit when a good blacksmith does it,” explained Prince. “You see
-our hoofs are just like the finger nails of boys and girls. It doesn’t
-hurt to cut their finger nails, if they don’t cut them down too close,
-and it doesn’t hurt to fasten the iron shoes on our hoofs with sharp
-nails. Don’t you remember how Dapple Gray used to tell about his iron
-shoes making sparks on the paving stones in the city when he ran and
-pulled that funny shiny wagon with the chimney?”
-
-“Oh, yes,” answered Tinkle; “I do remember. Well, I suppose I’ll have
-to be shod then.”
-
-“Of course,” returned Prince. “If you don’t have the iron shoes on your
-hoofs they would get sore when you ran around on the stony streets. A
-city is not like our green meadow. There are very few soft dirt roads
-here. That is one thing I don’t like about a city. Still there is
-always something going on here, and lots to see and do, and that makes
-up for it, I guess.”
-
-“I wonder how I shall like it,” thought Tinkle. “But first I must see
-what my new home is like.”
-
-He looked around the stable. It was a large one, and there were a
-number of stalls in it. In each one was a horse, like Prince, munching
-his oats or chewing hay. Tinkle saw that his stall was different from
-the others. It was like a big box, and, in fact, was called a “box
-stall.” Tinkle did not have to be tied fast with a rope or a strap to
-the manger, which is the place where the feed for the ponies and horses
-is put. There was a manger in Tinkle’s stall and he could walk up to it
-whenever he felt hungry.
-
-Tinkle did not remember much about the stable at home on the farm, as
-he was hardly ever in it. Night and day, during the warm Summer, he
-stayed out in the green meadow, sleeping near his mother under a tree.
-
-Tinkle was kicking the straw around in his stall, making a nice soft
-bed on which he could lie down and go to sleep, when George, who had
-gone into the house to get something to eat after driving with his
-father from the stock farm, came running out to the stable again.
-
-“How’s my pony?” cried George. “How’s my Tinkle?”
-
-Tinkle made a sort of laughing sound――whinnying――for he now knew
-George’s voice and he liked the little boy.
-
-“Here’s something nice for you!” cried George.
-
-“Oh, what are you going to give him?” asked Mabel, who had come home
-from school and who had also hurried out to see Tinkle.
-
-“I’m going to give him some sugar,” answered George. “I took some lumps
-from the bowl on the table. Mother said I might.”
-
-“Are you going to let him eat them out of your hand?” asked the little
-girl.
-
-“Of course,” answered George.
-
-“Won’t he bite you?”
-
-“Not if you hold out your hand flat, like a board,” said George. “The
-man at the farm showed me. Put the sugar on the palm of your hand,
-open it out flat and a horse can pick up a lump of sugar, or an apple
-without biting you a teeny weeny bit. Look!”
-
-George opened the top half of the door to the box stall where Tinkle
-had his home and held out on his hand the lump of sugar. Tinkle came
-over, smelled of the lump to make sure it was good for him to eat, and
-then he gently took it in his soft lips, and began to chew the sweet
-stuff.
-
-“Oh, isn’t that cute!” cried Mabel. “Let me feed Tinkle some sugar.”
-
-Her brother gave her a lump, and she held it out on her hand. Tinkle,
-having eaten the first lump, which he liked very much, was quite ready
-for the second. He took it from Mabel’s hand as gently as he had taken
-it from George’s.
-
-“Oh, he is a lovely pony!” cried the little girl. “How soon can we have
-a ride on him?”
-
-“Well, you can ride him around the yard now,” said her father, who
-had come out to the stable. “But before he is driven around the city
-streets he must be shod. I’ll send him to a blacksmith. But for a while
-now you and George may take turns riding him. I’ll have Patrick saddle
-him for you.”
-
-Patrick was Mr. Farley’s coachman, and knew a great deal about horses
-and ponies. The pony cart which Mr. Farley had bought from the
-stockman, together with a harness and saddle for Tinkle, had been put
-away. Patrick now brought out the saddle, and, after putting a blanket
-on the pony, fastened on the saddle with straps.
-
-“Now who’s to ride first?” asked the coachman.
-
-“Let Mabel,” said George, politely. “Ladies always go first.”
-
-“I’d rather you’d go first so I can see how you do it,” said the little
-girl, and George was glad, for he did want very much to get on Tinkle’s
-back again. He had ridden a little at the stock farm and, oh! it was
-such fun!
-
-Patrick helped George into the saddle, and then led Tinkle about the
-yard, for Mr. Farley wanted to make sure the pony would be safe for his
-little boy to ride.
-
-“I’ll be very careful,” said Tinkle to himself. “George and his sister
-are going to be kind to me, I’m sure. I’ll not run away.”
-
-Tinkle remembered what his father and mother had told him about
-behaving when he was in the harness, or had a saddle on.
-
-“And if I’m good,” thought the pony, “maybe I’ll get more lumps of
-sugar.”
-
-“Let him go now and see if I can drive him,” said George to Patrick. So
-the coachman stepped aside and George held the reins in his own hands.
-
-“Gid-dap, Tinkle!” cried George, and the pony knew this meant to go a
-little faster. So he began to trot on the soft, green grass of the big
-yard about the Farley home.
-
-“Oh, how nice!” cried Mabel, clapping her hands.
-
-“Yes, it’s lots of fun!” laughed George. “Go on, Tinkle.”
-
-When George had ridden twice around the yard it was Mabel’s turn. At
-first she was a little afraid, but her father held her in the saddle,
-and she could soon sit on alone and guide Tinkle, who did not go as
-fast with her as he had gone with George.
-
-“For she might fall off, and I wouldn’t want that to happen,” thought
-Tinkle. “They might say it was my fault, and give me no more lumps of
-sugar.”
-
-While Mabel was riding, another boy and a girl came into the yard. They
-were Tommie and Nellie Hall, who lived next door.
-
-“Oh, what a lovely pony!” they cried. “Where did you get him?”
-
-“My father bought him for Mabel and me,” explained George. “See how
-soft his hair is,” and he patted Tinkle. Tommie and Nellie also patted
-the pony and called him all sorts of nice names.
-
-“My! I think I am going to like it here,” thought Tinkle. “I have four
-new, good, little friends. I will try to make them love me.”
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VI
-
-TINKLE MEETS DIDO
-
-
-Every morning, as soon as he had eaten his breakfast, George would run
-out to the stable to see Tinkle. He would rub the soft, velvety nose
-of his pet pony, or bring him a piece of bread or a lump of sugar.
-Sometimes Mabel, too, would come out with her brother to look at Tinkle
-before she went to school.
-
-“And when we come back from school we’ll have a ride on your back,”
-said George, waving his hand to Tinkle.
-
-A few days after he had been brought to his new home Tinkle had been
-taken to a blacksmith’s shop and small iron shoes had been fastened to
-the pony’s hoofs.
-
-At first Tinkle was afraid he was going to be hurt, but he thought of
-what Dapple Gray and the other horses had told him and made up his
-mind――if ponies have minds――that he would stand a little pain if he had
-to. But he did not. The blacksmith was kind and gentle, and though it
-felt a bit funny at first, when he lifted up one of Tinkle’s legs, the
-pony soon grew used to it.
-
-It felt queer, too, when the iron shoes were nailed on. And when Tinkle
-stood on his four newly shod feet he hardly knew whether he could step
-out properly or not. But he soon found that it was all right.
-
-“I’m taller with my new shoes on than in my bare hoofs,” said Tinkle
-to himself, and he was taller――about an inch I guess. The clatter and
-clang of his iron shoes on the paving stones sounded like music to
-Tinkle, and he soon found that it was better for him to have iron shoes
-on than to run over the stones in his hoofs, which would soon have worn
-down so that his feet would have hurt.
-
-“Now Tinkle is ready to give us a ride in the little cart!” cried
-George when his pony had come home from the blacksmith shop.
-
-“Take Patrick with you so as to make sure you know how to drive, and
-how to handle Tinkle,” said Mrs. Farley, as George and Mabel made ready
-for their first real drive――outside the yard this time.
-
-George and Mabel got into the pony cart, George taking the reins, while
-Mabel sat beside him. Patrick, the coachman, sat in the back of the
-cart, ready to help if he were needed.
-
-“Gid-dap!” called George, and he headed the pony down the driveway.
-“Gid-dap, Tinkle,” and Tinkle trotted along.
-
-“Don’t they look cute!” exclaimed Mrs. Farley to her husband as they
-watched the children from the dining room window. “I hope nothing
-happens to them.”
-
-“Oh, they’ll be all right,” said her husband. “Tinkle is a kind and
-gentle pony. Besides there is Patrick. He’ll know just what to do if
-anything should happen.”
-
-“Well, I hope nothing does,” said Mrs. Farley. “There! they’ve stopped!
-I wonder what for.”
-
-The pony cart had stopped at the driveway gates, and Patrick, with a
-queer smile on his face, came walking back.
-
-“What is it?” asked Mrs. Farley. “Did anything happen――and so soon?”
-
-“No’m,” replied the coachman, “but Master George wants to know if you’d
-like to have him bring anything from the store. He says he’d like to
-buy something for you.”
-
-“Oh!” and Mrs. Farley laughed. “Well, I don’t know that I need any
-groceries. But I suppose he wants to do an errand in the new cart. So
-tell him he may get a pound of loaf sugar. He and Mabel can feed the
-lumps to Tinkle.”
-
-“Very well, ma’am, I’ll tell him,” and, touching his hat, Patrick went
-back to George and Mabel.
-
-“Well, I guess everything is all right,” thought Tinkle to himself as
-he trotted along in front of the pony cart, hauling George, Mabel and
-Patrick. “It’s a good deal easier than I thought, and my new iron shoes
-feel fine!”
-
-So he trotted along merrily, and George and his sister, sitting in the
-pony cart, enjoyed their ride very much. George drove Tinkle along the
-streets, turning him now to the left, by pulling on the left rein, and
-again to the other side by jerking gently on the right rein.
-
-“Am I doing all right, Patrick?” asked the little boy.
-
-“Fine, Master George,” answered the coachman. “You drive as well as
-anybody.”
-
-“I’ll let you take a turn soon, Mabel,” said George.
-
-“Oh, I don’t want to――just yet,” replied the little girl. “I want to
-watch and see how you do it. Besides, I’d be afraid to drive where
-there are so many horses and wagons,” for they were on the main street
-of the city.
-
-“You’ll soon get so you can do as well as Master George,” declared
-Patrick. “Tinkle is an easy pony to manage.”
-
-As George and Mabel traveled on in their pony cart, they met several of
-their playmates who waved their hands to the Farley children.
-
-[Illustration: “Oh, what a nice pony cart!” cried the boys and girls.]
-
-“Oh, what a nice pony cart!” cried the boys and girls.
-
-“I’ll give you a ride, some day,” promised George.
-
-He and Mabel were soon at the store, and, going in, they bought the
-loaf sugar. Patrick stayed out in the pony cart, and Tinkle stood still
-next to the curb. Near him was a horse hitched to a wagon full of coal.
-
-“Hello, my little pony!” called the coal-horse. “You have a fine rig
-there.”
-
-“Yes, it is pretty nice,” said Tinkle, and he was sure he must look
-very gorgeous, for Mabel had tied a blue ribbon in his mane that
-morning.
-
-“You’re quite stylish,” went on the coal-horse.
-
-“Well, I s’pose you _might_ call it that,” admitted Tinkle.
-
-“It’s much more fun to be pulling a light, little cart like that around
-the city streets, than to haul a great big heavy coal wagon, such as I
-am hitched to,” went on the big horse.
-
-“Yes, but see how strong you are!” observed Tinkle. “I never could pull
-such a heavy load as you haul.”
-
-“No, I guess you couldn’t,” said the coal horse. “Especially up some of
-the hills we have. It is almost more than I can do, and there is one
-hill that I have to take a rest on, half way up, but my driver is good
-to me, and never whips me, which is more than I can say of some drivers
-I have known. So I guess, after all, it is better for you to draw the
-pony cart and for me to stick to the coal wagon.”
-
-“Indeed it is,” said a horse that was hitched to one of the grocery
-wagons. “You’d look funny, coal-horse, trying to fit between the shafts
-of that pony cart.”
-
-“I suppose I would,” admitted the other, laughing, in a way horses have
-among themselves.
-
-When George and Mabel came out of the store, with the bag of sugar
-lumps, they saw the two horses――one hitched to a coal wagon and the
-other to a grocery cart――rubbing noses with Tinkle.
-
-“They’re kissing each other,” laughed the little girl.
-
-But the horses and the pony were really talking among themselves,
-and even Patrick, much as he knew about animals, did not understand
-horse-talk.
-
-“Let’s give Tinkle some sugar now,” said Mabel.
-
-“All right,” answered George, so they gave the pony two lumps.
-
-“My, that sugar certainly smells good!” exclaimed the horse that was
-hitched to the coal wagon.
-
-“It certainly does,” said the other horse, sniffing hard through his
-nose, for the air was filled with the sweet smell of the sugar lumps
-Tinkle was eating. “You might think,” went on the grocery horse, “that,
-working for a store, as I do, I’d get a lump of sugar once in a while.”
-
-“Don’t you?” asked Tinkle, reaching out for another sweet lump George
-offered him.
-
-“Never a bit!” said the grocery-horse, “and I just love it!”
-
-“So do I,” said the coal-horse.
-
-“I’m sorry I didn’t offer you some,” apologized Tinkle. “But it’s too
-late now. I’ve swallowed it.”
-
-Just then Mabel thought of something nice.
-
-“Oh, George!” she cried. “Let’s give the two horses some of Tinkle’s
-sugar. I guess horses like sweet stuff the same as ponies. Don’t they,
-Patrick?” she asked the coachman.
-
-“Sure they do, Miss Mabel,” he answered. “Sure they do!”
-
-“Then give them some, George,” she begged. “We have more than enough
-for Tinkle.”
-
-“All right,” said the little boy. So he held out two lumps of sugar
-to the coal horse, and two to the grocery horse, and I just wish you
-could have seen how glad those horses were to get the sweet stuff. If
-they could have talked man language they would have thanked George and
-Mabel, but as it was they could only say to one another and to Tinkle:
-
-“Well, you certainly have a good home with such nice children in it.”
-
-“I’m glad you think so,” whinnied Tinkle to them, and he felt very
-happy.
-
-George and Mabel drove home in their pony cart, carrying what was left
-of the bag of sugar. When they were near their home, and on a quiet
-street, George let his sister take the reins so she would learn how to
-handle them. Patrick watched the little girl carefully and told her how
-and when to pull, so Tinkle would go to the right or to the left, and
-also around the corners.
-
-“Oh, Mother! now I know how to drive!” cried Mabel as she ran into
-the house to tell her father and Mrs. Farley about their first trip
-downtown in the new pony cart.
-
-After that George and Mabel had many rides behind Tinkle, even in the
-Winter, when they hitched him to a little sled. The little pony grew to
-like his little boy and girl friends very much indeed, and they loved
-him dearly. They would hug him and pat him whenever they went out to
-the stable where he was, and feed him lumps of sugar. When Spring came
-they took long rides in the country.
-
-One day a funny thing happened to Tinkle. He had been hitched to the
-pony cart which was tied to a post in front of the house, waiting
-for George and Mabel to come out. And then, from somewhere down the
-street sounded the tooting of a horn, and a queer odor, which made him
-tremble, came to the pony’s nostrils.
-
-“I wonder what that is?” said Tinkle to himself. Very soon he found out.
-
-Along came a man wearing a red cap, and every once in a while he would
-put a brass horn to his mouth and blow a tooting tune. But this was not
-what surprised Tinkle most. What did, was a big shaggy animal, that the
-man was leading by a chain. And when Tinkle saw the shaggy creature he
-was afraid. But the other animal, rising up on its hind legs said:
-
-“Don’t be afraid of me, little pony. I won’t hurt you!”
-
-“Who are you?” asked Tinkle, wonderingly.
-
-“I am Dido, the dancing bear,” was the answer, “and I have had many
-adventures that have been put into a book.”
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VII
-
-TINKLE DOES SOME TRICKS
-
-
-For a few seconds Tinkle stood looking at Dido, the dancing bear, not
-knowing what to do or say. Some ponies would have been afraid of a
-bear. They would have snorted, stood on their hind legs, and maybe have
-run away. But Tinkle had never seen a bear before, no one had ever
-told him about them, and he really did not know enough to be afraid.
-Besides, Dido seemed such a funny, good-natured and happy bear that I
-believe no one would have been afraid of him.
-
-“So you are Dido, the dancing bear, are you?” asked Tinkle. “And you
-say you are in a book. What does that mean?”
-
-“I’ll tell you,” went on Dido, while his master, the man who blew such
-jolly tunes on the brass horn, was picking up some apples that had
-fallen from a roadside tree. He let Dido walk on ahead, without even a
-string tied to him, for he knew that Dido would not run away.
-
-“You see, it’s this way,” went on the dancing bear. “Years ago I used
-to live in the woods with my father and mother, sisters and brothers.”
-
-“I never lived in the woods,” said Tinkle, “but I lived in a big, green
-field.”
-
-“That was nice,” murmured Dido. “I have been in the fields, too. Well,
-one day I was caught by a man, who took me away. At first I did not
-like it, but the man was good to me and taught me to do tricks.”
-
-“What are tricks?” asked the pony, for he could speak all animal
-languages as well as understand them.
-
-“Tricks are――well, I’ll show you in a minute,” went on Dido. “The man
-was good to me, as I said, and taught me tricks. Then I was sold to a
-circus and I had lots of good times with Tum Tum, the jolly elephant
-and Mappo the merry monkey. They are in books, too.”
-
-“What are books?” asked Tinkle. “Are they good, like sugar; and do you
-eat them?”
-
-“Oh, no!” laughed Dido. “Books are funny things, like blocks of wood;
-only you can open them, like a door, you know, and inside are funny
-black marks on paper that is white, like the snow. Boys and girls, and
-men and women, open these funny things called books and look at them
-for ever and ever so long.”
-
-“Why do they do that?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“Well, I don’t really know,” said Dido. “But after they have looked
-at the books, turning over the white things with the black marks on,
-called leaves, the boys and girls laugh.”
-
-“Why?” Tinkle demanded.
-
-“Because of the funny things printed on them,” answered Dido. “You see
-in my book are set down all the things I did. And the things Mappo did
-and the things Tum Tum did are in their books. Some of the things were
-funny, and that is what makes the boys and girls laugh. Tum Tum’s book
-is enough to make any one laugh. He is a very jolly elephant.”
-
-“Is it fashionable to be in a book?” asked Tinkle. “I have quite a
-stylish pony cart here, as you can see, so if being in a book is――”
-
-“Of _course_ it’s fashionable to be in a book!” exclaimed Dido. “You
-should see the funny pictures of _me_ in _my_ book.”
-
-And I might say, right here, that the books that Dido spoke of really
-exist, besides others about different animals. And this book is about
-Tinkle, as you can see for yourself. Maybe the little pony will be
-quite surprised when he finds what has been set down about him.
-
-“Toot! Toot! Toot!” blew the horn again, and the man who owned Dido,
-having picked up all the apples he wanted, came walking along the road.
-Dido had been in a circus for some time, but now he was out again,
-traveling around the country doing tricks.
-
-“Ah, you have met a friend, I see, Dido!” remarked the man, who had
-little gold rings in his ears. “A little pony, eh? Well, where there is
-a pony there must be children, and I think they will like to see your
-tricks, Dido. Come, we’ll get ready for them.”
-
-The man blew another merry tune on his horn, and just then George and
-Mabel came running out of the house, ready to go driving in the pony
-cart.
-
-“Oh, see the bear!” cried Mabel.
-
-“And look at what he is doing!” added George. For, just then the man
-told Dido to turn a somersault, and this the bear did.
-
-“That’s one of my tricks,” said Dido to Tinkle, though of course George
-and Mabel did not know the two animals were speaking to one another,
-for they talked in a low whisper.
-
-“Oh, so that’s a trick, is it?” asked Tinkle in surprise.
-
-“Yes, and I can do others. Wait, I’m going to do some more,” went on
-Dido.
-
-“Come now, Dido! Show the little boy and girl how you play soldier!”
-called the man and he tossed a stick to the bear. Dido clasped it in
-his paws, held it over one shoulder just as though it were a gun and
-marched around in a ring standing up stiff and straight like a soldier
-on parade.
-
-“Oh, that’s great!” cried George.
-
-“Is he a trained bear, Mister?” asked Mabel.
-
-“Oh, yes he is a good trained bear,” answered the man. “I have taught
-him to do many tricks. Now stand on your head, Dido,” and Dido stood on
-his head without so much as blinking his eye. Only he could not stand
-that way very long because he was quite a fat and heavy bear now. But
-he did very well.
-
-“Can he do any more tricks?” asked George, and by this time Patrick,
-the coachman, Mary the cook, and Mrs. Farley had come out to watch Dido.
-
-“I will have him climb a pole,” said the man, pointing to a telegraph
-pole in front of the Farley home. “Up you go, Dido!” he called, and the
-bear walked slowly over to the smooth pole. He stuck his sharp claws
-into the soft wood, and up and up he climbed until he was nearly at the
-top. Then he climbed down again while Mabel and George clapped their
-hands and laughed.
-
-“He is a fine bear,” said George. “I wonder if he would eat sugar as
-Tinkle, my pony, does?”
-
-“Try him and see,” answered the man, with a laugh.
-
-“Won’t he bite?” asked Mabel, as George took some lumps of sugar from
-his pocket.
-
-“Oh, no. Dido never bites,” answered his master. “He is a very gentle
-bear.”
-
-George held a lump of sugar on his hand. Up Dido walked to the little
-boy.
-
-“Don’t dare bite him!” said Tinkle to Dido, speaking in animal talk, of
-course.
-
-“Oh, no fear!” exclaimed Dido. “I wouldn’t bite him for the world. Just
-watch!” Then Dido put out his big red tongue to which the lump of sugar
-stuck, just like a postage stamp, and, in another second, it had slid
-down Dido’s red throat.
-
-“Oh, wasn’t that cute?” cried Mabel.
-
-Then Dido did more tricks, and after Mrs. Farley had given the man some
-money he and Dido walked on down the road.
-
-“Good-by, children!” called the man.
-
-“Good-by,” answered George and Mabel, waving their hands.
-
-“Good-by, Tinkle!” called Dido. “Perhaps some day I may see you again.”
-
-“I hope so,” called back the pony. “I want to hear more about being in
-a book and about Tum Tum and Mappo.”
-
-“They are in the circus now, I think,” said Dido. “If you ever go to
-the circus you may meet them.”
-
-“I don’t believe I ever shall,” said Tinkle. But you just wait and see
-what happens.
-
-“Well, go for your drive now, children,” said Mrs. Farley. “And don’t
-let Tinkle run away with you.”
-
-“We won’t,” answered George, laughingly. And as he and Mabel drove
-away, Patrick not going with them this time, George said: “I wish I
-could teach Tinkle some tricks.”
-
-“Oh, wouldn’t that be great!” exclaimed Mabel. “I once saw a trick pony
-in a show. He could bow and tell how old he was by pawing on the ground
-with his hoof.”
-
-“Then I’m going to teach Tinkle some tricks,” said George. “And when he
-learns them we’ll take him around the country and show him off and earn
-money.”
-
-“Oh, how nice!” cried Mabel, clapping her hands.
-
-When George and Mabel got back from their drive George spoke to his
-father about teaching Tinkle to do some tricks.
-
-“I hardly think you can,” said Mr. Farley. “But you may try. Better ask
-Patrick about it, though. He knows a lot about horses and ponies.”
-
-“Teach Tinkle tricks, is it?” asked Patrick when George spoke to the
-coachman about it. “Well, maybe you can. He’s young yet. You can’t
-teach an old pony tricks any more than you can teach an old dog. We’ll
-try some day.”
-
-A few days after this Patrick called George out to the stable yard
-where Tinkle was standing.
-
-“What are you going to do?” asked George.
-
-“Teach Tinkle his first trick,” was the answer. “He is going to learn
-how to jump over a stick.” Patrick put two boxes, about two feet high,
-on the ground and laid a stick across them. He led the pony close to
-the stick and stood there beside him.
-
-“Now, Master George, you stand on the other side of the stick, and hold
-out these lumps of sugar,” said Patrick. “We will see what Tinkle will
-do.”
-
-George held out the sugar a few feet away from Tinkle’s nose. Tinkle
-could smell it, and he wanted it very much.
-
-“Go get it!” called Patrick, letting loose the halter strap he had been
-holding. “Go get the sugar, Tinkle.”
-
-Instead of jumping across the stick, as they wanted him to do, Tinkle
-walked right against it and knocked it off the boxes.
-
-“That won’t do!” cried Patrick. “Don’t give him the sugar, Master
-George, until he jumps over the stick.”
-
-So George held the sugar behind his back, and Tinkle was quite
-disappointed at not getting it.
-
-“I wonder what they want me to do, and why they put that stick in front
-of me?” thought the little pony. Patrick placed the stick back on the
-boxes, and this time he nailed it fast so the pony could not easily
-knock it off. Then the coachman held the pony as before and George put
-the lumps of sugar out on his hand again.
-
-Once more Tinkle walked forward to get them, but this time he could not
-knock the stick down with his legs. He shoved the boxes aside, though,
-and again Patrick led him back.
-
-“Jump over the stick, Tinkle! Jump over the stick and I’ll give you the
-sugar!” called George. And then, after two or three more times, Tinkle
-understood. He found that stick always in his way when he wanted to get
-the sweet sugar, and finally he thought of the fence he had once jumped
-over.
-
-“I guess that’s what they want me to do now!” he said. And with a jump,
-over the stick he went. Tinkle had done his first trick!
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VIII
-
-TINKLE IS TAKEN AWAY
-
-
-“That’s fine!” cried George, as Tinkle, after having jumped over the
-stick, came trotting up to get the sugar. “Soon you’ll be as good as
-Dido, the dancing bear.”
-
-“Well, I guess I did pretty well for a beginner,” thought Tinkle to
-himself, as he crunched the sugar in his strong white teeth. “Now I
-hope they will let me alone, or else drive me hitched to the cart or
-ride on my back.”
-
-But George and the coachman were not yet through with Tinkle. They
-wanted to be sure he understood how to do the trick. So they set up the
-stick again, and George held out more sugar. This time the pony knew
-what to do at once, and, with a bound, over the stick he went.
-
-“Oh, I want Mabel to see this!” cried George. “Come on out!” he called
-to his sister. “Come on out and see Tinkle do a trick!”
-
-Mabel was as much pleased as was her brother. She, too, held out the
-sugar and Tinkle came to her as he had to George, leaping over the
-stick. Tinkle would do almost anything for lumps of sugar.
-
-“Well, this is enough for the first day,” said the coachman to the
-children. “We don’t want Tinkle to get tired. Go take him for a drive
-now, and to-morrow we can teach him other tricks.”
-
-Off in the pony cart rode the two children. Half-way down the street
-they met Tommie and Nellie Hall, and invited them to have a drive.
-
-“Did you see the trained bear?” asked Tommie of George. “A man was
-leading him past our house. He did a lot of tricks.”
-
-“We’re going to teach our pony to do tricks like those,” cried Mabel.
-
-“No! Really?” exclaimed Nellie, in surprise.
-
-“Yes, we are,” added George. “He can do one trick already――jump over a
-stick,” and he told how Tinkle had been taught.
-
-“I’d like to see him do that,” said Tommie. “But there’s one trick Dido
-the bear did that your pony can never do.”
-
-“What is that?” Mabel asked.
-
-“Climb a telegraph pole!” said Tommie with a laugh.
-
-“That’s right,” admitted George. “Tinkle never could do that. But I
-don’t want him to. To-morrow we are going to teach him a new trick.”
-
-The next day George went out to the stable to ask Patrick what trick it
-would be best next to teach the pony.
-
-“Let us see if he has forgotten his first trick,” said the coachman.
-Once more the stick was laid across the boxes and, standing on the
-other side of it, George held out the sugar. Tinkle jumped over at
-once, higher than he had ever before gone, for, now that he knew
-jumping was what his little master wanted, the pony made up his mind to
-do his very best.
-
-“Yes, he hasn’t forgotten that trick,” said Patrick. “Now we’ll teach
-him to make a bow.”
-
-“How do you do that?” asked George.
-
-“I’ll show you,” Patrick answered.
-
-He put some soft straw on the ground in front of the pony. Then the
-coachman tied a rope around Tinkle’s left foreleg. Standing off a
-little way, behind, and to one side of Tinkle, Patrick pulled gently on
-the rope, at the same time saying:
-
-“Make a bow, Tinkle! Make a bow!”
-
-Of course Tinkle did not know then what the words meant, but when he
-felt the pull on his leg from the rope it seemed as though his leg was
-being pulled from under him. And that is what Patrick was doing, only
-so gently that it did not hurt.
-
-Then the coachman said again:
-
-“Make a bow, Tinkle!”
-
-The pony suddenly felt his leg slipping and as it bent he came down on
-one knee on the soft straw.
-
-“Oh, he did make a bow!” cried George; and that is just what it looked
-like.
-
-“Give him a lump of sugar!” said Patrick. “Then he’ll know he is to get
-a lump when he makes another bow.”
-
-The coachman loosed his hold of the rope and Tinkle quickly scrambled
-to his feet. He was not in the least hurt, but he was a little puzzled.
-
-“I wonder what they are trying to do to me?” he asked himself. But he
-was glad when he found George had another lump of sugar for him. “This
-part of it is all right, anyhow,” thought the pony.
-
-Once again he heard Patrick call:
-
-“Make a bow, Tinkle. Make a bow!” Again came that tug on the rope which
-pulled Tinkle’s leg from under him, so that he had to bend down and bow.
-
-“That’s the way to do it!” cried Patrick. “More sugar for the pony,
-Master George!”
-
-“Now I begin to understand!” said Tinkle to himself. “This is just like
-jumping over the stick――only different. Ah, I have it! These are the
-tricks Dido was telling me about. Now I know what they are doing it
-for. I am to be a trick pony! And maybe I’ll be in the circus with Tum
-Tum and Mappo.”
-
-But you will have to wait a little while to find out if that part came
-true.
-
-“Now we’ll try it again,” said the coachman as Tinkle got up and stood
-on the soft straw. “Make another bow, Tinkle!” he called.
-
-The pony heard the word “bow,” he felt the gentle pull on the rope that
-was tied to his leg. This time he did not wait for his leg to be pulled
-from beneath him, but he bowed of his own accord, and then George gave
-him the sugar.
-
-“He is beginning to know what we want of him,” said the coachman. “Now
-he can do two tricks.”
-
-“And soon I can take him around the country and show him off,” cried
-George, in great delight.
-
-“Well, I don’t know about that,” laughed Patrick. “I guess your father
-and mother wouldn’t like that. But you can have him do tricks at home
-here for your friends.”
-
-Tinkle was a smart little pony and in a few days all George had to do
-was to say “Jump!” and Tinkle would jump over two or even three sticks
-laid across boxes. And when George said: “Make a bow!” Tinkle would
-kneel down almost as politely as some dancers I have seen.
-
-“Are there any other tricks you can teach Tinkle?” asked George of the
-coachman one day.
-
-“Oh, yes, plenty more,” was the answer. “We’ll try to get him to stand
-on his hind legs and walk around. It is pretty hard but I guess he can
-do it.”
-
-Tinkle was longer in learning this trick than he had been in learning
-how to do the other two put together. Patrick and George were kind and
-patient, however. Patrick, with another man to help him, put Tinkle in
-front of a board laid across two water pails. They set Tinkle’s front
-feet on the board and then with Patrick at one end, and the man at the
-other, they lifted up the board with Tinkle’s feet resting on it and
-started to walk. And Tinkle walked too, because George stood in front
-of him with a nice red apple, and as the pony reached for it George
-kept backing away.
-
-Of course Tinkle wanted the apple, so he kept on walking. Only, as his
-front feet were resting on the board, the pony could walk on his hind
-feet only, but he was soon doing this without knowing it. It took a
-little time to make him stand up on his hind legs without anything on
-which to rest his front feet, but after a bit he understood what was
-wanted of him. Then he remembered how he had seen horses in the green
-meadow, where he used to live, rear up on their hind legs in play
-sometimes.
-
-“Why that’s just what I’m doing,” thought Tinkle, and then it came
-easier for him. He could soon walk half the length of the stable yard
-on his hind legs, with his forefeet held up in the air.
-
-“That’s three tricks Tinkle can do,” said George in delight as the
-pony pranced around on his hind legs. “He will soon be able to join a
-circus.”
-
-“But you won’t let him, will you?” asked Mabel. “You won’t let Tinkle
-go away, George, I like him too much.”
-
-“And so do I,” answered her brother. “Indeed I won’t let Tinkle go
-away.”
-
-But one day something sad happened to Tinkle. Mr. and Mrs. Farley with
-George and Mabel went on a visit to the country, to be gone three days.
-They did not take Tinkle with them as they had to travel on the train.
-
-“But I guess he’ll be all right until we come home,” said George as he
-went out to the stable to bid his pet good-by.
-
-“I’ll be here to watch him,” said Patrick.
-
-Two days after the Farley family had gone away Patrick, who slept in
-rooms over the stable, had to go to the store for some salve for one of
-the horses that had got a nail in his foot.
-
-[Illustration: It took a little time to make him stand upon his hind
-legs without anything on which to rest his front feet.]
-
-Patrick thought he would be gone only a few minutes, so he left Tinkle
-outside in the stable yard.
-
-“I guess he will be all right until I come back,” said the coachman.
-
-But it took longer to put up the salve than he had supposed, so he was
-nearly half an hour away from the barn. And there was no one in the
-house, for the cook and maid had also gone away on visits when the
-family left.
-
-And in that half hour something happened. Two men drove a big, empty
-moving van down the street past the Farley house. In the side-yard was
-an old-fashioned pump and, seeing it, one of the men said:
-
-“Let’s stop off and get a drink. It’s a hot day and I’m thirsty.”
-
-“I am too,” said the other man.
-
-They stopped the van in a side street near the stable yard, and pumped
-some water for themselves. Tinkle walked over near the fence and looked
-at the men, for he was a bit lonesome.
-
-“That’s a fine pony,” said one of the men, wiping off the drops of
-water from his mustache.
-
-“He sure is,” agreed the other. “Look at him making a bow; would you!”
-
-For just then Tinkle took it into his head to do one of his tricks. He
-had not done any in two days because George was away.
-
-“Say, he’s smart!” exclaimed the biggest man, who had red hair.
-
-“He is that. Look at him jump!” for Tinkle did his second trick then.
-He was showing off, you see.
-
-The two men talked together in low voices. They looked toward the house
-and saw that it was closed. No one was about. Patrick was down at the
-drugstore and no one was near the stable.
-
-“We could easily put him in the moving van,” said the red-haired man.
-“He isn’t heavy.”
-
-“But what would we do with him after we took him?” asked the shorter of
-the two men.
-
-“Why, a trick pony like him is worth money. We could sell him for a
-hundred dollars, maybe. Let’s take him. No one will see us.”
-
-Of course it was not right for the men to plan to take Tinkle away, but
-they did, just the same.
-
-“Come here, pony!” called one of the men, and he whistled. Tinkle came
-closer, for George had taught him to come at the sound of a whistle to
-get a lump of sugar.
-
-But the men had no sugar for Tinkle. Instead they opened the gate to
-the stable yard, and led Tinkle out by his mane. The pony went along
-willingly enough, for he was not afraid of men. None of them had ever
-hurt him, so he had no reason to be afraid.
-
-“Lead him right out to the van,” said the red-haired man, “and we’ll
-toss him in. No one will see him in there.”
-
-Before Tinkle knew what was happening he was led out of the yard, to
-the side street, and suddenly the two men lifted him up and tossed him
-right inside the big empty moving van, which could easily have held
-two or three big horses, to say nothing of several ponies as small as
-Tinkle.
-
-Tinkle was not much bigger than a very big dog, and the men, being
-strong (for they could lift a piano) had no trouble in lifting the pony
-from the ground. Into the van they tossed him, and he fell down, but,
-as it happened, there was a pile of soft bags there so he was not hurt.
-
-But he was much frightened when the men banged shut the big end doors.
-Then Tinkle felt himself being taken away. He was shut up inside the
-dark wagon and could see nothing.
-
-Poor Tinkle!
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER IX
-
-TINKLE IN THE CIRCUS
-
-
-“What does all this mean?” thought Tinkle to himself as he got up off
-the pile of bags in the moving van, and tried to stand. But he found
-that the motion of the big wagon, as it was rapidly driven away,
-toppled him about so that it was easier to lie down than to stay on his
-feet.
-
-So Tinkle stretched out on the bags and tried to think what it all
-meant. His eyes were getting used to the dark now, and he could see,
-dimly, that he was in some place like his box stall. Only it was not as
-nice, and Tinkle could not smell any sweet hay or oats.
-
-“I wonder if they can be taking me where George is?” thought Tinkle,
-for he had greatly missed the little boy and his sister who were
-accustomed to ride him or drive him about.
-
-On and on went the moving van with Tinkle locked inside. The horses
-pulling the big wagon of course did not know they were taking a little
-pony away from his home. Even if they had known there was nothing they
-could have done. Poor Tinkle felt very sad and lonely. It was the
-first time anything like this had ever happened to him.
-
-Up on the seat the two men were talking.
-
-“Well, we got that trick pony all right,” said the red-haired one.
-
-“Yes, but if the folks who own him find out we have him they’ll have us
-arrested,” said the short man.
-
-“Oh, they’ll never find out. No one saw us take him, nobody but us
-knows he’s in this van and we’ll soon be far enough away. We can make
-money on this pony.”
-
-On and on the moving van rumbled, farther and farther away, and pretty
-soon Tinkle, locked inside, began to feel hungry. He got up, intending
-to go about looking for something to eat. But the van tossed and tilted
-about so on the rough road that Tinkle was thrown against the side and
-bruised.
-
-“I guess I had better stay lying down,” he said. “But I am very
-thirsty!”
-
-It was hot, shut up inside the big wagon, and Tinkle thought longingly
-of the trough of cool drinking water in the stable yard and wished he
-were back there.
-
-The men who had taken Tinkle away made the horses drawing the van hurry
-along, so they were soon out of the city where the Farleys lived. They
-drove along a country road and, just as night was coming on, they came
-to another city where they had their stable, and where they kept the
-van.
-
-“Well, let’s see how the pony stood the trip,” said the red-haired man
-as he opened the big end doors.
-
-“He seems to be all right,” replied the other. He held up a lantern and
-looked inside. Tinkle got up from his bed on the old bags. He saw the
-open doors and he smelled hay and oats, though the smell was not as
-good as that which came from his stable at home.
-
-“Lift him out, and we’ll put him in one of the stalls,” said the
-red-haired man.
-
-But Tinkle did not wait to be lifted out. He knew how to jump, and,
-giving a leap, he was quickly on the ground. Then, as he did not like
-the place where he was, nor the men who had taken him from his nice
-home, Tinkle tried to run away.
-
-But the men were too quick for him. One of them caught him by the mane
-and the other by the nose, pinching so that it hurt Tinkle.
-
-“Look out! He’s a lively chap!” cried the short man. “He wants to get
-away.”
-
-“Yes. We must put a halter on him and tie him in the stall,” said the
-other.
-
-Tinkle again tried hard to get away, but could not. If he had been a
-big, strong horse he might have broken loose from the men. But, as I
-have said, he was not much bigger than a large Newfoundland dog. The
-men easily held him and led him into the barn.
-
-This stable was not at all like the nice place in which Tinkle had
-lived when he was the pet of George. The straw on the floor was not
-clean, and when Tinkle was given a pail of water, after he had been
-tied in the stall, the water was not clean, either. Still Tinkle was so
-thirsty that he drank it. Then he felt a little better. But oh! how he
-did want his own, nice, clean box stall.
-
-For now he found himself in an ordinary stall, such as the other horses
-had. The manger was too high for him to eat from, but one of the men
-brought a low box and put some hay in it.
-
-“There! he can eat out of that I guess,” said the man. “We’ll likely
-sell him in a couple of days if we can find some one to buy him. He
-ought to bring in some money if he can do tricks.”
-
-Poor Tinkle did not understand or pay much attention to this talk. He
-was too hungry, and, though the hay was not so sweet as that he got
-at home, still he munched it. Suddenly he heard a voice speaking in a
-language he understood.
-
-“Hello in there!” was called to him. “Are you a new horse?”
-
-“I’m a pony,” was the answer Tinkle made. “Who are you, if you please?”
-
-“Ha! You’re polite, anyhow, which is more than I can say of some of the
-horses in this stable,” went on the voice. “Where did you come from,
-anyhow?”
-
-“I belong to a boy named George,” answered Tinkle. “To George and his
-sister Mabel. I don’t know where I am, nor why I was brought here. I
-didn’t want to come. I’d rather be back in my own home.”
-
-“Oh, ho!” exclaimed the voice, and by the light of a lantern hanging in
-the stable Tinkle could see that it was a horse in the next stall that
-was speaking to him. “Oh, ho! If you stay here long you’ll find there
-are lots of things you don’t want to do. I don’t want to pull a heavy
-moving van about the streets all day, but I have to,” said the horse,
-and he gave something like a groan.
-
-“Do all the horses here do that?” asked Tinkle, who felt very sad.
-
-“Most of us,” answered his new friend. “Some horses haul big wagons
-loaded with hay and feed, and the men don’t give us any too much to
-eat, either. Sometimes, when I’m drawing a load of hay, I’m so hungry I
-could just eat nearly all that is piled on the wagon. You won’t like
-it here a bit.”
-
-“Oh, what’s the use of making trouble?” asked a horse in the stall on
-the other side of Tinkle. “He’s here, and he’ll have to stay.”
-
-“Yes, I guess he will,” agreed the first horse. “But I don’t see what
-kind of work he can do. He isn’t big enough to be hitched up with any
-of us, and, if he was, he couldn’t pull the smallest moving van the men
-have.”
-
-“I can pull a pony cart!” said Tinkle who did not like the other horses
-to think he was of no use in the world.
-
-“Ha! Pony cart!” exclaimed one horse whose hide was covered with mud.
-“You’ll find no pony carts around _here_! _Dump_ carts, more likely.
-I’ve been hauling dirt in dump carts all day long, until I’m so tired I
-can hardly stand. And there’s a big sore on my back, too!”
-
-“I’m sorry for that,” said Tinkle kindly. “If Patrick were here he’d
-put something on it to make it better.”
-
-“Who’s Patrick?” asked the dirt-cart horse. “Is he one of us?”
-
-“Patrick is the coachman who taught me to do tricks for George, the
-little boy,” answered Tinkle, and he felt rather proud as he said this.
-
-“Tricks, is it?” laughed the horse who had first spoken. “You’ll have
-no time for tricks here. You must belong in a circus. Tricks indeed!”
-
-“I wish I could go to a circus!” said Tinkle eagerly. “I’ve heard about
-Tum Tum, the jolly elephant. He is in the circus.”
-
-“Well, eat your supper and be thankful for what you have,” said the
-dump-cart horse. “I hope they don’t work me so hard to-morrow. If they
-do I’ll try to run away, though that isn’t much use,” and the horse
-kept on with his supper of hay.
-
-Tinkle was very sad and lonesome. It was not at all nice in the stable
-where he was tied. It was dirty, and did not smell good. The horses
-around him, though kindly, were poor, hard-working animals, and were
-not like the sleek Prince and other horses in Mr. Farley’s stable. The
-men who owned the work horses seldom took the time to use the currycomb
-or brush on them. If a horse fell down in the dirt, as they often did
-from pulling too heavy loads, the dirt stayed on until it dried and
-blew off.
-
-For several days Tinkle was kept tied in the stable. The men could not
-use him on any of their heavy wagons and there was no time for him to
-do his tricks, and no pony cart for him to ride children about in. Poor
-Tinkle felt very bad, and many, many times he wished himself back in
-his old home.
-
-As best he could, in his stall, Tinkle practiced the tricks he had
-learned from George and Patrick. He bowed and he did a little jumping,
-but not much, as his stall was too small. And one day, when Tinkle was
-practicing his bowing trick, the red-haired man suddenly happened to
-come into the stable.
-
-“Oh, ho!” he cried. “I forgot about that pony doing tricks! We must try
-to sell him and get the money. I wonder who would buy him?”
-
-“I know,” said the other man, coming into the stable just then.
-
-“Who would?” asked the red-haired man.
-
-“The circus people,” was the answer. “The big circus which came to the
-city to-day. I have been down on the circus lot just now with a load
-of hay for the elephants. I saw some little ponies there, and I asked
-one of the circus men if they ever bought extra ones. He said they did
-sometimes, and he said they needed a new trick pony just now as one of
-theirs is sick.”
-
-“That may be just the chance we’re looking for!” cried the red-haired
-man.
-
-“Good,” said the other. “We’ll take this pony to the circus and sell
-him.”
-
-Through the city streets one of the men led Tinkle and before long the
-pony heard music playing. He looked up and saw the big white tents and
-the gay fluttering flags.
-
-“Oh, this must be the circus Dido, the dancing bear, told me about,”
-Tinkle said to himself. “I wonder if I shall meet Tum Tum, the jolly
-elephant?”
-
-“Here’s the trick pony my partner was telling you about,” announced the
-red-haired man to a man who came out of a tent where many ponies and
-horses were eating their dinners.
-
-“Can he do any tricks?” asked the circus man.
-
-“Well, I’ve seen him make bows and jump. I don’t know what else he can
-do.”
-
-“I’ll soon find out,” stated the circus man. “He looks like a good
-pony. I’ll buy him of you.”
-
-So after some talk, the money was paid over and then Tinkle belonged to
-the circus.
-
-“I wonder what will happen to me now,” thought Tinkle, and very many
-strange things were to happen. I am going to tell you about them.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER X
-
-TINKLE AND TUM TUM
-
-
-“Well, come along now, pony. I’ll see how many tricks you know and how
-many I can teach you.”
-
-It was the circus man who had bought Tinkle who was speaking, but
-Tinkle was so taken up with looking about him, at the strange sights
-all round that he did not at first listen.
-
-“Come along!” called the man again, and then Tinkle heard a whistle.
-This time he turned around quickly. For a moment he thought his dear
-little master George had come for him, but he saw only the circus man,
-and other strange men and animals all about.
-
-“It must have been the man who whistled to me,” said Tinkle to himself.
-“I guess, though, he wants me to come with him, as George used to want
-me to go with him when he whistled. I’ll go.”
-
-So Tinkle followed the man, which was just what the man wanted. He led
-Tinkle along by the rope made fast to his halter.
-
-“Well, you know something, to start with,” said the circus man,
-smiling at Tinkle. The pony, of course, did not know what a smile
-meant, but he did know that the man spoke in kind tones and not sharp
-and cross as had the moving men, sometimes. Besides the circus man
-talked _to_ the pony, and the other men had not.
-
-So Tinkle knew by the voice that the man was kind, and he followed him
-to a little tent where there were many other ponies. In a tent next
-door were big horses, and they were all either eating hay or oats, or
-lying down on the straw, for it was not yet time for the circus to
-begin.
-
-“Here is a new pony I have bought, Tom,” said the first man to one who
-had charge of the ponies. “He can do a few tricks and I am going to
-teach him more. Look after him, and clean him off. He doesn’t seem to
-have been well taken care of.”
-
-“That’s right, Mr. Drake; he doesn’t,” answered Tom. “I’ll take good
-care of him, though.”
-
-Poor Tinkle’s hairy coat was in a sad state. It was dirty and bits of
-hay and straw clung to it. Also his mane and tail were tangled. Tinkle
-had been kept very clean by Patrick and George, but the moving men
-spent no time on the pony they had stolen.
-
-“First to clean you up,” said Tom, talking to himself, but also, in a
-way, speaking to Tinkle. “Then we’ll see about your tricks. Mr. Drake
-is a good pony teacher.”
-
-Though Tinkle could understand very little of this talk, yet, somehow,
-he felt happier than he had in a long while――in fact since he had been
-taken away from George.
-
-With a brush, a currycomb, and a cloth Tom cleaned Tinkle’s hairy coat
-until it began to shine and glisten almost as it had when he lived in
-the nice Farley stable.
-
-“That will do for a while,” said Tom. “Now I’ll get you something to
-eat. Come along, pony,” and he whistled just as George used to do.
-Tinkle liked to hear a clear, cheerful whistle.
-
-Tinkle was tied in the tent with the other ponies. His stall was just a
-place between two ropes, and his manger made of canvas, for the tent,
-and everything in it, had to be moved from place to place as the circus
-traveled, and wooden stalls, such as are in barns, would never do. In
-the manger were some hay and oats. Tinkle began to eat hungrily. It was
-almost as good as being home again.
-
-“Well, where in the world did you come from?” asked a pony on Tinkle’s
-left side.
-
-“Yes, tell us about yourself,” added another on the right side. “You
-are a stranger. I never saw you in the circus before.”
-
-“I just came to-day,” said Tinkle, after he had swallowed some of the
-hay and oats. “I never was with a circus before. Is it nice?”
-
-“Oh, it’s lots of fun,” said the pony on the left, whose name was Tiny
-Tim. “It’s jolly!”
-
-“We have great times doing tricks,” said the pony on Tinkle’s right,
-and his name was Prancer. “We do lots of tricks. Can you do any,
-Tinkle?” for the new pony had told his name.
-
-“I can make a bow, jump over a rope and walk on my hind legs.”
-
-“Those are all good tricks,” said Tiny Tim, “but you will have to learn
-many more if you are to stay with this circus.”
-
-“I guess the man they call Mr. Drake will teach Tinkle tricks,”
-remarked Prancer. “He taught me all I know. Why, would you believe,” he
-went on, “when first I joined the circus I couldn’t do a single thing!”
-
-“Can you do many tricks now?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“I should say he could!” cried Tiny Tim, with a laughing whinny. “He is
-the best trick pony in the circus!”
-
-“Oh, not the _best_,” protested Prancer modestly. “I can do a _few_
-tricks, it is true, but――”
-
-“Now you let me tell!” interrupted Tiny Tim, laughing. “You can jump
-over a barrel, stand up on a platform on your hind legs and turn
-around, you can pick up different colored flags, count, add up numbers
-on a blackboard and take letters from the post-office.
-
-“Well, yes, I can do those things,” said Prancer.
-
-“My! What a lot of tricks!” cried Tinkle. “I wonder if I shall ever be
-able to do even half that many?”
-
-“Of course you will,” said Prancer kindly. “You wait; Mr. Drake will
-teach you as he taught me.”
-
-All this while many things were going on about the circus grounds. The
-big tents had been put up, the animal cages wheeled in, the clowns were
-painting their faces in such funny ways to make the boys and girls
-laugh, and the big, golden wagons were being made ready for the parade.
-A band was playing, the pretty flags were blowing in the wind, and,
-altogether, the circus was such a nice place that, for the first time
-in a long while, Tinkle felt happy. But when he thought of George and
-the nice home he had been taken from he felt sad.
-
-“Still, this is much better than being kept in the dirty stable,”
-thought the trick pony. “Maybe I’ll see George some day.”
-
-Tom, the man who had cleaned and fed Tinkle, came running into the
-ponies’ tent.
-
-“Come on now!” he cried. “Lively everybody!”
-
-All at once some other men began taking down, off pegs in the tent
-poles, red blankets, strings of bells, gaily colored plumes and harness.
-
-“What is going on?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“Oh, they are going to dress us up, and hitch us to a little golden
-wagon to go in the parade,” said Prancer.
-
-“Do you think I am to go?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“I think not this time,” answered Tiny Tim. “You see you don’t know
-much about a circus yet, and you might be frightened by the big crowds
-and the noise. Then, too, you wouldn’t know how to pull the golden
-chariot in which a lady rides, dressed up like a fairy princess.”
-
-“Oh, that must be fine!” cried Tinkle.
-
-“It is. But you’ll be in it soon, so don’t worry,” put in Prancer.
-“We’ll be back by noon.”
-
-The men hitched up the ponies and led them out of the tent to where the
-golden chariot stood.
-
-“This new pony is a very pretty one,” said the man Tom to one of his
-helpers. “When he is trained he’ll go in the parade too.”
-
-Tinkle felt a little sad when his pony friends left him alone in the
-big tent, but still he had plenty to eat and a clean place to stay, and
-he knew they would come back soon. Tinkle saw a boy coming toward him
-with a pail of water, and, for a moment, the pony thought the boy might
-be George. But he was not.
-
-“I wonder if I shall ever see George, Mabel and nice Patrick again?”
-thought Tinkle. “I would just love to be in my nice home once more,
-even though I like the circus.”
-
-Suddenly Tinkle heard some one call:
-
-“Look out! Here come the elephants!” and the ground seemed to rumble
-and shake as it did when there was a heavy thunder storm.
-
-“Elephants? Elephants?” said Tinkle to himself. “Where have I heard
-that word before?” Then he remembered. “Oh, now I know,” he said.
-“Dido, the dancing bear, told me about them.”
-
-Tinkle looked from his tent. Near him, just outside, were ten big
-elephants with gay silk blankets on their backs. And, as Tinkle looked,
-he saw one funny elephant slyly reach out his trunk and pull the tail
-of the elephant in front of him. Then the funny elephant looked the
-other way and seemed to be hunting on the ground for a peanut.
-
-[Illustration: As Tinkle looked he saw one funny elephant slyly reach
-out his trunk and pull the tail of the elephant in front of him.]
-
-All at once it flashed into Tinkle’s head.
-
-“That must be Tum Tum the jolly elephant Dido was telling me about.
-I’ll ask him.” So he called, in animal talk: “How do you do, Tum Tum?”
-
-“Ha! What’s that? Some one must know me,” answered Tum Tum, for it was
-he. “Oh,” he went on, “it’s a little pony. But, though I know most of
-the ponies in this circus, I don’t know you,” and Tum Tum walked a
-little closer to Tinkle’s tent.
-
-“I heard about you from Dido, the dancing bear,” said Tinkle, as he
-told his own name. “I never thought I should meet you in this circus,
-though.”
-
-“Why, how strange!” cried Tum Tum. “Fancy meeting Dido! You must tell
-me all about him. He and I are very good friends. I was sorry when he
-went away from the circus. Tell me about him when I come back. I have
-to go in the parade now,” and Tum Tum, with a jolly laugh and a wink
-of his eye at Tinkle, marched slowly off with a man seated on his big
-head.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XI
-
-TINKLE IS SAD
-
-
-“Now, Tinkle, we can have a nice talk,” said Tum Tum, a little later,
-when he came back from the parade. “Tell me about yourself, how you
-came to join the circus and, most of all, I want to hear about my old
-friend Dido.”
-
-So Tinkle told all he could remember; telling first of the beautiful
-green meadow in which he had once lived, and of George who had taught
-him a few tricks, and of having been taken away by two men in the big
-moving van.
-
-Then Tinkle told of having met Dido, of what the dancing bear had said,
-and of what he had told Tinkle about Tum Tum and Mappo, the merry
-monkey.
-
-“Is Mappo in this circus?” asked Tinkle, as he finished his little
-story.
-
-“Yes, and you’ll probably see him in a day or so,” answered Tum Tum.
-
-That afternoon, when the performance was over, Mr. Drake, the man who
-had bought Tinkle from the man who had stolen him, came to where the
-pony was lying down in the tent and said:
-
-“Now we’ll see what you know and how much I have to teach you. We will
-begin with some easy tricks.”
-
-Then began a busy time for Tinkle, not only that day but for a number
-of days. When the circus was not traveling from one city to another or
-when a performance was not being held in the tents, Mr. Drake taught
-Tinkle tricks. Tinkle, the first time it occurred, did not know what
-was going to happen when, instead of being allowed to go to sleep after
-the show, he and the other ponies and animals were put in the big
-railroad cars and the whole train was hauled away by an engine.
-
-Tinkle did not know what was happening but the other ponies told him it
-was all right, that he would not be hurt, that they were only going to
-another city to give a show there and that this happened nearly every
-day or night. Tinkle soon became used to travel, and rather liked it.
-
-It would take too long to tell you how Tinkle was taught to do many
-different tricks. It was not so easy as at first he had thought it
-would be, and many times he could not understand what Mr. Drake wanted
-him to do.
-
-In time he learned how to go to a box, in which were a number of flags
-or handkerchiefs, of different colors――red, white and blue.
-
-“Bring me a blue flag,” Mr. Drake would say; and though at first Tinkle
-could not tell one color from another, he soon learned to do so. And he
-could tell, by hearing the word “blue,” that it was not the _red_ or
-the _white_ flag the trainer wanted, but the other. So, though Tinkle
-had no word in his own language for blue, he knew what that sound
-meant, and for which flag it stood.
-
-“Now, Tinkle, bring me the _red_ flag,” Mr. Drake would say, when the
-blue one had been dropped at his feet from the pony’s teeth. And Tinkle
-would pick out the right color. In time he could pick out of the box,
-and bring to the trainer, any of the three colors, no matter which one
-was asked for first. Tinkle hardly ever made a mistake.
-
-“Well, now that you know red, white and blue,” said Mr. Drake one day,
-“suppose we put all three together, and this is what we get, Tinkle,”
-and he held up the beautiful United States flag, with its stripes of
-red and white and the white stars on the blue field. “Now, Tinkle when
-I ask you what flag you love best I want you to bring me from the box
-this red, white and blue one,” said the trainer, shaking the flag in
-front of the pony.
-
-It was several days before Tinkle learned to do this trick, but, after
-a while, he could go to the box, pick out the red, white and blue
-flags, and then, at the last when the trainer asked the question about
-loving the flag, Tinkle would trot over to him carrying in his teeth
-the stars and stripes. Then Mr. Drake petted him and gave him two lumps
-of sugar, for he had done the trick well.
-
-Nor were these all the tricks Tinkle learned. Mr. Drake taught him
-how to add and subtract simple numbers that the trainer wrote on a
-blackboard with chalk. Tinkle could not _really_ add the numbers in his
-head, but when the trainer wrote down say a 3 and a 4 and said: “Tell
-me how much that is, Tinkle,” Tinkle would nod his head seven times.
-He knew Mr. Drake wanted him to nod seven times by the way the trainer
-spoke and by the words he used. If the sum were eight, on ten or some
-other number, the trainer would ask the question in a different way. So
-that Tinkle got to know numbers by listening to the different ways his
-trainer spoke the words to him, and it really seemed as though the pony
-could do sums in arithmetic.
-
-Another trick Tinkle learned to do was to get letters from the
-“post-office.” Mr. Drake had a box made with partitions in it so that
-it looked like part of a post-office. Into the little squares, into
-which the big box was divided, the trainer would put cards with the
-names of different persons written on them――such as “John Jones,” or
-“Peter Smith” or “Mary Black.”
-
-Each card was always put in the same place, and Mr. Drake taught
-Tinkle to trot up to the make-believe post-office. Then when asked:
-“Is there a letter for John Jones,” the pony would take out the right
-card. Tinkle learned to do this by listening to the different _sounds_
-of Mr. Drake’s voice just as happened when the numbers were called. A
-pony knows the different sounds of words, else how could he know enough
-to stop when “whoa!” is called, or that he should go when told to
-“gid-dap!”
-
-“Well, now you know so many tricks, I think I’ll show you off before
-the people in the big circus tent,” said Mr. Drake one day. And that
-afternoon Tinkle was led out all alone. A new white bridle was put on
-him, and around him was put a red strap, on top of which, in the middle
-of the pony’s back, was fastened a gay, red, white and blue plume.
-
-Tinkle had looked in, but had never been in the big circus tent before,
-where all the people were seated, and where the band was playing jolly
-tunes, with funnily painted clowns jumping here and there making the
-boys and girls laugh. And at first Tinkle was a bit frightened. But he
-looked over to where Tum Tum, the jolly elephant, was turning a hand
-organ with his trunk, and Tum Tum called in his pleasant voice:
-
-“Steady there, Tinkle. Don’t be afraid. You’ll do all right.”
-
-Then Tinkle felt better, and Mr. Drake patted him and gave him a lump
-of sugar before Tinkle had done even one trick.
-
-“We’ll begin with the easy one――make a bow,” said the trainer.
-
-Tinkle bowed his prettiest, and some boys and girls in the front row of
-seats clapped their hands and laughed. This made Tinkle feel glad, and
-he looked around, thinking he might see George or Mabel. But neither
-was in the tent.
-
-Then the pony went through all his tricks――he added and subtracted
-numbers, he brought letters from the post-office and then he picked out
-the differently colored flags or handkerchiefs that Mr. Drake called
-for.
-
-“Now, Tinkle,” said the trainer, after the pony had done some jumping,
-“tell the people which flag you love the best.”
-
-Tinkle trotted over to the box where a number of flags of different
-countries had been put. The United States banner was at the bottom, but
-Tinkle knew that. He nosed around among all the flags until he found
-the one he knew he wanted, and with that in his teeth he trotted over
-to Mr. Drake, while the band played “The Star Spangled Banner.”
-
-My! I wish you could have heard the people clap then. And how the boys
-and girls shouted with joy! They thought Tinkle was just the finest
-pony they had ever seen. And Mr. Drake patted him and gave him an extra
-large lump of sugar for behaving so nicely when he first did his tricks
-in public.
-
-“I told you he’d make a good trick pony,” said Mr. Drake, as Tom led
-the little animal back to the tent.
-
-“Yes, he’s a dandy!” replied the man. “I’ll give him a good feed of
-oats for this.”
-
-And when Tinkle was back in his stall Prancer and Tiny Tim talked to
-him and told him how glad they were that he had done his tricks so
-well. Tinkle felt happy, for a while.
-
-As the days went on, and the circus traveled from place to place,
-Tinkle gave many exhibitions of his smartness. He learned new tricks
-and he could do the old ones much more easily the oftener he practiced
-them, just as you can with your music lesson.
-
-But though he liked it very much in the circus, Tinkle was sad. His
-animal friends could tell that by looking at him, and the pony did not
-eat as well as he had at first.
-
-“Come now, Tinkle, tell me what the matter is,” came a voice behind him
-one day, and, turning, the pony saw a funny monkey seated in the straw
-on the ground.
-
-“I am Mappo, the merry chap Tum Tum and Dido told you about,” went on
-the monkey. “I haven’t had time to come to see you before. I’ve been
-kept so busy in this circus.”
-
-“Oh, yes, I remember Dido and Tum Tum speaking about you,” said Tinkle.
-“Thank you for coming to see me.”
-
-“Well, you don’t look very happy over it,” said Mappo. “Come, what is
-the trouble? Why are you sad? Look at me, I’m merry enough for any
-one,” and Mappo turned a somersault that made Tinkle laugh in his pony
-way.
-
-“Come! That’s better,” said Mappo. “Be jolly like Tum Tum. What is the
-matter, anyhow?”
-
-“Oh, I feel sad when I think of the nice home I was taken from,” said
-Tinkle. “I miss George and Mabel, and I’d like to be with them again,
-to let them ride on my back or pull them about in the pony cart. That
-is why I am sad.”
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XII
-
-TINKLE IS HAPPY
-
-
-Mappo, the merry monkey, picked up a long, clean straw and put it in
-his mouth, almost as a man might do with a toothpick. Mappo sat chewing
-on the straw and looking at Tinkle.
-
-“Tell me about that nice home where you used to live, little pony,”
-said Mappo. “Maybe it will make you feel better to talk about it.”
-
-“I think it will,” sighed Tinkle. “Oh, I just _love_ to talk about
-George and Mabel, they were so good and kind to me! And so was Patrick,
-the coachman.”
-
-So Tinkle told Mappo the story of his home and of his having been taken
-away in the moving van.
-
-“Those were queer adventures,” said Mappo. “Almost as queer as those I
-had.”
-
-“Did you have adventures, too?” asked Tinkle.
-
-“Indeed I did,” answered the merry monkey, and he told his story of
-having once lived in the jungle-forest and of how he had been caught
-and put in the circus.
-
-“I had so many adventures,” said Mappo, “that a man put them in a book,
-as he did those of Tum Tum, Dido and some other animals. Maybe you’ll
-be put in a book, too, Tinkle.”
-
-“Oh, nothing like that will ever happen to _me_!” said the trick pony.
-But that only goes to show we never can tell what is going to happen
-in this world, doesn’t it? For Tinkle _is_ in this very book you are
-reading. And how surprised he was when he heard about it and saw his
-pictures!
-
-But now we will leave him talking to Mappo, if you please, and go back
-to where George and Mabel live. You will remember that Patrick, the
-coachman, had gone to the store for salve for one of the horses, and
-that George and Mabel, with their father and mother, were visiting in
-the country.
-
-When Patrick came back with the salve the first thing he noticed was
-that Tinkle was not in his stall.
-
-Patrick searched all around for Tinkle, but, of course, could not find
-him. He asked the people living in neighboring houses, but none of them
-had seen Tinkle go away, because the men shut him up inside the moving
-van, you see. Some persons had seen the big wagon near the stable but
-none had seen Tinkle put into it.
-
-Patrick even got a policeman and a fireman, whom he knew, to look for
-Tinkle, but they could not find him. And when, a day or so later, Mr.
-and Mrs. Farley came back from the country, with George and Mabel, the
-two children cried when told that Tinkle was gone.
-
-“I think I must cheer them up a bit,” said Mr. Farley to his wife one
-afternoon. “They are thinking too much about Tinkle. I must take their
-minds off him.”
-
-“How will you do it?” asked Mrs. Farley.
-
-“A circus is coming to town to-morrow,” said her husband. “I’ll take
-the children to see that, and when they watch the funny monkeys, the
-queer clowns and the big elephants they will forget about Tinkle.”
-
-So, when the big show with the white tents came to the city where the
-Farleys lived, George and Mabel were taken with their father to see the
-wonderful sight.
-
-“Do you think there’ll be any ponies in the circus?” asked George.
-
-“Why, yes, maybe,” answered Mr. Farley. “Why?”
-
-“I’m not going to look at them,” said Mabel.
-
-“Nor I,” added George. “They’d make me think too much of our Tinkle.”
-
-On the way to the circus with their father, Mabel and George passed
-through a part of the city where there were not many houses, and in
-what few homes there were poor people lived.
-
-Many of them owned goats, some for the milk they gave, for the milk of
-goats is almost as good as that of cows.
-
-“Oh, see that big goat!” cried George as they passed a small house,
-on the rocks behind which a goat was jumping about. “Look how easy he
-jumps!”
-
-“You may well say that!” exclaimed a pleasant-faced Irish woman at the
-front gate. “Sure, Lightfoot is the most illigint goat that ever was.”
-
-“Is Lightfoot his name?” asked Mr. Farley.
-
-“Sure an’ it is, for it fits him well. He’s that light on his feet
-you’d never know he was jumpin’ at all. Ah, he’s a fine goat.”
-
-“I had a fine pony once,” said George, “but somebody took him away.”
-
-“That’s too bad,” said the Irish woman, whose name was Mrs. Malony.
-“Sure but I’d like to see any one, not a friend, try to take Lightfoot
-away. He’d butt ’em with his horns.”
-
-“Isn’t it too bad Tinkle didn’t have horns?” sighed Mabel, as she
-walked on.
-
-“A pony with horns would be a funny one,” said her brother.
-
-I wish I had time to tell you all that George and Mabel did at the
-circus and the many things they saw, from Tum Tum the jolly elephant to
-Mappo the merry monkey. They laughed at the clowns, ate popcorn and
-peanuts, giving some to the elephants, feeding a whole bag of peanuts
-to Tum Tum, though they did not know his name. But they were sure he
-was nice because he looked at them in such a funny, jolly way.
-
-“Oh, look at the ponies!” cried Mabel, as the little horses trotted
-into the middle ring. There was Prancer and Tiny Tim, as well as
-others, and they were going to do their tricks.
-
-“They are nice ponies,” said George, glancing at them, even though he
-and Mabel had said they would not look. “But not one of them is as nice
-as Tinkle.”
-
-The ponies went through their tricks, doing their very best, and then,
-when the time came, Tinkle himself was led in to do his tricks alone,
-as of late he always did. Mabel and George were looking the other way
-just then, watching a man turn a somersault over the backs of Tum Tum
-and some other elephants, and at first they did not see Tinkle. But as
-George turned in time to watch the trick pony take the United States
-flag out of the box, and bring it to Mr. Drake the little boy cried:
-
-“Oh, Mabel! See that pony!”
-
-“Which one?” asked the little girl.
-
-“There,” and George pointed. “Doesn’t he look just like Tinkle? He has
-four white feet and a white star on his head. Mabel, see, isn’t he
-just like our pony? Why――why!” cried George, standing up in his seat,
-and very much excited, “it _is_ Tinkle! Oh, Mabel, it _is_ Tinkle!”
-
-“I――I believe it is,” said the little girl slowly.
-
-Persons sitting near the children looked at them, and then at the pony.
-Mr. Farley, too, was staring at the little trick horse.
-
-“I wonder if it could be Tinkle?” he asked himself.
-
-George was sure he was right――so sure that he jumped from his seat and
-rushed into the ring where the pony had just finished his tricks.
-
-“Tinkle! Tinkle!” said George. “It _is_ you, isn’t it? And you know me,
-don’t you?”
-
-Tinkle knew his little master at once though it was several months
-since he had seen him. The pony trotted across the ring, and while the
-trainer, the circus folk, and the people in their seats looked on in
-wonder, George threw his arms around the pony’s neck.
-
-Tinkle whinnied. That was the only way he could talk our language, but
-it meant he was glad to see George again――very glad indeed.
-
-“Oh, Tinkle, Tinkle!” cried the happy little boy. “I’ve found you
-again! I’ve found our Tinkle!”
-
-[Illustration: George threw his arms around the pony’s neck.]
-
-“What does this mean?” asked Mr. Drake. “Do you say this is your pony?
-I bought him for the circus.”
-
-“Yes, Tinkle is my pony,” cried George. “Mine and Mabel’s. I taught him
-some tricks, too. Make a bow, Tinkle.” And Tinkle did.
-
-“Well, this is very strange,” said the trainer. “He minds you and does
-tricks for you. But I bought him of a man, and――”
-
-“Perhaps I can explain,” said Mr. Farley, coming into the ring with
-Mabel, who not only put her arms around Tinkle’s neck but kissed him on
-his white star. And Tinkle rubbed his soft nose against her soft cheek.
-“This looks very much like my little boy’s pony, that was stolen from
-our stable some time ago,” went on Mr. Farley, and he told of having
-bought Tinkle at the stock farm.
-
-“Well, I guess you’re right, and it is your little boy’s pet,” said the
-circus man, after Tinkle’s story had been told by Mr. Farley. “I didn’t
-like the looks of the man from whom I bought the pony, but I never
-thought he had stolen Tinkle.”
-
-There was no doubt that Tinkle belonged to George. You could tell that
-by watching how glad the pony was to see his master again. The people
-in the audience thought it was all part of the circus, and laughed as
-Tinkle followed George about the ring.
-
-The circus man was sorry to lose Tinkle but, as he said he had no right
-to him, he agreed to let George and Mabel have the pony back.
-
-“And may we take him now?” asked George eagerly.
-
-“Yes, I guess so,” said Mr. Drake. “There is an old pony cart in one of
-the tents. You can drive Tinkle home in that and send the cart back by
-your coachman. But you may keep Tinkle.”
-
-“And we’ll never let him go away again,” said George.
-
-“Never!” cried his sister. “We’ll keep him forever.”
-
-A man took Tinkle away to harness him to the pony cart. Tinkle had a
-chance to say good-by to Mappo and Tum Tum.
-
-“So you are going back to your old home,” observed the monkey. “I am
-glad, for you never would have been happy here in the circus, though it
-just suits me.”
-
-“And me, also,” added Tum Tum, the jolly elephant. “If you see Dido,
-the dancing bear,” he went on, “tell him to hurry back. We are lonesome
-without him.”
-
-“I will!” cried Tinkle, who was so excited he could hardly wait to be
-harnessed. He was very eager to be with George and Mabel again.
-
-The circus men patted the pony, for they liked him. Tinkle called
-good-by to Tum Tum, Mappo and all his animal friends, and then, the
-pony cart being ready, he trotted home with Mr. Farley, George and
-Mabel.
-
-“There is that funny goat, Lightfoot, again,” said George as they
-passed the home of Mrs. Malony.
-
-“Yes,” said Mabel. “I like him. I wonder if we will ever see him again?”
-
-And they did, several times; and you may read about it in the book to
-come after this, which will be called: “Lightfoot, the Leaping Goat:
-His Many Adventures.”
-
-You may well imagine how surprised Mrs. Farley and Patrick were to see
-the children come driving home with the long-lost Tinkle.
-
-“We found him in the circus!” cried George.
-
-“And he can do ever so many more tricks,” said Mabel, laughing.
-
-“You ought to see him find the flag!” added her brother, and they began
-to make Tinkle do some of his new circus tricks. So while the children
-are doing that, and telling their mother how they found Tinkle again,
-this will be a good chance for us to say good-by to the trick pony.
-
-
- THE END
-
-
-
-
-GOOD STORIES FOR CHILDREN
-
-(From four to nine years old)
-
-THE KNEETIME ANIMAL STORIES
-
-By RICHARD BARNUM
-
-
-[Illustration]
-
-In all nursery literature animals have played a conspicuous part; and
-the reason is obvious, for nothing entertains a child more than the
-antics of an animal. These stories abound in amusing incidents such as
-children adore, and the characters are so full of life, so appealing to
-a child’s imagination, that none will be satisfied until they have met
-all of their favorites――Squinty, Slicko, Mappo, and the rest.
-
- 1 Squinty, the Comical Pig.
- 2 Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel.
- 3 Mappo, the Merry Monkey.
- 4 Tum Tum, the Jolly Elephant.
- 5 Don, a Runaway Dog.
- 6 Dido, the Dancing Bear.
- 7 Blackie, a Lost Cat.
- 8 Flop Ear, the Funny Rabbit.
- 9 Tinkle, the Trick Pony.
- 10 Lightfoot, the Leaping Goat.
- 11 Chunky, the Happy Hippo.
- 12 Sharp Eyes, the Silver Fox.
- 13 Nero, the Circus Lion.
- 14 Tamba, the Tame Tiger.
- 15 Toto, the Rustling Beaver.
- 16 Shaggo, the Mighty Buffalo.
- 17 Winkie, the Wily Woodchuck.
-
-_Cloth, Large 12mo., Illustrated._
-
-
- BARSE & HOPKINS
- Publishers
- Newark, N. J. New York, N. Y.
-
-
- * * * * *
-
-
- Transcriber’s Notes:
-
- ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).
-
- ――Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently
- corrected.
-
- ――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
-
- ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.
-
-
-
-
-
-End of Project Gutenberg's Tinkle, the Trick Pony, by Richard Barnum
-
-*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKLE, THE TRICK PONY ***
-
-***** This file should be named 61847-0.txt or 61847-0.zip *****
-This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
- http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/8/4/61847/
-
-Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
-
-Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will
-be renamed.
-
-Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
-law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
-so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
-States without permission and without paying copyright
-royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
-of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
-concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
-and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive
-specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this
-eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook
-for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports,
-performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given
-away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks
-not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the
-trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
-
-START: FULL LICENSE
-
-THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
-PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
-
-To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
-distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
-(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
-Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at
-www.gutenberg.org/license.
-
-Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-
-1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
-and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
-(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
-the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
-destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your
-possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
-Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
-by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the
-person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph
-1.E.8.
-
-1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
-used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
-agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
-things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
-paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this
-agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
-
-1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
-Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
-of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual
-works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
-States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
-United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
-claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
-displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
-all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
-that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting
-free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm
-works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
-Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily
-comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
-same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when
-you share it without charge with others.
-
-1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
-what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
-in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
-check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
-agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
-distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
-other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no
-representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
-country outside the United States.
-
-1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
-
-1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
-immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear
-prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work
-on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the
-phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed,
-performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
-
- This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
- most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
- restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
- under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
- eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
- United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you
- are located before using this ebook.
-
-1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is
-derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
-contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
-copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
-the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
-redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
-either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
-obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
-
-1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
-with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
-must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
-additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
-will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works
-posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
-beginning of this work.
-
-1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
-License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
-work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
-
-1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
-electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
-prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
-active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm License.
-
-1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
-compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
-any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
-to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format
-other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official
-version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site
-(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
-to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
-of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain
-Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the
-full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
-
-1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
-performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
-unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
-
-1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
-access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-provided that
-
-* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
- the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
- you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
- to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has
- agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
- within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
- legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
- payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
- Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
- Literary Archive Foundation."
-
-* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
- you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
- does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
- License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
- copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
- all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm
- works.
-
-* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
- any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
- electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
- receipt of the work.
-
-* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
- distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
-
-1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than
-are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
-from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The
-Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
-
-1.F.
-
-1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
-effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
-works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
-Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
-contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
-or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
-intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
-other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
-cannot be read by your equipment.
-
-1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
-of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
-liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
-fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
-LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
-PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
-TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
-LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
-INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
-DAMAGE.
-
-1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
-defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
-receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
-written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
-received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
-with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
-with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
-lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
-or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
-opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
-the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
-without further opportunities to fix the problem.
-
-1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
-in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO
-OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
-LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
-
-1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
-warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
-damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
-violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
-agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
-limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
-unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
-remaining provisions.
-
-1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
-trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
-providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in
-accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
-production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
-including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
-the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
-or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or
-additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any
-Defect you cause.
-
-Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
-electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
-computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
-exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
-from people in all walks of life.
-
-Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
-assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
-goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
-remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
-and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future
-generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
-Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
-www.gutenberg.org
-
-
-
-Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
-
-The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
-501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
-state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
-Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
-number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
-U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
-
-The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the
-mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its
-volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous
-locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt
-Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to
-date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and
-official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact
-
-For additional contact information:
-
- Dr. Gregory B. Newby
- Chief Executive and Director
- gbnewby@pglaf.org
-
-Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
-Literary Archive Foundation
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
-spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
-increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
-freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
-array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
-($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
-status with the IRS.
-
-The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
-charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
-States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
-considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
-with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
-where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
-DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular
-state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate
-
-While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
-have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
-against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
-approach us with offers to donate.
-
-International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
-any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
-outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
-
-Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
-methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
-ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
-donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate
-
-Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works.
-
-Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be
-freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
-distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of
-volunteer support.
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
-editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
-the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
-necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
-edition.
-
-Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search
-facility: www.gutenberg.org
-
-This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
-including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
-subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
-
diff --git a/old/61847-0.zip b/old/61847-0.zip
deleted file mode 100644
index e21c654..0000000
--- a/old/61847-0.zip
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h.zip b/old/61847-h.zip
deleted file mode 100644
index c441613..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h.zip
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/61847-h.htm b/old/61847-h/61847-h.htm
deleted file mode 100644
index 5f8b04e..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/61847-h.htm
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4986 +0,0 @@
-<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
- "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
- <head>
- <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
- <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" />
-
- <title>
- Tinkle, the Trick Pony, by Richard Barnum—A Project Gutenberg eBook
- </title>
-
- <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" />
-
- <style type="text/css">
-
-/* DACSoft styles */
-
-body {
- margin-left: 10%;
- margin-right: 10%;
-}
-
-/* General headers */
-h1 {
- text-align: center; /* all headings centered */
- clear: both;
-}
-
-/* Chapter headers */
-h2 {
- text-align: center;
- font-weight: bold;
- line-height: 1.5em;
-}
-
-div.chapter {
- page-break-before: always;
-}
-
-h2.nobreak {
- page-break-before: avoid;
-}
-
-/* Indented paragraph */
-p {
- margin-top: .51em;
- margin-bottom: .49em;
- text-align: justify;
- text-indent: 1em;
-}
-
-/* Unindented paragraph */
-.noi { text-indent: 0em; }
-
-/* Centered unindented paragraph */
-.noic {
- text-indent: 0em;
- text-align: center;
-}
-
-/* Drop caps */
-p.cap { text-indent: 0em; }
-
-p.cap:first-letter {
- float: left;
- padding-right: 3px;
- font-size: 250%;
- line-height: 83%;
-}
-
-/* Non-standard paragraph margins */
-.p2 { margin-top: 2em; }
-.p4 { margin-top: 4em; }
-.p6 { margin-top: 6em; }
-
-.pad2 {
- margin-top: 2em;
- margin-bottom: 2em;
-}
-
-/* Horizontal rules */
-hr {
- width: 33%;
- margin-top: 2em;
- margin-bottom: 2em;
- margin-left: 33.5%;
- margin-right: 33.5%;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;}
-
-hr.r20 {
- width: 20%;
- margin-left: 40%;
- margin-right: 40%;
- margin-top: 1em;
- margin-bottom: 1em;
-}
-
-/* Lists */
-ol {list-style-position:inside;}
-
-li {
- text-indent: 0em;
- padding-left: 0em;
-}
-
-/* Tables */
-table {
- margin-left: auto;
- margin-right: auto;
-}
-
-/* Table cell alignments */
-.tdl {text-align: left;}
-
-.tdrb {
- text-align: right;
- vertical-align: bottom;
-}
-
-.tdrt {
- text-align: right;
- padding-right: 0.75em;
- vertical-align: top;
-}
-
-th {
- font-weight: normal;
-}
-
-/* Physical book page and line numbers */
-.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */
- /* visibility: hidden; */
- position: absolute;
- right: 3%;
-/* left: 92%; */
- font-size: x-small;
- font-style: normal;
- font-weight: normal;
- font-variant: normal;
- text-align: right;
- color: gray;
-} /* page numbers */
-
-/* Text appearance */
-.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;}
-
-/* Small fonts and lowercase small-caps */
-.smfont {
- font-size: .8em;
-}
-
-.smfontr {
- font-size: .75em;
- text-align: right;
-}
-
-/* Illustration caption */
-.caption {
- font-size: .75em;
- font-weight: bold;
-}
-
-/* Images */
-img {
- max-width: 100%; /* no image to be wider than screen or containing div */
- height:auto; /* keep height in proportion to width */
-}
-
-.figcenter {
- margin: auto;
- text-align: center;
- max-width: 100%; /* div no wider than screen, even when screen is narrow */
-}
-
-.figleft {
- float: left;
- clear: left;
- margin-left: 0;
- margin-bottom: 1em;
- margin-top: 1em;
- margin-right: 1em;
- padding: 0;
- text-align: center;
-/* max-width: XX%; */
-}
-
-@media handheld {
-.figleft {
- float: left;
- margin: 0;
- text-align: center;
- }
-}
-
-/* Transcriber's notes */
-.tnote {
- background-color: #E6E6FA;
- margin-left: 10%;
- margin-right: 10%;
- padding-bottom: .5em;
- padding-top: .5em;
- padding-left: .5em;
- padding-right: .5em;
-}
-
-.tntitle {
- font-size: 1.25em;
- font-weight: bold;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-/* Title page borders and content. */
-.title {
- font-size: 1.75em;
- font-weight: bold;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-.subtitle {
- font-size: 1.5em;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-.author {
- font-size: 1.25em;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-.works {
- font-size: .75em;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-/* Advertisement formatting. */
-.adpage {
- margin-left: 15%;
- margin-right: 15%;
- text-align: left;
-}
-
-@media handheld {
- .adpage {
- margin-left: auto;
- margin-right: auto;
- }
-}
-
-.adgroup {
- font-size: 1.25em;
- font-weight: bold;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-.adtitle {
- font-size: 1.5em;
- font-weight: bold;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-.adauthor {
- font-size: 1.25em;
- text-align: center;
- clear: both;
-}
-
-/* Hanging indent. */
-.hang {
- text-indent: -2em;
- padding-left: 3em;
-}
-
-.ident {
- padding-left: 0.5em;
-}
-
- </style>
- </head>
-
-<body>
-
-
-<pre>
-
-The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tinkle, the Trick Pony, by Richard Barnum
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
-other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
-the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
-
-Title: Tinkle, the Trick Pony
- His Many Adventures
-
-Author: Richard Barnum
-
-Illustrator: Walter S. Rogers
-
-Release Date: April 16, 2020 [EBook #61847]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKLE, THE TRICK PONY ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
-
-
-
-
-
-
-</pre>
-
-
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="cover" style="width: 600px;">
- <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="600" height="742" alt="cover" title="cover" />
-</div>
-
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_frontis" style="width: 381px;">
- <img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" width="381" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_109">He nosed around among all the flags until he found the
-one he knew he wanted, and with that in his teeth he trotted
-over to Mr. Drake.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<p class="noi subtitle"><i>Kneetime Animal Stories</i></p>
-
-
-<h1>TINKLE<br />
-THE TRICK PONY</h1>
-
-<p class="noi subtitle">HIS MANY ADVENTURES</p>
-
-<p class="p2 noic">BY</p>
-
-<p class="noi author">RICHARD BARNUM</p>
-
-<p class="noi works">Author of “Squinty, the Comical Pig,” “Mappo, the<br />
-Merry Monkey,” “Tum Tum, the Jolly Elephant,”<br />
-“Don, a Runaway Dog,” “Flop Ear, the<br />
-Funny Rabbit,” etc.</p>
-
-<p class="p2 noi works"><i>ILLUSTRATED BY</i></p>
-
-<p class="noic"><i>WALTER S. ROGERS</i></p>
-
-<div class="pad2">
-<div class="figcenter" id="logo" style="width: 158px;">
- <img src="images/logo.jpg" width="158" height="120" alt="logo" title="logo" />
-</div>
-</div>
-
-<p class="noic">PUBLISHERS<br />
-<span class="noi adauthor">BARSE &amp; HOPKINS</span><br />
-NEW YORK, N. Y.            NEWARK, N. J.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<p class="noic">Copyright, 1917<br />
-by<br />
-<span class="smcap">Barse &amp; Hopkins</span></p>
-
-<hr class="r20" />
-
-<p class="noic">Tinkle, The Trick Pony</p>
-
-<p class="p6 noi works"><i>Printed in the United States of America</i></p>
-
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
-
-
-<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents">
-<col style="width: 20%;" />
-<col style="width: 70%;" />
-<col style="width: 10%;" />
-<tr>
- <th class="smfontr">CHAPTER</th>
- <th class="tdl"></th>
- <th class="smfontr">PAGE</th>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">I</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">Tinkle in the Swamp</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">7</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">II</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">Tinkle Makes Trouble</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">16</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">III</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">Tinkle and George</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">26</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">IV</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">Tinkle’s New Home</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">36</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">V</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">Tinkle’s Friends</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">47</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">VI</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">Tinkle Meets Dido</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">55</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">VII</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">Tinkle Does Some Tricks</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">65</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">VIII</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">Tinkle is Taken Away</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">74</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">IX</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">Tinkle in the Circus</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">85</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">X</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">Tinkle and Tum Tum</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">94</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">XI</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">Tinkle Is Sad</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">103</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdrt">XII</td>
- <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">Tinkle Is Happy</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">111</td>
-</tr>
-</table>
-
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
-
-
-<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations">
-<col style="width: 80%;" />
-<col style="width: 20%;" />
-<tr>
- <th class="tdl"></th>
- <th class="smfontr">PAGE</th>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_frontis">He nosed around among all the flags until
-he found the one he knew he wanted, and with that in his teeth he trotted over to Mr.
-Drake</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb"><i>Frontispiece</i></td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_p023">And the next time he did jump high enough to
-go over the fence</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">23</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_p045">It was the first time Tinkle had ever had any
-one on his back</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">45</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_p059">“Oh, what a nice pony cart!” cried the boys
-and girls</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">59</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_p081">It took a little time to make him stand upon
-his hind legs without anything on which to rest his front feet</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">81</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_p101">As Tinkle looked he saw one funny elephant
-slyly reach out his trunk and pull the tail of the elephant in front of him</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">101</td>
-</tr>
-<tr>
- <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_p117">George threw his arms around the pony’s neck</a></td>
- <td class="tdrb">117</td>
-</tr>
-</table>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a>[7]</span></p>
-
-
-<p class="noi title">TINKLE,<br />
-THE TRICK PONY</p>
-
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I<br />
-<small>TINKLE IN THE SWAMP</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">Tinkle stopped nibbling the sweet,
-green grass of the meadow, blew a long
-breath from his nose, raised his head
-and looked around. Then he blinked his eyes
-slowly, turned to look first on one side, then on
-the other, and to himself he said:</p>
-
-<p>“I’m going to run away!”</p>
-
-<p>He did not say this aloud for fear some of
-the other ponies or the horses would hear him.
-Oh! I forgot to tell you that Tinkle was a little
-pony, that lived in the big green meadow; and,
-being a pony, of course Tinkle ate grass, and
-liked it, too.</p>
-
-<p>So, as I said, Tinkle stopped eating the grass
-and said to himself once more:</p>
-
-<p>“I’m going to run away!”</p>
-
-<p>The reason Tinkle did not want the other
-ponies and the horses to know what he was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a>[8]</span>
-going to do was because his mother and father
-were over in one corner of the meadow, and
-if they knew he intended to run away, they
-would not let him do it; any more than your
-mother or father would let you run away.</p>
-
-<p>Of course I know that horses sometimes run
-away when they are frightened by something,
-and I suppose ponies, too, may, once in a while,
-trot off when they ought not. But that isn’t
-saying it is right.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said Tinkle to himself, “I’m going to
-run away. I’m tired of staying in this meadow
-all the while. Why, I’ve been here over a year
-now, and there hasn’t a thing happened except
-a thunder storm now and then, or a rain shower.
-I want to see something more than that. I want
-to have some fun, and go off to a big city, such
-as the other horses tell about.</p>
-
-<p>“Why, there’s Dapple Gray,” went on Tinkle,
-looking at an old horse who had come to the
-green meadow for a long rest. “I’ve heard
-Dapple tell stories about drawing a big shiny
-wagon that spouted fire and smoke just like the
-chimney on the house where The Man lives.
-That was great! I’d like to pull the kind of
-wagon Dapple tells about, and hear the bells
-ring and see the sparks fly and the water spout
-out on the fire. I wonder what kind of wagon
-it was?”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[9]</span></p>
-
-<p>Of course <em>you</em> have guessed. It was a fire
-engine that Dapple Gray had pulled, and he
-never tired of telling the other horses about it.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle used often to listen to the stories
-Dapple Gray and the other horses told as they
-gathered in the shade of the clump of trees in
-the green meadow after their dinner or their
-breakfast of sweet, green grass.</p>
-
-<p>For Tinkle lived on what is called a stock
-farm, not far from a big city. The farm was
-owned by a person whom the horses called “The
-Man.” Really his name was John Carter and
-he raised horses and ponies to sell to other
-men.</p>
-
-<p>Mr. Carter liked his horses very much, and
-was very kind to them, and he loved his little
-ponies, of whom Tinkle was one. The ponies
-and the horses lived in a warm barn in the Winter,
-but in the Summer they were “turned out
-to grass,” and could walk or run all over the big
-meadow, and do almost as they pleased.</p>
-
-<p>Sometimes men would come to the stock farm
-to buy horses. They might want one to pull
-a coal wagon or a wagon from which vegetables
-were sold. Some of the horses, like
-Dapple, were used to haul fire engines, while
-others pulled fine carriages in which rode men
-and women. The ponies were sold, too, but
-they were only put to such easy work as carrying<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[10]</span>
-boys and girls around on their backs, or pulling
-little carriages in the parks.</p>
-
-<p>“But nothing like that ever happened to me,”
-said Tinkle as he began slowly to walk away.
-“So I’m going to run off, as far as I can go,
-and maybe I’ll have some adventures like
-Dapple Gray.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle had eaten plenty of the sweet, green
-grass, so he was no longer hungry. He did not
-need to take anything to eat with him when he
-ran away. In the first place ponies have no
-pockets in which to carry anything, though, of
-course, if they are hitched to a wagon, that would
-hold corn, hay or oats which ponies like to eat.</p>
-
-<p>But, as for that, all round in the meadow
-where Tinkle lived was grass to eat. He had
-only to stop and nibble some when he was hungry,
-so he had no need to carry anything with
-him.</p>
-
-<p>“There is more here than I could eat all Summer,”
-thought the little pony. “And when I
-get tired of running away I can just rest myself,
-eat grass and then run on some more.”</p>
-
-<p>Though Tinkle called it “running away” he
-was really walking. Just as some children do
-when they start to run away, they don’t run at
-all, but walk.</p>
-
-<p>One reason why Tinkle did not care to run
-was that he did not want his father, mother or<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span>
-the other ponies or the horses to see him. They
-might not notice him if he just walked, but if
-he started to run some one would be sure to ask:</p>
-
-<p>“Why, where is that Tinkle pony going
-now?”</p>
-
-<p>And then Tinkle’s mother would look up and
-say:</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, dear! That silly little pony will get
-into trouble! I must go and bring him back.”</p>
-
-<p>Then she would run after Tinkle, and all his
-fun would be spoiled. Of course the ponies
-and horses in the meadow used often to run
-about, kick up their heels and roll over and over
-on their backs in the soft grass. But this was
-only because they felt so good and frisky and
-lively that they simply could not do anything
-else.</p>
-
-<p>But when the colts ran that way, they
-nearly always went around in a circle, like a
-merry-go-round, only bigger, and the father and
-mother horses thought nothing of that.</p>
-
-<p>“I’m not going to run that way,” said Tinkle
-to himself. “I’m going far off.”</p>
-
-<p>By this time he was quite away from the other
-horses. But, as he looked back, he saw them all
-standing in a circle with their noses close together.
-Dapple Gray was in the center of the
-ring, and Tinkle’s father and mother were
-among those on the outside.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Dapple is telling another story about how
-he drew the funny wagon with the chimney on,”
-thought Tinkle. “I don’t want to hear that
-again.”</p>
-
-<p>Ponies and horses, you know, can talk among
-themselves and think, just as we can, only, of
-course, they can’t think quite as much perhaps,
-nor as hard. But if they could not talk among
-themselves how could the mother pony tell the
-little pony what was good to eat and what not?
-So, though horses and ponies can’t talk to us in
-words as we talk to one another, they do speak
-among themselves.</p>
-
-<p>You have often heard horses and ponies
-whinny, I suppose; and perhaps that is when
-they are trying to talk to us, though I must say
-I never could understand what they were trying
-to say. Perhaps some day I may.</p>
-
-<p>At any rate Tinkle was thinking to himself,
-as he slowly wandered across the meadow. He
-was thinking what wonderful things might happen
-to him—adventures and travels.</p>
-
-<p>On and on he wandered, looking back now
-and then to make sure neither his father nor
-his mother nor any of the others saw him.
-But they were listening to Dapple Gray tell of
-once falling down in the street while drawing
-the fire engine and how nearly a trolley car ran
-over him.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span></p>
-
-<p>And the other horses liked the story so much
-that none of them thought of Tinkle, or looked
-at him. They listened to Dapple Gray.</p>
-
-<p>The other young ponies, many of whom were
-about the size of Tinkle, were down at the far
-end of the meadow, having a game of what
-you would, perhaps, call tag, though what the
-ponies called it I do not know. Probably they
-had some funny name among themselves like
-“hoof-jump” or “tail-wiggle,” or something
-like that.</p>
-
-<p>Anyhow, they were having so much fun
-among themselves that none of them paid any
-attention to Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“They won’t see me at all,” thought the little
-pony. “I’ll run away where they can never
-find me.”</p>
-
-<p>Of course Tinkle was not doing this to be bad,
-but he was just tired of staying in one place so
-long, and he wanted to have adventures.</p>
-
-<p>On and on he wandered, and finally he came
-to a fence. Now the fence was put around the
-meadow to keep the horses and the ponies from
-getting out. But Tinkle had heard stories of
-horses jumping fences so he thought he would
-try it; for he was not strong enough to push
-down the fence, as he had once heard of Bellow,
-the big black bull, doing.</p>
-
-<p>Standing off a little way from the fence Tinkle<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span>
-ran toward it, gave a jump up in the air,
-and then—he did not get over the fence. Instead
-he fell against it and hurt himself.</p>
-
-<p>“Ha! that is no fun!” thought Tinkle. “I
-must jump higher next time.” <a href="#i_p023">And the next
-time he did jump high enough to go over the
-fence</a>, coming down on the other side, kerplunk!</p>
-
-<p>“At last I have really run away,” thought the
-little pony.</p>
-
-<p>He found himself in another green meadow,
-but it was not as nice as the one he had left. The
-grass was longer, but it was hard and tough, and
-hurt Tinkle’s mouth and tongue when he
-chewed it.</p>
-
-<p>“But I don’t have to eat it,” said the little
-pony. “I can wait until I get to where there
-is better grass. I’m not very hungry.”</p>
-
-<p>So he walked on a little farther, and pretty
-soon he came to some trees. In and out among
-them he wandered, and when he stopped to look
-back he found that he could no longer see the
-meadow in which he had lived so long with
-his father, his mother and the other ponies and
-the horses.</p>
-
-<p>“And they can’t see me, either,” thought Tinkle.
-“They won’t know where I’ve gone, so
-they can’t find me. I’m going to have a good
-time all by myself, and there’ll be nobody to say:<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span>
-‘Don’t do this. Don’t do that’; as they always
-do when I’m in the green meadow.”</p>
-
-<p>On and on went Tinkle and soon he was quite
-a long distance from what had been his home.
-Then he noticed that the ground, instead of
-being hard and firm under his hoofs, was getting
-soft and springy, and that his feet sank down in
-it a little way. He saw, too, that when he lifted
-his hoofs from the marks they left little pools
-of water in the holes they made.</p>
-
-<p>“This is queer,” thought Tinkle. “I must be
-getting near the lake I have heard my father
-tell about. I wonder if I can swim?”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle looked about, and just ahead he saw
-a puddle of water. It was too small for a lake,
-but there was enough of it for him to splash in,
-and, as he was now thirsty, he ran on to get a
-drink. And then a queer thing happened.</p>
-
-<p>Just before Tinkle reached the water he felt
-his legs and hoofs sinking down in the soft
-ground. He tried to lift his left front foot, but
-could not. And his right hind foot was also
-stuck fast.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, dear! What has happened to me?”
-cried poor Tinkle. “I can’t move!”</p>
-
-<p>And really he could not. Tinkle was caught
-fast in the sticky mud of a big swamp!</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II<br />
-<small>TINKLE MAKES TROUBLE</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">Dapple Gray had just finished telling
-the story of his being caught under
-the trolley car, the time he was drawing
-the fire engine.</p>
-
-<p>“And so,” went on the old horse, “men came
-and pushed the car off my legs. The firemen
-loosened my harness and then I could get up.”</p>
-
-<p>“Weren’t you hurt?” asked Mrs. Chestnut,
-who was called that because she was colored
-brown.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, my legs <em>were</em> a bit scratched, and I
-had some bruises on my side, but I could still
-run and pull the engine. You see we horses
-couldn’t stop whenever we wanted to. We had
-to pull the funny chimney-wagon to where the
-fire was blazing so the men could squirt water
-on it.</p>
-
-<p>“Men are queer,” went on Dapple Gray.
-“They’ll build a big fire in a house so the house
-almost burns up, and then they’ll make us
-horses run like mad to draw water to put it out.
-I never could understand it.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span></p>
-
-<p>Of course Dapple Gray did not know that
-the house caught fire by accident and that it had
-to be put out for fear other houses near it might
-burn.</p>
-
-<p>“And so you ran on, even if your legs were
-cut?” asked Tinkle’s father.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes, of course,” replied Dapple Gray.
-“The cuts hurt me, but when I got back to the
-stable the firemen put some cooling salve on
-the wounds and bound my legs up with white
-rags so they felt better.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I don’t believe I’d like that,” said Tinkle’s
-mother. “Life is too exciting in the city.
-I like it best in this quiet country meadow,
-where you can eat grass whenever you like, or
-rest in the shade when you are tired.”</p>
-
-<p>“Look at those ponies having fun down
-there,” said another horse, pointing with his
-nose toward the group that was playing tag. “I
-remember when I was young I liked to play
-that way.”</p>
-
-<p>“Is Tinkle there?” asked the pony’s father.
-“He is one of the best taggers I’ve ever seen.
-When he grows a little bigger he’ll be a fine
-racer, I think.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle’s mother looked toward where the
-ponies were running about, touching one another
-with their hoofs or noses, or switching at
-one another with their frisky tails.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span></p>
-
-<p>“I don’t see Tinkle,” she said.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, he <em>must</em> be there,” said Tinkle’s father.
-“I’ll go and look.”</p>
-
-<p>Off he trotted to where the other colts were
-playing. He looked at them for a little while,
-but he did not see Tinkle among them.</p>
-
-<p>“That’s queer,” thought the father pony.
-“Tinkle likes tag so much, I wonder why he
-isn’t here?”</p>
-
-<p>He stood still, looking more closely, to make
-sure he had not missed the little pony; but no,
-Tinkle was not there.</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll ask some of them,” said the father pony
-to himself. So, giving a loud whinny, to make
-himself heard above the noise the tag-playing
-ponies were making, the father pony asked:</p>
-
-<p>“Have any of you seen our Tinkle?”</p>
-
-<p>“No, I haven’t,” said a little brown pony.</p>
-
-<p>“Nor I,” added one who was speckled brown
-and white.</p>
-
-<p>“I saw him a while ago, eating grass,” answered
-a third.</p>
-
-<p>“He hasn’t been playing tag with us this
-morning,” added a fourth pony, who had a very
-long tail.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder where Tinkle can be,” murmured
-his father.</p>
-
-<p>Then up spoke a little pony with a white spot
-on his back.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span></p>
-
-<p>“I saw Tinkle going over that way,” he said,
-and he raised his hoof and pointed toward a
-fence on the far side of the field.</p>
-
-<p>“Did you really see him going that way?”
-asked the father pony.</p>
-
-<p>“I really did,” answered the little pony.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh my! That’s too bad!” thought Tinkle’s
-father to himself, but he did not say this to the
-ponies, for he did not want to frighten them.
-Well did the older pony know of the dangerous
-swamp that was on the other side of the fence.</p>
-
-<p>“If he is in the sticky bog-mud we’ll have
-trouble getting him out,” said the father pony to
-himself. “I must go back and tell some of the
-others. But I don’t want Tinkle’s mother to
-know. What shall I do?”</p>
-
-<p>The father pony trotted back to where Dapple
-Gray and the others stood.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, was he there?” asked Tinkle’s mother.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle’s father shook his head.</p>
-
-<p>“Where is he then?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, he probably went off for a little walk
-by himself. I’ll go and find him,” and he tried
-to speak easily.</p>
-
-<p>“But I don’t see him anywhere!” and the
-mother pony looked anxiously about the big
-green meadow. She could see every corner
-of it, and Tinkle was not in sight.</p>
-
-<p>“Now you just stay here, and I’ll bring him<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span>
-back,” said Tinkle’s father quietly. At the
-same time he nodded his head at Dapple Gray
-and one or two of the other men-horses, and two
-or three of his closest friends among the men-ponies.
-They moved away together. Tinkle’s
-mother looked at them as if to say:</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder if anything could have happened?”</p>
-
-<p>“What’s the matter?” asked Dapple Gray in
-a low voice of Tinkle’s father, speaking in horse-talk,
-of course.</p>
-
-<p>“I’m not sure, but I’m afraid Tinkle has
-jumped the fence and has gone over to the big
-swampy bog,” was the answer. “If he has, and
-is stuck fast, we’ll have to go and get him out.
-But I don’t want his mother to know it.”</p>
-
-<p>The men-animals walked over toward the
-fence. Tinkle’s father looked down at the
-ground. He saw little hoof marks.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, Tinkle has been here,” he said. “I can
-see where he ran to get a good start so he could
-jump over the fence.”</p>
-
-<p>“He is a good jumper to do that,” remarked
-one of the horses.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, Tinkle is a good jumper, for a colt,”
-said his father. “I think he will be very smart
-when he grows up. But he should not jump
-fences into the swamp. That is not right.”</p>
-
-<p>“How are we going to get over the fence to
-help him if he is stuck?” asked Dapple Gray.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Can’t we jump?” another horse inquired.</p>
-
-<p>“Maybe you can, but I can’t,” returned Dapple
-Gray. “One of my legs is stiff, where I was
-hurt by the trolley car. Once I could easily
-have jumped over that fence, but I’m afraid I
-can’t do it now.”</p>
-
-<p>“I don’t know whether I can either,” observed
-Tinkle’s father. “I’m not so young as I
-once was. But if we all push together I think
-we can knock the fence down. Then we can get
-through to see what has happened to my pony
-boy. We want you to come along, Dapple, because
-you have been in the big city where all
-sorts of things happen to horses. You’ll know
-what is best to do.”</p>
-
-<p>“Thank you,” whinnied Dapple Gray.
-“I’ll do my best.”</p>
-
-<p>Together the big horses and the ponies pushed
-at the fence. Tinkle’s mother watched them,
-and when she saw what was being done she became
-frightened.</p>
-
-<p>“Something dreadful must have happened to
-Tinkle,” she said. “I can’t stay here. I’m going
-to see what it is.”</p>
-
-<p>So she began to run toward the men-animals.
-By this time they were giving a second push to
-the fence, and, as they were very strong, they
-knocked off some boards so they could get
-through.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Now we’ll see what has happened to
-Tinkle,” said his father. “Tinkle! Tinkle!
-Where are you?” he called.</p>
-
-<p>But Tinkle did not answer, for he was far
-away in the swamp, and just then he was splashing
-around in the mud and water trying to pull
-loose his feet from the sticky place.</p>
-
-<p>“We’ll have to go farther on into the swamp,”
-said Dapple Gray, when they had waited a minute
-to see if Tinkle would answer.</p>
-
-<p>“But we must be careful,” said one horse,
-slowly picking his steps. “This is soft ground
-here. See how deep my hoofs sink.”</p>
-
-<p>“Indeed it <em>is</em> a bad place,” agreed Tinkle’s
-father. “I hope nothing happens to us. Be
-careful, every one.”</p>
-
-<p>Slowly the horses and the ponies walked
-along, picking out the hardest and firmest
-ground they could find on which to step, especially
-the horses, for they were, of course,
-heavier than the most grown-up pony. Now
-and then all stopped to listen, and Tinkle’s
-father would call the pony’s name. At last
-one of the horses said:</p>
-
-<p>“Hark! I think I heard something.”</p>
-
-<p>They all listened. Through the trees of the
-swamp came a call:</p>
-
-<p>“Help me! Help me!”</p>
-
-<p>“That’s Tinkle!” cried his father. “We’re
-coming, Tinkle. Where are you?” he asked.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_p023" style="width: 375px;">
- <img src="images/i_p023.jpg" width="375" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_14">And the next time he did jump high enough to go over the
-fence.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span></p>
-
-<p>“I’m over here, and I’m stuck in the swamp.
-I can’t get my feet out of the mud!”</p>
-
-<p>“I thought so!” exclaimed Dapple Gray.
-“Just like a foolish little pony! Now we must
-get him out.”</p>
-
-<p>So anxious was he to help his little pony
-that Tinkle’s father galloped on ahead. Some
-of the others did the same. They did not listen
-to Dapple calling:</p>
-
-<p>“Wait! Be careful! Look out or you’ll be
-caught in the swamp yourselves!”</p>
-
-<p>On and on ran Tinkle’s father and the others.
-They could tell which way to go by hearing
-Tinkle’s voice calling to them, just as your dog
-can tell where you are, even though he can not
-see you, when he hears you whistling to him.</p>
-
-<p>“There he is! I see him!” cried Tinkle’s
-father as he came in sight of the pool of water,
-on the edge of which the pony was stuck in the
-mud.</p>
-
-<p>“We’re coming! We’re coming, Tinkle!” he
-cried.</p>
-
-<p>Then something dreadful happened. Tinkle’s
-father, and four or five of his friends, became
-stuck in the swamp mud also. Their feet sank
-away down, for they were heavier than Tinkle,
-and, try as they did, they could not lift themselves
-out.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Oh!” cried Tinkle’s father. “We are caught
-too!”</p>
-
-<p>Only Dapple Gray had not been caught. He
-had run slowly, fearing something like this
-might happen.</p>
-
-<p>Just see what trouble Tinkle made by running
-away! For it was really his fault that the other
-ponies and the horses became mired, though of
-course Tinkle had not meant to do wrong. He
-had not thought; but often not thinking makes
-as much trouble as doing something on purpose.</p>
-
-<p>“Help! Help!” cried Tinkle’s father. “We
-are caught in the mud too.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, dear!” whinnied Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>Dapple Gray saw what the matter was.</p>
-
-<p>“Keep quiet, all of you!” he said. “The more
-you flop about, the deeper you will sink in the
-mud. I’ll go and get The Man to come with
-ropes and pull you out. He and his helpers are
-the only ones who can save you now. This is no
-work for us horses alone. I’ll go for help.”</p>
-
-<p>And, leaving Tinkle and the others stuck in
-the swamp, back to the green meadow ran Dapple
-Gray.</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III<br />
-<small>TINKLE AND GEORGE</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">Dapple Gray, running toward the
-hole which the horses had made by
-pushing against the fence, met Tinkle’s
-mother going into the swamp.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, my dear lady!” exclaimed the old fire
-horse, “you must not go in there! You really
-must not!”</p>
-
-<p>“Why?” asked Tinkle’s mother. “Oh, I’m
-sure something dreadful has happened! Tell
-me what it is. Is Tinkle—Is Tinkle—” and
-she could not ask any more.</p>
-
-<p>“Now, it isn’t as bad as you think,” said Dapple
-Gray. “Horses and ponies have been
-caught in the swamp before. I remember when
-I was a young colt I—”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, is my little Tinkle caught in the bog?”
-asked his mother.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I am sorry to say he is, and so are some
-of the other ponies and horses—Tinkle’s father
-among them,” said Dapple Gray. “But don’t
-be worried. All they will have to do will be
-to stay there until we can get The Man to come
-with ropes and pull them out. They won’t be<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span>
-a bit the worse for the adventure after they wash
-the mud off. Now please don’t go in there, my
-dear lady-horse, or you might get stuck too; and
-goodness knows there is trouble enough!”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I am so sorry Tinkle made trouble!” exclaimed
-his mother. “He is usually such a
-good little pony—”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh well, boys will be boys!” exclaimed Dapple
-Gray, or he said something about like that
-which meant the same thing. And you all
-know how frisky colts are; always kicking up
-their heels and never knowing where they are
-going to land.</p>
-
-<p>“Of course Tinkle didn’t do exactly right in
-running away and making this trouble,” said
-Dapple Gray in a kind voice. “But then it
-will be a lesson to him, and he won’t do it again,
-I’m sure.”</p>
-
-<p>“I should think once <em>would</em> be enough,”
-sighed his mother. “But are you sure I can not
-do anything to help?”</p>
-
-<p>“Not in there,” said Dapple Gray, nodding
-his head toward the swamp. “But you can
-come with me, if you like, and we’ll go to get
-The Man to help pull Tinkle and the others out
-of the swamp.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I’ll do that!” whinnied Tinkle’s mother.</p>
-
-<p>So she and Dapple Gray ran back to the green
-meadow.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span></p>
-
-<p>“What is it? What is it?” asked all the other
-animals that were waiting by the hole in the
-fence. These were the horses and the ponies
-who had not gone into the swamp.</p>
-
-<p>Dapple Gray quickly told them of the
-trouble. At the same time he said:</p>
-
-<p>“Don’t any of you go in there. The ground
-is too soft now and if a lot of you horses trample
-on it that will make it so much the softer, and
-The Man and his friends will have trouble getting
-in with their ropes and boards. So please
-keep out.”</p>
-
-<p>The horses promised they would, while Dapple
-Gray and Tinkle’s mother ran as fast as
-they could across the meadow. They wanted
-to get to the long lane which led to the barn,
-not far from which was the house where lived
-“The Man,” as the horses called Mr. John Carter,
-the stock dealer.</p>
-
-<p>“How are we going to tell him that Tinkle
-and the others are in the mire?” asked the pony’s
-mother. “We can’t talk man-talk, you know.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I know,” said Dapple Gray. “But I
-guess I can find a way to make him understand.
-I know what I’ll do,” he said, as he galloped on.
-“I’ll pick up a piece of rope in the barn and
-take it to The Man in my teeth. He’ll know
-that means we want him to bring other ropes
-and get the horses out of the swamp.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span></p>
-
-<p>“I hope he will understand,” said Tinkle’s
-mother.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I think he will,” replied Dapple Gray,
-hopefully.</p>
-
-<p>As they ran past the barn, the big doors of
-which were open, the old fire horse trotted inside.
-He looked about, and on the floor he saw
-a piece of rope. Picking this up in his teeth,
-Dapple Gray, with Tinkle’s mother, ran on toward
-the house. Out in the back yard stood
-Mr. Carter talking to some of his hands.</p>
-
-<p>“Look!” suddenly called one of the men.
-“Some of the horses are out of the meadow.
-They’re coming here!”</p>
-
-<p>“So they are!” ejaculated Mr. Carter. “I
-wonder what that means.”</p>
-
-<p>“And Dapple Gray has a rope in his teeth,”
-went on the man.</p>
-
-<p>“Why, so he has!” exclaimed Mr. Carter. “I
-wonder what <em>that</em> means.”</p>
-
-<p>Right up to where the stock breeder and his
-men stood ran Dapple Gray and Tinkle’s
-mother. The old fire horse stretched out his
-neck and shook his head up and down, the rope
-flapping to and fro. He seemed to be offering
-it to Mr. Carter.</p>
-
-<p>“Ha! Dapple wants something,” said the
-stockman. “I wonder what it is. I wish he
-could talk.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[30]</span></p>
-
-<p>And then Dapple Gray did something which
-was almost as good as talking. He rubbed the
-rope that was in his mouth against Mr. Carter’s
-hand, and then, dropping it at his feet, took hold
-of the man’s coat in his teeth. Then the old
-fire horse began to pull gently, just as often a
-dog, when it finds some one in danger, will try
-to lead somebody to the place to help.</p>
-
-<p>“Why!” cried the surprised Mr. Carter. “I
-believe Dapple wants me to come with him.”</p>
-
-<p>“That’s what he does!” exclaimed one of the
-hands.</p>
-
-<p>“But what about the rope?” asked another.</p>
-
-<p>“Maybe he wants me to bring that, too,” observed
-the stockman. “I wonder if anything can
-have happened to the horses?”</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll go and take a look,” offered Mr. Carter’s
-overseer. He quickly ran to a place where
-he could look down into the green meadow.</p>
-
-<p>“What is it?” asked Mr. Carter.</p>
-
-<p>“All the horses seem to be over near a hole
-in the fence,” the man reported. “And some
-seem to be missing. I don’t see that little pony,
-Tinkle, anywhere.”</p>
-
-<p>“Whew!” whistled Mr. Carter. “Something
-certainly has happened. This is Tinkle’s
-mother,” he went on, looking at Dapple’s companion.</p>
-
-<p>“Wouldn’t it be queer if Tinkle were in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[31]</span>
-trouble, and she had come to get you to help
-him?” asked the overseer.</p>
-
-<p>And of course you and I know that is just
-what Tinkle’s mother did want, but the stockman
-and his helpers did not know that yet.</p>
-
-<p>“I think I see what the trouble is!” suddenly
-cried Mr. Carter. “Some of the animals must
-have broken down the fence and gotten into the
-swamp! They’re mired there! We must get
-ropes and haul them out. Smart horse, is Dapple
-to tell me that! I’ll come right away.
-Come on, men! Lively now.”</p>
-
-<p>The man ran toward the barn for ropes, led
-by Mr. Carter. Though Dapple and Tinkle’s
-mother could not understand what the men said,
-they knew that help would soon be carried to
-Tinkle and the others held fast in the mud.
-They trotted along after the men, who were
-talking among themselves.</p>
-
-<p>Of course horses and ponies understand some
-man-talk, else how would they know they are
-to stop when a man says “Whoa!” or to start
-when they hear “Gid-dap!” or to back when
-told to do so. But it takes a little time for a
-horse to get to know these words, just as it does
-your dog to know you want him to run toward
-you when you say: “Come here!” or go back
-when you point toward home, and tell him to
-go there.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[32]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Things will be all right now,” said Dapple
-Gray to Tinkle’s mother, using horse-talk, of
-course. “The Man will soon have all the
-horses and ponies out of the bog.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I’m so glad you thought of a way to
-tell him,” said Tinkle’s mother.</p>
-
-<p>Taking some ropes and planks out of the
-barn, Mr. Carter and his men ran on toward the
-green meadow. It did not take them long to
-reach the broken fence.</p>
-
-<p>“Here’s where the rascals got through to the
-swamp!” cried Mr. Carter. “I must make the
-fence much stronger.”</p>
-
-<p>Of course he did not know that Tinkle had
-made all the trouble by first jumping over the
-fence. The others had only broken it down to
-go to help the boy-pony.</p>
-
-<p>“Come on!” cried the stockman. “That bog
-is a bad place. If they sink down too far we’ll
-never be able to get them up again. Come on,
-I say!”</p>
-
-<p>On ran the men with the planks and the ropes.
-They soon came to the place where the horses
-and ponies were mired, as it is called.</p>
-
-<p>“Tinkle is in deeper than any of them,” said
-Mr. Carter. “We must get him out first.”</p>
-
-<p>The men laid down the wide planks. The
-pieces of wood were so broad that they did not
-sink down in the soft mud, any more than wide<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[33]</span>
-snow shoes will sink down when an Indian, or
-any man, walks on them.</p>
-
-<p>Then, standing on the planks, the men put
-ropes about Tinkle and began to pull on them.
-They also laid down planks near him so that
-when he got one foot out of the mire he could
-put it on a plank and it would not sink down
-again.</p>
-
-<p>After some hard work and much pulling on
-the ropes, which hurt the little pony, Tinkle
-was pulled out of the swamp, and led to firm,
-dry ground, back in the meadow.</p>
-
-<p>“And now you’d better stay there,” said Mr.
-Carter. “Don’t try a thing like this again.”</p>
-
-<p>“No indeed, you must never do it again!” said
-Tinkle’s mother, for she could tell by Mr. Carter’s
-voice that he was, in a way, scolding the
-pony. “See what a lot of trouble you made
-your father and me, as well as Dapple Gray and
-our other friends,” said Tinkle’s mother.</p>
-
-<p>“I—I’m sorry,” said the little pony. “I’m
-never going to run away again.”</p>
-
-<p>“And see how muddy and dirty you are,” went
-on his mother. “You had better go to the brook
-and wash yourself.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, let me stay and watch them get my
-father and the others out of the swamp,”
-begged Tinkle, so his mother let him stay.</p>
-
-<p>It was not quite so hard to get the others out<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[34]</span>
-as it had been to save Tinkle, for they were not
-so deep in the mud. But it took Mr. Carter and
-his men quite a while. Finally, however, the
-ponies and the horses were all saved from the
-swamp.</p>
-
-<p>“And I hope they never get caught that way
-again,” said the stockman, while Tinkle and the
-ponies and the horses hoped the same thing.</p>
-
-<p>After the mud was washed off them, the animals
-were not much worse off for what had happened.
-Tinkle was sorry and ashamed for all
-the trouble he had caused, and he told the other
-ponies and his horse-friends so.</p>
-
-<p>For some time after this Tinkle lived with
-his father, mother and friends in the green
-meadow. He played with the other children-ponies,
-but he did not try to run away again.
-He did want to have some adventures, though,
-and he was soon to have some very strange ones.</p>
-
-<p>One day, about a year later, a rich man called
-at the stock farm to buy a horse for his carriage.
-With the man, who was a Mr. Farley, was his
-son George, about nine years old.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I have some good carriage horses,” said
-Mr. Carter to Mr. Farley. “Suppose you come
-down to the meadow and pick out the one you
-like best.”</p>
-
-<p>“May I come too?” asked George.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I think so,” answered his father. “The<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[35]</span>
-horses won’t kick; will they?” he questioned.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, not at all,” answered Mr. Carter.
-“They are all gentle.”</p>
-
-<p>So George went with his father to look at the
-horses. But no sooner had the little boy caught
-sight of the ponies than he cried:</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, see the little horses. I want one of them.
-Please, Daddy, buy me a pony!”</p>
-
-<p>“Eh? What’s that? Buy you a pony!” cried
-his father, half teasing. “Why you couldn’t ride
-a pony.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes I could!” said the little boy. “Anyhow
-I could drive him hitched to a pony cart.”</p>
-
-<p>“But we haven’t a pony cart.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, couldn’t you get one? Oh, please get
-me a pony, Daddy!”</p>
-
-<p>“Ah, um! Well, which one would you want,
-if you could have one?” asked Mr. Farley, half
-in fun.</p>
-
-<p>George looked over the ponies who were cropping
-grass not far away. The boy’s eyes rested
-longest on Tinkle, for Tinkle was a pretty pony,
-with four white feet and a white star right in the
-middle of his head.</p>
-
-<p>“This is the pony I want!” cried George, and,
-before his father could stop him the boy ran
-straight to Tinkle and put his arms around the
-pony’s neck.</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[36]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV<br />
-<small>TINKLE’S NEW HOME</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">“George! George! Come away!”
-cried his father. “That pony may
-kick or bite you!”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, no, Tinkle won’t do that,” said Mr. Carter.
-“Tinkle is a gentle pony, which is more
-than I can say of some I have. A few of them
-are quite wild. But the only bad thing Tinkle
-ever did was, one day, to leave the meadow and
-get mired in a swamp. But I got him out.”</p>
-
-<p>“He wasn’t really bad, was he?” asked
-George, who was standing near the pony, patting
-him.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, no, I guess you wouldn’t call it exactly
-bad,” said the stockman with a smile. “Tinkle
-just didn’t know any better. He wanted to have
-some fun, perhaps; but I guess he won’t do that
-again.”</p>
-
-<p>“I won’t let him run away when I have him,”
-said George.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, ho!” cried Mr. Farley with a laugh.
-“So you think you are going to have Tinkle for
-your own, do you?”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a>[37]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Won’t you get him for me?” begged the
-little boy. “Mabel and I could have <em>such</em> fun
-riding and driving him.” Mabel was George’s
-sister. She was a year younger than he.</p>
-
-<p>“Do you think it would be safe for a little
-boy like mine to have a pony?” asked Mr. Farley
-of the stockman.</p>
-
-<p>“Why, yes, after Tinkle is trained a bit,” said
-Mr. Carter. “He has never been ridden or
-driven, but I could soon get him trained so he
-would be safe to use both ways. Do you think
-you want to buy him?”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I might,” said Mr. Farley slowly.
-He was thinking whether it would be best or
-not. He did not want either of his little children
-to be hurt by a pony that might run away.</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said the owner
-of the stock farm. “I’ll sell you a horse for
-yourself, and then I’ll start at once to teach Tinkle
-what it means to have some one on his back,
-and also how he must act when he is hitched
-to a pony cart. I am going to train some of
-the other ponies, and I’ll train him also. He
-is old enough now to be trained. Then you and
-your little boy come back in about two weeks
-and we’ll see how George likes Tinkle then,”
-finished Mr. Carter.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I’ll love him all the more!” cried
-George. “I love him now, and I want him for<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a>[38]</span>
-my very own! He is a fine pony!” and once
-more George patted the little creature.</p>
-
-<p>“You couldn’t do that to some of the ponies,”
-said Mr. Carter, as he and George’s father
-walked back toward the house. “They would
-be too wild, and would not stand still. But Tinkle
-is a smart little chap.”</p>
-
-<p>“Good-by!” called George to Tinkle as the
-small boy walked away with his father. “I’ll
-come back to see you soon,” and he waved his
-hand at Tinkle and Tinkle waved his tail at
-George. At least George thought so, though I
-imagine that Tinkle was only brushing off a
-tickling fly.</p>
-
-<p>But one thing I do know, and that was that
-Tinkle really liked the little boy who patted
-him so nicely.</p>
-
-<p>“He has very nice, soft hands,” said Tinkle
-to Curley Mane, another pony, as they cropped
-the sweet grass together. “I’m sure he would
-be good to me.”</p>
-
-<p>“Are you going to live with him?” asked
-Curley Mane.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I don’t know,” Tinkle answered. “But
-I’ve always noticed that whenever any strange
-men or boys come to the farm here, in a few
-days afterward some of the horses or ponies go
-away, and I guess the men and boys take them.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, that is right,” said old Dapple Gray<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[39]</span>
-walking up beside the two ponies. “You’ve
-guessed it, Tinkle. The Man, here, raises us
-horses to sell. I’ve been sold more than once.”</p>
-
-<p>“Is it nice to be sold?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, it all depends,” was the answer. “The
-first place I was sold to was not nice. I had
-to draw a grocery wagon through the streets,
-and the boy who sat on the seat used to strike
-me with a whip.”</p>
-
-<p>“What did you do?” asked Curley Mane.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I’m sorry to say I ran away. It wasn’t
-the right thing to do, only I couldn’t help it.
-I couldn’t stand being beaten. The boy fell off
-the seat of the wagon, I ran so fast, and he
-bumped his nose. Then the wagon was
-smashed and I was cut and bruised and I had
-a terrible time,” said Dapple Gray.</p>
-
-<p>“Then the grocery man brought me back here,
-saying he didn’t want me, and after that I was
-sold to some men that made me draw the big
-shiny wagon that had a chimney spouting flames
-and smoke. I was treated well there. I had
-a nice stall with plenty of hay to eat and clean
-straw to sleep on. Sometimes I had oats, and
-I got so I could run very fast indeed.</p>
-
-<p>“But it was hard work, and I soon grew tired.
-So they brought me back here again. That’s
-what being sold means. You never can tell
-where you’re going.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[40]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Do you think some of the horses here were
-sold to that man and little boy?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“We can tell pretty soon,” answered Dapple
-Gray, “by watching to see if any horses or ponies
-are taken away.”</p>
-
-<p>And, surely enough, the next day one of the
-men on the stock farm took away one of the
-horses. He was called Hobble by the other
-horses because, when he was a colt, he hurt his
-foot on a sharp stone and had to hobble for a
-week or two. But he soon got over that. And
-Hobble was the horse George’s father had bought
-for himself, though Mr. Carter named the horse
-Prince.</p>
-
-<p>“Good-by!” called Hobble, or as we must
-call him, Prince, to his friends as he was led
-away from the stock farm. “Maybe I’ll see
-some of you again before long.”</p>
-
-<p>“I don’t believe so,” called back Dapple Gray.
-But neither he nor any one else knew what was
-going to happen to Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>When Prince had been driven to a big city,
-a few miles away from the stock farm, he was
-taken into a nice clean stable where there were
-one or two other horses.</p>
-
-<p>“Ah, so that’s the new horse I bought, is it?”
-asked a voice, and looking behind him, from
-where he was tied in his stall, Prince saw Mr.
-Farley. Of course Prince did not know the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[41]</span>
-man’s name but he knew he was the same one
-who had been at the stock farm.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder,” thought Prince, “where the little
-boy is that was patting Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>He did not have to wonder long for he soon
-heard another voice calling:</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, Daddy! Did the new horse come?”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, he’s in his stall,” said Mr. Farley.</p>
-
-<p>“And did he bring Tinkle?” asked George.</p>
-
-<p>“No, not yet. Tinkle won’t be ready for a
-week or so. And I am not sure I am going to
-get him for you.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes you are, Daddy! I know you are
-when you smile that way!” cried Mabel, who,
-with her little brother, had come out to the
-stable. “Won’t we have fun, George,” she
-cried gaily, “when we have a pony of our
-own?”</p>
-
-<p>“We surely will!” said George.</p>
-
-<p>“Don’t be <em>too</em> sure,” returned Mr. Farley,
-but he could not keep his eyes from laughing,
-even if his lips did not smile.</p>
-
-<p>Prince soon made friends with the other
-horses in Mr. Farley’s stable, and they rubbed
-noses and talked among themselves in a way that
-all horses have.</p>
-
-<p>And now I must go back to the stock farm to
-see how Tinkle is getting on, for this story is
-mostly about him.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a>[42]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Well,” said Mr. Carter to one of his men a
-day or two after Prince had been sold and taken
-to Mr. Farley, “I think it is time we started
-to train Tinkle, if that little boy George is to
-have him. We want to get the pony used to
-having a saddle on his back, and also teach
-him how to draw a pony cart.”</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle began to have his first lessons, for
-animals like horses and dogs, as well as trained
-animals in a circus, have to be taught lessons,
-just as you are taught lessons in school. Only,
-of course, the lessons are different.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was driven into the stable yard and
-while one of the men was patting him and giving
-him some oats to eat—which Tinkle liked
-very much—another man slipped some leather
-straps over the pony’s head. Tinkle did not like
-this, for never, in all his life, had he felt anything
-tied on his head before. He tried to run
-away and shake it off, but he found himself held
-tightly by a long strap, which was fast to the
-other straps on his head.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder what in the world this is?” thought
-Tinkle, when he found he could not shake off
-the straps. Afterward he learned it was a
-halter, which is the rope, or strap, that is used
-to keep a horse or pony tied in his stall. Sometimes
-the straps, or ropes, are called a “head-stall.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[43]</span></p>
-
-<p>So this is what Tinkle was held fast by, and
-when he found that no amount of pulling or
-shaking would get it off his head he stood
-quietly.</p>
-
-<p>“Maybe if I am good they’ll take it off anyhow,”
-he thought.</p>
-
-<p>But Tinkle had many more lessons to learn.
-I will not tell you all about them here, because
-I know lessons aren’t any too much fun, though
-we all have to learn them.</p>
-
-<p>So I’ll just say that after Tinkle had become
-used to the halter he was given a bridle. This
-was not so nice, as there was an iron thing fast
-to it, called a “bit,” and this had to go in Tinkle’s
-mouth so he could be driven.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I don’t like this at all!” cried Tinkle
-as he tried to get the bit out from between his
-teeth. But it was held fast by straps, and a man
-pulled first on one strap, and then on the other,
-hauling Tinkle’s head to the left or right. Soon
-the pony found that when his bit was pulled
-to the left it meant he was to walk or run that
-way, and so, also, when the other strap, or rein,
-was pulled, he must go to the right. After a
-while he did not mind the bit at all.</p>
-
-<p>Next Tinkle had to learn to have a saddle
-fastened to his back. First a blanket was
-strapped on him, and Tinkle tried to get this
-off by rolling over and over. But the blanket<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[44]</span>
-stayed on, for it was fastened by straps, and soon
-the little pony did not mind that. Then when
-the saddle was put on he thought it was only
-another kind of blanket at first, and when he
-came to know (for his mother told him) that all
-horses and ponies had to wear saddles part of
-the time Tinkle did not mind that.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was frightened when one of the boys
-on the stock farm got in the saddle on the pony’s
-back to have a ride. <a href="#i_p045">It was the first time Tinkle
-had ever had any one on his back</a> and he
-really was quite frightened. But he soon grew
-used to that also, and trotted around, walking
-and running as the boy told him to.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, Tinkle is learning quickly!” said Mr.
-Carter one day. “As soon as he learns to draw
-a pony cart he will be ready for that boy George
-to drive.”</p>
-
-<p>Being hitched to a cart, with harness straps
-all over him, did not feel comfortable to Tinkle
-at first.</p>
-
-<p>“I don’t like this at all!” he thought. “It
-isn’t any fun!” But he found he could not get
-away from the cart, which followed him everywhere
-because he was hitched fast to it. Then
-he was driven about, made to turn around, and
-to the left and to the right by a boy who rode in
-the pony cart.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[45]</span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_p045" style="width: 376px;">
- <img src="images/i_p045.jpg" width="376" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_44">It was the first time Tinkle had ever had any one on his
-back.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a>[46]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Well, I might as well make up my mind to
-it,” said Tinkle, telling the other ponies what
-had happened to him.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, indeed,” remarked Dapple Gray.
-“That is what you ponies and we horses are
-for—to give people rides, or to pull their wagons.
-That is our life and if you are good
-you will be treated kindly.”</p>
-
-<p>“Then I am going to be good,” said Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>In another week the pony could be ridden
-or driven very easily, and Mr. Carter sent word
-to Mr. Farley to come and bring George with
-him to the stock farm.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, what a fine pony he is!” cried the little
-boy as he saw how easily Tinkle was ridden and
-driven. “Do get him for me, Daddy!”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I think I’ll buy him,” said Mr. Farley,
-so he paid Mr. Carter for the pony. Tinkle
-was taken to his new home, George and his
-father riding in the pony cart. Mr. Farley
-drove, but let George hold the reins part of
-the time.</p>
-
-<p>“For you must learn to drive if you are going
-to have a real live pony,” said George’s father.</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle left the stock farm, and went to
-live in his new home, a big city stable.</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[47]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V<br />
-<small>TINKLE’S FRIENDS</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">“Well, I never expected to see you
-here!” exclaimed a whinnying voice
-as Tinkle was led into his stall. The
-little pony looked up in surprise and saw a big
-horse.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh! Why, hello, Hobble!” cried Tinkle,
-as he saw the horse that used to live on the stock
-farm with him.</p>
-
-<p>“My name isn’t Hobble any more—it’s
-Prince.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, well. Hello, then, Prince!” called Tinkle
-in a cordial, off-hand manner, for he now felt
-quite grown up. Had he not been hitched up,
-and had he not carried a boy on his back? “I
-didn’t know you were here.”</p>
-
-<p>“And I didn’t know <em>you</em> were coming,” observed
-Prince. “How is everything back on
-the farm?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, there’s not much change. I was sorry
-to come away and leave my father and mother.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, that’s the way things happen in this
-world,” said Prince. “We are colts for a little<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[48]</span>
-while, and then some of us grow to be big
-horses or grown-up ponies and have to go away
-from our friends. It’s just the same with men
-and women, I’ve heard. But you’ll like it
-here.”</p>
-
-<p>“Is it nice?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Nice? I should say it is! Of course, I miss
-being out in the big, green, grassy meadow.
-But I get plenty to eat here, and every day a
-man scratches my back—”</p>
-
-<p>“Scratches your back?” cried Tinkle. “I
-don’t believe I should like that!”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes you will,” said Prince. “You can’t
-imagine how your back begins to itch and ache
-when you’ve been in the harness all day. And
-when a man uses a brush and comb on you—”</p>
-
-<p>“A brush and comb!” cried Tinkle. “Come,
-you’re joking! I know men and women, as well
-as boys and girls, use brushes and combs, but
-ponies or horses—”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, we really have our own brushes and
-combs, though they are different from those
-which humans use,” said Prince. “The brush
-is a big one, more like a broom, and the comb
-is made of iron and is called a currycomb. But
-they make your skin nice and clean and shiny.
-You’ll like them.”</p>
-
-<p>“Maybe,” said Tinkle. “Is anything else different
-here from what it was on the farm?”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[49]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Oh, lots and lots of things. You have to
-have shoes on your feet.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, now I’m <em>sure</em> you’re fooling me!” cried
-Tinkle in horse-talk. “Who ever heard of
-ponies having shoes!”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, of course they’re not <em>leather</em> shoes,
-such as boys and girls wear,” went on Prince.
-“They are made of iron, and they are nailed on
-your hoofs.”</p>
-
-<p>“Nailed on!” cried Tinkle. “Oh, doesn’t
-that hurt?”</p>
-
-<p>“Not a bit when a good blacksmith does it,”
-explained Prince. “You see our hoofs are just
-like the finger nails of boys and girls. It doesn’t
-hurt to cut their finger nails, if they don’t cut
-them down too close, and it doesn’t hurt to
-fasten the iron shoes on our hoofs with sharp
-nails. Don’t you remember how Dapple Gray
-used to tell about his iron shoes making sparks
-on the paving stones in the city when he ran
-and pulled that funny shiny wagon with the
-chimney?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes,” answered Tinkle; “I do remember.
-Well, I suppose I’ll have to be shod then.”</p>
-
-<p>“Of course,” returned Prince. “If you don’t
-have the iron shoes on your hoofs they would
-get sore when you ran around on the stony
-streets. A city is not like our green meadow.
-There are very few soft dirt roads here. That<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[50]</span>
-is one thing I don’t like about a city. Still there
-is always something going on here, and lots to
-see and do, and that makes up for it, I guess.”</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder how I shall like it,” thought
-Tinkle. “But first I must see what my new
-home is like.”</p>
-
-<p>He looked around the stable. It was a large
-one, and there were a number of stalls in it. In
-each one was a horse, like Prince, munching his
-oats or chewing hay. Tinkle saw that his stall
-was different from the others. It was like a big
-box, and, in fact, was called a “box stall.”
-Tinkle did not have to be tied fast with a rope
-or a strap to the manger, which is the place where
-the feed for the ponies and horses is put. There
-was a manger in Tinkle’s stall and he could
-walk up to it whenever he felt hungry.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle did not remember much about the
-stable at home on the farm, as he was hardly
-ever in it. Night and day, during the warm
-Summer, he stayed out in the green meadow,
-sleeping near his mother under a tree.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was kicking the straw around in his
-stall, making a nice soft bed on which he could
-lie down and go to sleep, when George, who had
-gone into the house to get something to eat after
-driving with his father from the stock farm,
-came running out to the stable again.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[51]</span></p>
-
-<p>“How’s my pony?” cried George. “How’s
-my Tinkle?”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle made a sort of laughing sound—whinnying—for
-he now knew George’s voice and he
-liked the little boy.</p>
-
-<p>“Here’s something nice for you!” cried
-George.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, what are you going to give him?” asked
-Mabel, who had come home from school and
-who had also hurried out to see Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“I’m going to give him some sugar,” answered
-George. “I took some lumps from the bowl
-on the table. Mother said I might.”</p>
-
-<p>“Are you going to let him eat them out of
-your hand?” asked the little girl.</p>
-
-<p>“Of course,” answered George.</p>
-
-<p>“Won’t he bite you?”</p>
-
-<p>“Not if you hold out your hand flat, like a
-board,” said George. “The man at the farm
-showed me. Put the sugar on the palm of your
-hand, open it out flat and a horse can pick up
-a lump of sugar, or an apple without biting you
-a teeny weeny bit. Look!”</p>
-
-<p>George opened the top half of the door to
-the box stall where Tinkle had his home and
-held out on his hand the lump of sugar. Tinkle
-came over, smelled of the lump to make sure
-it was good for him to eat, and then he gently<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[52]</span>
-took it in his soft lips, and began to chew the
-sweet stuff.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, isn’t that cute!” cried Mabel. “Let me
-feed Tinkle some sugar.”</p>
-
-<p>Her brother gave her a lump, and she held it
-out on her hand. Tinkle, having eaten the first
-lump, which he liked very much, was quite
-ready for the second. He took it from Mabel’s
-hand as gently as he had taken it from
-George’s.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, he is a lovely pony!” cried the little girl.
-“How soon can we have a ride on him?”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, you can ride him around the yard
-now,” said her father, who had come out to the
-stable. “But before he is driven around the
-city streets he must be shod. I’ll send him to a
-blacksmith. But for a while now you and
-George may take turns riding him. I’ll have
-Patrick saddle him for you.”</p>
-
-<p>Patrick was Mr. Farley’s coachman, and
-knew a great deal about horses and ponies.
-The pony cart which Mr. Farley had bought
-from the stockman, together with a harness and
-saddle for Tinkle, had been put away. Patrick
-now brought out the saddle, and, after putting
-a blanket on the pony, fastened on the saddle
-with straps.</p>
-
-<p>“Now who’s to ride first?” asked the coachman.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[53]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Let Mabel,” said George, politely. “Ladies
-always go first.”</p>
-
-<p>“I’d rather you’d go first so I can see how you
-do it,” said the little girl, and George was glad,
-for he did want very much to get on Tinkle’s
-back again. He had ridden a little at the stock
-farm and, oh! it was such fun!</p>
-
-<p>Patrick helped George into the saddle, and
-then led Tinkle about the yard, for Mr. Farley
-wanted to make sure the pony would be safe
-for his little boy to ride.</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll be very careful,” said Tinkle to himself.
-“George and his sister are going to be kind to
-me, I’m sure. I’ll not run away.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle remembered what his father and
-mother had told him about behaving when he
-was in the harness, or had a saddle on.</p>
-
-<p>“And if I’m good,” thought the pony, “maybe
-I’ll get more lumps of sugar.”</p>
-
-<p>“Let him go now and see if I can drive him,”
-said George to Patrick. So the coachman
-stepped aside and George held the reins in his
-own hands.</p>
-
-<p>“Gid-dap, Tinkle!” cried George, and the
-pony knew this meant to go a little faster. So
-he began to trot on the soft, green grass of the
-big yard about the Farley home.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, how nice!” cried Mabel, clapping her
-hands.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[54]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Yes, it’s lots of fun!” laughed George. “Go
-on, Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>When George had ridden twice around the
-yard it was Mabel’s turn. At first she was a
-little afraid, but her father held her in the saddle,
-and she could soon sit on alone and guide
-Tinkle, who did not go as fast with her as he had
-gone with George.</p>
-
-<p>“For she might fall off, and I wouldn’t want
-that to happen,” thought Tinkle. “They might
-say it was my fault, and give me no more lumps
-of sugar.”</p>
-
-<p>While Mabel was riding, another boy and a
-girl came into the yard. They were Tommie
-and Nellie Hall, who lived next door.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, what a lovely pony!” they cried.
-“Where did you get him?”</p>
-
-<p>“My father bought him for Mabel and me,”
-explained George. “See how soft his hair is,”
-and he patted Tinkle. Tommie and Nellie
-also patted the pony and called him all sorts
-of nice names.</p>
-
-<p>“My! I think I am going to like it here,”
-thought Tinkle. “I have four new, good, little
-friends. I will try to make them love me.”</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[55]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI<br />
-<small>TINKLE MEETS DIDO</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">Every morning, as soon as he had eaten
-his breakfast, George would run out to
-the stable to see Tinkle. He would rub
-the soft, velvety nose of his pet pony, or bring
-him a piece of bread or a lump of sugar. Sometimes
-Mabel, too, would come out with her
-brother to look at Tinkle before she went to
-school.</p>
-
-<p>“And when we come back from school we’ll
-have a ride on your back,” said George, waving
-his hand to Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>A few days after he had been brought to his
-new home Tinkle had been taken to a blacksmith’s
-shop and small iron shoes had been
-fastened to the pony’s hoofs.</p>
-
-<p>At first Tinkle was afraid he was going to
-be hurt, but he thought of what Dapple Gray
-and the other horses had told him and made up
-his mind—if ponies have minds—that he would
-stand a little pain if he had to. But he did not.
-The blacksmith was kind and gentle, and though
-it felt a bit funny at first, when he lifted up one
-of Tinkle’s legs, the pony soon grew used to it.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[56]</span></p>
-
-<p>It felt queer, too, when the iron shoes were
-nailed on. And when Tinkle stood on his four
-newly shod feet he hardly knew whether he
-could step out properly or not. But he soon
-found that it was all right.</p>
-
-<p>“I’m taller with my new shoes on than in my
-bare hoofs,” said Tinkle to himself, and he was
-taller—about an inch I guess. The clatter and
-clang of his iron shoes on the paving stones
-sounded like music to Tinkle, and he soon found
-that it was better for him to have iron shoes on
-than to run over the stones in his hoofs, which
-would soon have worn down so that his feet
-would have hurt.</p>
-
-<p>“Now Tinkle is ready to give us a ride in the
-little cart!” cried George when his pony had
-come home from the blacksmith shop.</p>
-
-<p>“Take Patrick with you so as to make sure
-you know how to drive, and how to handle
-Tinkle,” said Mrs. Farley, as George and Mabel
-made ready for their first real drive—outside
-the yard this time.</p>
-
-<p>George and Mabel got into the pony cart,
-George taking the reins, while Mabel sat beside
-him. Patrick, the coachman, sat in the back of
-the cart, ready to help if he were needed.</p>
-
-<p>“Gid-dap!” called George, and he headed the
-pony down the driveway. “Gid-dap, Tinkle,”
-and Tinkle trotted along.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[57]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Don’t they look cute!” exclaimed Mrs.
-Farley to her husband as they watched the children
-from the dining room window. “I hope
-nothing happens to them.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, they’ll be all right,” said her husband.
-“Tinkle is a kind and gentle pony. Besides
-there is Patrick. He’ll know just what to do if
-anything should happen.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I hope nothing does,” said Mrs. Farley.
-“There! they’ve stopped! I wonder what
-for.”</p>
-
-<p>The pony cart had stopped at the driveway
-gates, and Patrick, with a queer smile on his
-face, came walking back.</p>
-
-<p>“What is it?” asked Mrs. Farley. “Did anything
-happen—and so soon?”</p>
-
-<p>“No’m,” replied the coachman, “but Master
-George wants to know if you’d like to have him
-bring anything from the store. He says he’d
-like to buy something for you.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh!” and Mrs. Farley laughed. “Well, I
-don’t know that I need any groceries. But I
-suppose he wants to do an errand in the new
-cart. So tell him he may get a pound of loaf
-sugar. He and Mabel can feed the lumps to
-Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>“Very well, ma’am, I’ll tell him,” and, touching
-his hat, Patrick went back to George and
-Mabel.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[58]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Well, I guess everything is all right,”
-thought Tinkle to himself as he trotted along
-in front of the pony cart, hauling George,
-Mabel and Patrick. “It’s a good deal easier
-than I thought, and my new iron shoes feel
-fine!”</p>
-
-<p>So he trotted along merrily, and George and
-his sister, sitting in the pony cart, enjoyed their
-ride very much. George drove Tinkle along
-the streets, turning him now to the left, by pulling
-on the left rein, and again to the other side
-by jerking gently on the right rein.</p>
-
-<p>“Am I doing all right, Patrick?” asked the
-little boy.</p>
-
-<p>“Fine, Master George,” answered the coachman.
-“You drive as well as anybody.”</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll let you take a turn soon, Mabel,” said
-George.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I don’t want to—just yet,” replied the
-little girl. “I want to watch and see how you
-do it. Besides, I’d be afraid to drive where
-there are so many horses and wagons,” for they
-were on the main street of the city.</p>
-
-<p>“You’ll soon get so you can do as well as
-Master George,” declared Patrick. “Tinkle is
-an easy pony to manage.”</p>
-
-<p>As George and Mabel traveled on in their
-pony cart, they met several of their playmates
-who waved their hands to the Farley children.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[59]</span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_p059" style="width: 379px;">
- <img src="images/i_p059.jpg" width="379" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_60">“Oh, what a nice pony cart!” cried the boys and girls.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a>[60]</span></p>
-
-<p><a href="#i_p059">“Oh, what a nice pony cart!” cried the boys
-and girls.</a></p>
-
-<p>“I’ll give you a ride, some day,” promised
-George.</p>
-
-<p>He and Mabel were soon at the store, and,
-going in, they bought the loaf sugar. Patrick
-stayed out in the pony cart, and Tinkle stood
-still next to the curb. Near him was a horse
-hitched to a wagon full of coal.</p>
-
-<p>“Hello, my little pony!” called the coal-horse.
-“You have a fine rig there.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, it is pretty nice,” said Tinkle, and he
-was sure he must look very gorgeous, for Mabel
-had tied a blue ribbon in his mane that morning.</p>
-
-<p>“You’re quite stylish,” went on the coal-horse.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I s’pose you <em>might</em> call it that,” admitted
-Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“It’s much more fun to be pulling a light,
-little cart like that around the city streets, than
-to haul a great big heavy coal wagon, such as
-I am hitched to,” went on the big horse.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, but see how strong you are!” observed
-Tinkle. “I never could pull such a heavy load
-as you haul.”</p>
-
-<p>“No, I guess you couldn’t,” said the coal horse.
-“Especially up some of the hills we have. It is
-almost more than I can do, and there is one hill<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[61]</span>
-that I have to take a rest on, half way up, but
-my driver is good to me, and never whips me,
-which is more than I can say of some drivers I
-have known. So I guess, after all, it is better
-for you to draw the pony cart and for me to stick
-to the coal wagon.”</p>
-
-<p>“Indeed it is,” said a horse that was hitched
-to one of the grocery wagons. “You’d look
-funny, coal-horse, trying to fit between the shafts
-of that pony cart.”</p>
-
-<p>“I suppose I would,” admitted the other,
-laughing, in a way horses have among themselves.</p>
-
-<p>When George and Mabel came out of the
-store, with the bag of sugar lumps, they saw the
-two horses—one hitched to a coal wagon and the
-other to a grocery cart—rubbing noses with
-Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“They’re kissing each other,” laughed the
-little girl.</p>
-
-<p>But the horses and the pony were really talking
-among themselves, and even Patrick, much
-as he knew about animals, did not understand
-horse-talk.</p>
-
-<p>“Let’s give Tinkle some sugar now,” said
-Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>“All right,” answered George, so they gave
-the pony two lumps.</p>
-
-<p>“My, that sugar certainly smells good!” exclaimed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[62]</span>
-the horse that was hitched to the coal
-wagon.</p>
-
-<p>“It certainly does,” said the other horse, sniffing
-hard through his nose, for the air was filled
-with the sweet smell of the sugar lumps Tinkle
-was eating. “You might think,” went on the
-grocery horse, “that, working for a store, as I
-do, I’d get a lump of sugar once in a while.”</p>
-
-<p>“Don’t you?” asked Tinkle, reaching out for
-another sweet lump George offered him.</p>
-
-<p>“Never a bit!” said the grocery-horse, “and
-I just love it!”</p>
-
-<p>“So do I,” said the coal-horse.</p>
-
-<p>“I’m sorry I didn’t offer you some,” apologized
-Tinkle. “But it’s too late now. I’ve
-swallowed it.”</p>
-
-<p>Just then Mabel thought of something nice.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, George!” she cried. “Let’s give the two
-horses some of Tinkle’s sugar. I guess horses
-like sweet stuff the same as ponies. Don’t they,
-Patrick?” she asked the coachman.</p>
-
-<p>“Sure they do, Miss Mabel,” he answered.
-“Sure they do!”</p>
-
-<p>“Then give them some, George,” she begged.
-“We have more than enough for Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>“All right,” said the little boy. So he held
-out two lumps of sugar to the coal horse, and two
-to the grocery horse, and I just wish you could
-have seen how glad those horses were to get the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[63]</span>
-sweet stuff. If they could have talked man language
-they would have thanked George and
-Mabel, but as it was they could only say to one
-another and to Tinkle:</p>
-
-<p>“Well, you certainly have a good home with
-such nice children in it.”</p>
-
-<p>“I’m glad you think so,” whinnied Tinkle to
-them, and he felt very happy.</p>
-
-<p>George and Mabel drove home in their pony
-cart, carrying what was left of the bag of sugar.
-When they were near their home, and on a quiet
-street, George let his sister take the reins so
-she would learn how to handle them. Patrick
-watched the little girl carefully and told her
-how and when to pull, so Tinkle would go to the
-right or to the left, and also around the corners.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, Mother! now I know how to drive!”
-cried Mabel as she ran into the house to tell her
-father and Mrs. Farley about their first trip
-downtown in the new pony cart.</p>
-
-<p>After that George and Mabel had many rides
-behind Tinkle, even in the Winter, when they
-hitched him to a little sled. The little pony
-grew to like his little boy and girl friends very
-much indeed, and they loved him dearly. They
-would hug him and pat him whenever they went
-out to the stable where he was, and feed him
-lumps of sugar. When Spring came they took
-long rides in the country.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[64]</span></p>
-
-<p>One day a funny thing happened to Tinkle.
-He had been hitched to the pony cart which was
-tied to a post in front of the house, waiting for
-George and Mabel to come out. And then,
-from somewhere down the street sounded the
-tooting of a horn, and a queer odor, which made
-him tremble, came to the pony’s nostrils.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder what that is?” said Tinkle to himself.
-Very soon he found out.</p>
-
-<p>Along came a man wearing a red cap, and
-every once in a while he would put a brass horn
-to his mouth and blow a tooting tune. But this
-was not what surprised Tinkle most. What did,
-was a big shaggy animal, that the man was leading
-by a chain. And when Tinkle saw the
-shaggy creature he was afraid. But the other
-animal, rising up on its hind legs said:</p>
-
-<p>“Don’t be afraid of me, little pony. I won’t
-hurt you!”</p>
-
-<p>“Who are you?” asked Tinkle, wonderingly.</p>
-
-<p>“I am Dido, the dancing bear,” was the answer,
-“and I have had many adventures that have
-been put into a book.”</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a>[65]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII<br />
-<small>TINKLE DOES SOME TRICKS</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">For a few seconds Tinkle stood looking at
-Dido, the dancing bear, not knowing what
-to do or say. Some ponies would have
-been afraid of a bear. They would have
-snorted, stood on their hind legs, and maybe have
-run away. But Tinkle had never seen a bear
-before, no one had ever told him about them,
-and he really did not know enough to be afraid.
-Besides, Dido seemed such a funny, good-natured
-and happy bear that I believe no one would
-have been afraid of him.</p>
-
-<p>“So you are Dido, the dancing bear, are you?”
-asked Tinkle. “And you say you are in a book.
-What does that mean?”</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll tell you,” went on Dido, while his master,
-the man who blew such jolly tunes on the brass
-horn, was picking up some apples that had fallen
-from a roadside tree. He let Dido walk on
-ahead, without even a string tied to him, for he
-knew that Dido would not run away.</p>
-
-<p>“You see, it’s this way,” went on the dancing
-bear. “Years ago I used to live in the woods<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a>[66]</span>
-with my father and mother, sisters and brothers.”</p>
-
-<p>“I never lived in the woods,” said Tinkle, “but
-I lived in a big, green field.”</p>
-
-<p>“That was nice,” murmured Dido. “I have
-been in the fields, too. Well, one day I was
-caught by a man, who took me away. At first
-I did not like it, but the man was good to me
-and taught me to do tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>“What are tricks?” asked the pony, for he
-could speak all animal languages as well as understand
-them.</p>
-
-<p>“Tricks are—well, I’ll show you in a minute,”
-went on Dido. “The man was good to
-me, as I said, and taught me tricks. Then I was
-sold to a circus and I had lots of good times
-with Tum Tum, the jolly elephant and Mappo
-the merry monkey. They are in books, too.”</p>
-
-<p>“What are books?” asked Tinkle. “Are they
-good, like sugar; and do you eat them?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, no!” laughed Dido. “Books are funny
-things, like blocks of wood; only you can open
-them, like a door, you know, and inside are funny
-black marks on paper that is white, like the snow.
-Boys and girls, and men and women, open these
-funny things called books and look at them for
-ever and ever so long.”</p>
-
-<p>“Why do they do that?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I don’t really know,” said Dido. “But
-after they have looked at the books, turning over<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[67]</span>
-the white things with the black marks on, called
-leaves, the boys and girls laugh.”</p>
-
-<p>“Why?” Tinkle demanded.</p>
-
-<p>“Because of the funny things printed on
-them,” answered Dido. “You see in my book
-are set down all the things I did. And the
-things Mappo did and the things Tum Tum did
-are in their books. Some of the things were
-funny, and that is what makes the boys and girls
-laugh. Tum Tum’s book is enough to make any
-one laugh. He is a very jolly elephant.”</p>
-
-<p>“Is it fashionable to be in a book?” asked
-Tinkle. “I have quite a stylish pony cart here,
-as you can see, so if being in a book is—”</p>
-
-<p>“Of <em>course</em> it’s fashionable to be in a book!”
-exclaimed Dido. “You should see the funny
-pictures of <em>me</em> in <em>my</em> book.”</p>
-
-<p>And I might say, right here, that the books
-that Dido spoke of really exist, besides others
-about different animals. And this book is about
-Tinkle, as you can see for yourself. Maybe the
-little pony will be quite surprised when he finds
-what has been set down about him.</p>
-
-<p>“Toot! Toot! Toot!” blew the horn again,
-and the man who owned Dido, having picked
-up all the apples he wanted, came walking along
-the road. Dido had been in a circus for some
-time, but now he was out again, traveling around
-the country doing tricks.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[68]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Ah, you have met a friend, I see, Dido!” remarked
-the man, who had little gold rings in his
-ears. “A little pony, eh? Well, where there is
-a pony there must be children, and I think they
-will like to see your tricks, Dido. Come, we’ll
-get ready for them.”</p>
-
-<p>The man blew another merry tune on his horn,
-and just then George and Mabel came running
-out of the house, ready to go driving in the pony
-cart.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, see the bear!” cried Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>“And look at what he is doing!” added
-George. For, just then the man told Dido to
-turn a somersault, and this the bear did.</p>
-
-<p>“That’s one of my tricks,” said Dido to Tinkle,
-though of course George and Mabel did not
-know the two animals were speaking to one another,
-for they talked in a low whisper.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, so that’s a trick, is it?” asked Tinkle in
-surprise.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, and I can do others. Wait, I’m going
-to do some more,” went on Dido.</p>
-
-<p>“Come now, Dido! Show the little boy and
-girl how you play soldier!” called the man and
-he tossed a stick to the bear. Dido clasped it in
-his paws, held it over one shoulder just as though
-it were a gun and marched around in a ring
-standing up stiff and straight like a soldier on
-parade.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[69]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Oh, that’s great!” cried George.</p>
-
-<p>“Is he a trained bear, Mister?” asked Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes he is a good trained bear,” answered
-the man. “I have taught him to do many tricks.
-Now stand on your head, Dido,” and Dido stood
-on his head without so much as blinking his eye.
-Only he could not stand that way very long because
-he was quite a fat and heavy bear now.
-But he did very well.</p>
-
-<p>“Can he do any more tricks?” asked George,
-and by this time Patrick, the coachman, Mary
-the cook, and Mrs. Farley had come out to watch
-Dido.</p>
-
-<p>“I will have him climb a pole,” said the man,
-pointing to a telegraph pole in front of the
-Farley home. “Up you go, Dido!” he called,
-and the bear walked slowly over to the smooth
-pole. He stuck his sharp claws into the soft wood,
-and up and up he climbed until he was nearly
-at the top. Then he climbed down again while
-Mabel and George clapped their hands and
-laughed.</p>
-
-<p>“He is a fine bear,” said George. “I wonder
-if he would eat sugar as Tinkle, my pony,
-does?”</p>
-
-<p>“Try him and see,” answered the man, with a
-laugh.</p>
-
-<p>“Won’t he bite?” asked Mabel, as George took
-some lumps of sugar from his pocket.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[70]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Oh, no. Dido never bites,” answered his
-master. “He is a very gentle bear.”</p>
-
-<p>George held a lump of sugar on his hand.
-Up Dido walked to the little boy.</p>
-
-<p>“Don’t dare bite him!” said Tinkle to Dido,
-speaking in animal talk, of course.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, no fear!” exclaimed Dido. “I wouldn’t
-bite him for the world. Just watch!” Then
-Dido put out his big red tongue to which the
-lump of sugar stuck, just like a postage stamp,
-and, in another second, it had slid down Dido’s
-red throat.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, wasn’t that cute?” cried Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>Then Dido did more tricks, and after Mrs.
-Farley had given the man some money he and
-Dido walked on down the road.</p>
-
-<p>“Good-by, children!” called the man.</p>
-
-<p>“Good-by,” answered George and Mabel,
-waving their hands.</p>
-
-<p>“Good-by, Tinkle!” called Dido. “Perhaps
-some day I may see you again.”</p>
-
-<p>“I hope so,” called back the pony. “I want
-to hear more about being in a book and about
-Tum Tum and Mappo.”</p>
-
-<p>“They are in the circus now, I think,” said
-Dido. “If you ever go to the circus you may
-meet them.”</p>
-
-<p>“I don’t believe I ever shall,” said Tinkle.
-But you just wait and see what happens.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[71]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Well, go for your drive now, children,” said
-Mrs. Farley. “And don’t let Tinkle run away
-with you.”</p>
-
-<p>“We won’t,” answered George, laughingly.
-And as he and Mabel drove away, Patrick not
-going with them this time, George said: “I
-wish I could teach Tinkle some tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, wouldn’t that be great!” exclaimed
-Mabel. “I once saw a trick pony in a show.
-He could bow and tell how old he was by pawing
-on the ground with his hoof.”</p>
-
-<p>“Then I’m going to teach Tinkle some tricks,”
-said George. “And when he learns them we’ll
-take him around the country and show him off
-and earn money.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, how nice!” cried Mabel, clapping her
-hands.</p>
-
-<p>When George and Mabel got back from their
-drive George spoke to his father about teaching
-Tinkle to do some tricks.</p>
-
-<p>“I hardly think you can,” said Mr. Farley.
-“But you may try. Better ask Patrick about it,
-though. He knows a lot about horses and
-ponies.”</p>
-
-<p>“Teach Tinkle tricks, is it?” asked Patrick
-when George spoke to the coachman about it.
-“Well, maybe you can. He’s young yet. You
-can’t teach an old pony tricks any more than you
-can teach an old dog. We’ll try some day.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[72]</span></p>
-
-<p>A few days after this Patrick called George
-out to the stable yard where Tinkle was standing.</p>
-
-<p>“What are you going to do?” asked George.</p>
-
-<p>“Teach Tinkle his first trick,” was the answer.
-“He is going to learn how to jump over
-a stick.” Patrick put two boxes, about two feet
-high, on the ground and laid a stick across them.
-He led the pony close to the stick and stood there
-beside him.</p>
-
-<p>“Now, Master George, you stand on the other
-side of the stick, and hold out these lumps of
-sugar,” said Patrick. “We will see what Tinkle
-will do.”</p>
-
-<p>George held out the sugar a few feet away
-from Tinkle’s nose. Tinkle could smell it, and
-he wanted it very much.</p>
-
-<p>“Go get it!” called Patrick, letting loose the
-halter strap he had been holding. “Go get the
-sugar, Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>Instead of jumping across the stick, as they
-wanted him to do, Tinkle walked right against
-it and knocked it off the boxes.</p>
-
-<p>“That won’t do!” cried Patrick. “Don’t give
-him the sugar, Master George, until he jumps
-over the stick.”</p>
-
-<p>So George held the sugar behind his back, and
-Tinkle was quite disappointed at not getting it.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder what they want me to do, and why
-they put that stick in front of me?” thought the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[73]</span>
-little pony. Patrick placed the stick back on
-the boxes, and this time he nailed it fast so the
-pony could not easily knock it off. Then the
-coachman held the pony as before and George
-put the lumps of sugar out on his hand again.</p>
-
-<p>Once more Tinkle walked forward to get
-them, but this time he could not knock the stick
-down with his legs. He shoved the boxes aside,
-though, and again Patrick led him back.</p>
-
-<p>“Jump over the stick, Tinkle! Jump over the
-stick and I’ll give you the sugar!” called George.
-And then, after two or three more times, Tinkle
-understood. He found that stick always in his
-way when he wanted to get the sweet sugar, and
-finally he thought of the fence he had once
-jumped over.</p>
-
-<p>“I guess that’s what they want me to do
-now!” he said. And with a jump, over the stick
-he went. Tinkle had done his first trick!</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[74]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII<br />
-<small>TINKLE IS TAKEN AWAY</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">“That’s fine!” cried George, as Tinkle,
-after having jumped over the stick,
-came trotting up to get the sugar.
-“Soon you’ll be as good as Dido, the dancing
-bear.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I guess I did pretty well for a beginner,”
-thought Tinkle to himself, as he crunched
-the sugar in his strong white teeth. “Now I
-hope they will let me alone, or else drive me
-hitched to the cart or ride on my back.”</p>
-
-<p>But George and the coachman were not yet
-through with Tinkle. They wanted to be sure
-he understood how to do the trick. So they set
-up the stick again, and George held out more
-sugar. This time the pony knew what to do at
-once, and, with a bound, over the stick he went.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I want Mabel to see this!” cried George.
-“Come on out!” he called to his sister. “Come
-on out and see Tinkle do a trick!”</p>
-
-<p>Mabel was as much pleased as was her
-brother. She, too, held out the sugar and
-Tinkle came to her as he had to George, leaping<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[75]</span>
-over the stick. Tinkle would do almost anything
-for lumps of sugar.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, this is enough for the first day,” said
-the coachman to the children. “We don’t want
-Tinkle to get tired. Go take him for a drive
-now, and to-morrow we can teach him other
-tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>Off in the pony cart rode the two children.
-Half-way down the street they met Tommie and
-Nellie Hall, and invited them to have a drive.</p>
-
-<p>“Did you see the trained bear?” asked Tommie
-of George. “A man was leading him past our
-house. He did a lot of tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>“We’re going to teach our pony to do tricks
-like those,” cried Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>“No! Really?” exclaimed Nellie, in surprise.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, we are,” added George. “He can do
-one trick already—jump over a stick,” and he
-told how Tinkle had been taught.</p>
-
-<p>“I’d like to see him do that,” said Tommie.
-“But there’s one trick Dido the bear did that
-your pony can never do.”</p>
-
-<p>“What is that?” Mabel asked.</p>
-
-<p>“Climb a telegraph pole!” said Tommie with
-a laugh.</p>
-
-<p>“That’s right,” admitted George. “Tinkle
-never could do that. But I don’t want him to.
-To-morrow we are going to teach him a new
-trick.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[76]</span></p>
-
-<p>The next day George went out to the stable
-to ask Patrick what trick it would be best next
-to teach the pony.</p>
-
-<p>“Let us see if he has forgotten his first trick,”
-said the coachman. Once more the stick was
-laid across the boxes and, standing on the other
-side of it, George held out the sugar. Tinkle
-jumped over at once, higher than he had ever
-before gone, for, now that he knew jumping was
-what his little master wanted, the pony made up
-his mind to do his very best.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, he hasn’t forgotten that trick,” said Patrick.
-“Now we’ll teach him to make a bow.”</p>
-
-<p>“How do you do that?” asked George.</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll show you,” Patrick answered.</p>
-
-<p>He put some soft straw on the ground in front
-of the pony. Then the coachman tied a rope
-around Tinkle’s left foreleg. Standing off a
-little way, behind, and to one side of Tinkle,
-Patrick pulled gently on the rope, at the same
-time saying:</p>
-
-<p>“Make a bow, Tinkle! Make a bow!”</p>
-
-<p>Of course Tinkle did not know then what the
-words meant, but when he felt the pull on his
-leg from the rope it seemed as though his leg
-was being pulled from under him. And that is
-what Patrick was doing, only so gently that it
-did not hurt.</p>
-
-<p>Then the coachman said again:</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[77]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Make a bow, Tinkle!”</p>
-
-<p>The pony suddenly felt his leg slipping and as
-it bent he came down on one knee on the soft
-straw.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, he did make a bow!” cried George; and
-that is just what it looked like.</p>
-
-<p>“Give him a lump of sugar!” said Patrick.
-“Then he’ll know he is to get a lump when he
-makes another bow.”</p>
-
-<p>The coachman loosed his hold of the rope
-and Tinkle quickly scrambled to his feet. He
-was not in the least hurt, but he was a little
-puzzled.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder what they are trying to do to me?”
-he asked himself. But he was glad when he
-found George had another lump of sugar for
-him. “This part of it is all right, anyhow,”
-thought the pony.</p>
-
-<p>Once again he heard Patrick call:</p>
-
-<p>“Make a bow, Tinkle. Make a bow!”
-Again came that tug on the rope which pulled
-Tinkle’s leg from under him, so that he had to
-bend down and bow.</p>
-
-<p>“That’s the way to do it!” cried Patrick.
-“More sugar for the pony, Master George!”</p>
-
-<p>“Now I begin to understand!” said Tinkle to
-himself. “This is just like jumping over the
-stick—only different. Ah, I have it! These
-are the tricks Dido was telling me about. Now<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[78]</span>
-I know what they are doing it for. I am to be
-a trick pony! And maybe I’ll be in the circus
-with Tum Tum and Mappo.”</p>
-
-<p>But you will have to wait a little while to find
-out if that part came true.</p>
-
-<p>“Now we’ll try it again,” said the coachman as
-Tinkle got up and stood on the soft straw.
-“Make another bow, Tinkle!” he called.</p>
-
-<p>The pony heard the word “bow,” he felt the
-gentle pull on the rope that was tied to his leg.
-This time he did not wait for his leg to be pulled
-from beneath him, but he bowed of his own
-accord, and then George gave him the sugar.</p>
-
-<p>“He is beginning to know what we want of
-him,” said the coachman. “Now he can do two
-tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>“And soon I can take him around the country
-and show him off,” cried George, in great delight.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I don’t know about that,” laughed Patrick.
-“I guess your father and mother wouldn’t
-like that. But you can have him do tricks at
-home here for your friends.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was a smart little pony and in a few
-days all George had to do was to say “Jump!”
-and Tinkle would jump over two or even three
-sticks laid across boxes. And when George
-said: “Make a bow!” Tinkle would kneel down
-almost as politely as some dancers I have seen.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[79]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Are there any other tricks you can teach
-Tinkle?” asked George of the coachman one
-day.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes, plenty more,” was the answer.
-“We’ll try to get him to stand on his hind legs
-and walk around. It is pretty hard but I guess
-he can do it.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was longer in learning this trick than
-he had been in learning how to do the other two
-put together. Patrick and George were kind
-and patient, however. Patrick, with another
-man to help him, put Tinkle in front of a board
-laid across two water pails. They set Tinkle’s
-front feet on the board and then with Patrick
-at one end, and the man at the other, they lifted
-up the board with Tinkle’s feet resting on it and
-started to walk. And Tinkle walked too, because
-George stood in front of him with a nice
-red apple, and as the pony reached for it George
-kept backing away.</p>
-
-<p>Of course Tinkle wanted the apple, so he kept
-on walking. Only, as his front feet were resting
-on the board, the pony could walk on his hind
-feet only, but he was soon doing this without
-knowing it. <a href="#i_p081">It took a little time to make him
-stand up on his hind legs without anything on
-which to rest his front feet</a>, but after a bit he
-understood what was wanted of him. Then he
-remembered how he had seen horses in the green<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[80]</span>
-meadow, where he used to live, rear up on their
-hind legs in play sometimes.</p>
-
-<p>“Why that’s just what I’m doing,” thought
-Tinkle, and then it came easier for him. He
-could soon walk half the length of the stable
-yard on his hind legs, with his forefeet held up
-in the air.</p>
-
-<p>“That’s three tricks Tinkle can do,” said
-George in delight as the pony pranced around
-on his hind legs. “He will soon be able to join
-a circus.”</p>
-
-<p>“But you won’t let him, will you?” asked
-Mabel. “You won’t let Tinkle go away,
-George, I like him too much.”</p>
-
-<p>“And so do I,” answered her brother. “Indeed
-I won’t let Tinkle go away.”</p>
-
-<p>But one day something sad happened to Tinkle.
-Mr. and Mrs. Farley with George and
-Mabel went on a visit to the country, to be gone
-three days. They did not take Tinkle with them
-as they had to travel on the train.</p>
-
-<p>“But I guess he’ll be all right until we come
-home,” said George as he went out to the stable
-to bid his pet good-by.</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll be here to watch him,” said Patrick.</p>
-
-<p>Two days after the Farley family had gone
-away Patrick, who slept in rooms over the
-stable, had to go to the store for some salve for
-one of the horses that had got a nail in his foot.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[81]</span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_p081" style="width: 377px;">
- <img src="images/i_p081.jpg" width="377" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_79">It took a little time to make him stand upon his hind legs
-without anything on which to rest his front feet.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[82]</span></p>
-
-<p>Patrick thought he would be gone only a few
-minutes, so he left Tinkle outside in the stable
-yard.</p>
-
-<p>“I guess he will be all right until I come back,”
-said the coachman.</p>
-
-<p>But it took longer to put up the salve than he
-had supposed, so he was nearly half an hour
-away from the barn. And there was no one
-in the house, for the cook and maid had also
-gone away on visits when the family left.</p>
-
-<p>And in that half hour something happened.
-Two men drove a big, empty moving van down
-the street past the Farley house. In the side-yard
-was an old-fashioned pump and, seeing it,
-one of the men said:</p>
-
-<p>“Let’s stop off and get a drink. It’s a hot day
-and I’m thirsty.”</p>
-
-<p>“I am too,” said the other man.</p>
-
-<p>They stopped the van in a side street near the
-stable yard, and pumped some water for themselves.
-Tinkle walked over near the fence and
-looked at the men, for he was a bit lonesome.</p>
-
-<p>“That’s a fine pony,” said one of the men,
-wiping off the drops of water from his mustache.</p>
-
-<p>“He sure is,” agreed the other. “Look at
-him making a bow; would you!”</p>
-
-<p>For just then Tinkle took it into his head to
-do one of his tricks. He had not done any in
-two days because George was away.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[83]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Say, he’s smart!” exclaimed the biggest man,
-who had red hair.</p>
-
-<p>“He is that. Look at him jump!” for Tinkle
-did his second trick then. He was showing off,
-you see.</p>
-
-<p>The two men talked together in low voices.
-They looked toward the house and saw that it
-was closed. No one was about. Patrick was
-down at the drugstore and no one was near the
-stable.</p>
-
-<p>“We could easily put him in the moving van,”
-said the red-haired man. “He isn’t heavy.”</p>
-
-<p>“But what would we do with him after we
-took him?” asked the shorter of the two men.</p>
-
-<p>“Why, a trick pony like him is worth money.
-We could sell him for a hundred dollars, maybe.
-Let’s take him. No one will see us.”</p>
-
-<p>Of course it was not right for the men to plan
-to take Tinkle away, but they did, just the same.</p>
-
-<p>“Come here, pony!” called one of the men,
-and he whistled. Tinkle came closer, for
-George had taught him to come at the sound of
-a whistle to get a lump of sugar.</p>
-
-<p>But the men had no sugar for Tinkle. Instead
-they opened the gate to the stable yard,
-and led Tinkle out by his mane. The pony
-went along willingly enough, for he was not
-afraid of men. None of them had ever hurt
-him, so he had no reason to be afraid.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[84]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Lead him right out to the van,” said the red-haired
-man, “and we’ll toss him in. No one
-will see him in there.”</p>
-
-<p>Before Tinkle knew what was happening he
-was led out of the yard, to the side street, and
-suddenly the two men lifted him up and tossed
-him right inside the big empty moving van,
-which could easily have held two or three big
-horses, to say nothing of several ponies as small
-as Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was not much bigger than a very big
-dog, and the men, being strong (for they could
-lift a piano) had no trouble in lifting the pony
-from the ground. Into the van they tossed him,
-and he fell down, but, as it happened, there was
-a pile of soft bags there so he was not hurt.</p>
-
-<p>But he was much frightened when the men
-banged shut the big end doors. Then Tinkle
-felt himself being taken away. He was shut
-up inside the dark wagon and could see nothing.</p>
-
-<p>Poor Tinkle!</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[85]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX<br />
-<small>TINKLE IN THE CIRCUS</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">“What does all this mean?” thought
-Tinkle to himself as he got up off
-the pile of bags in the moving van,
-and tried to stand. But he found that the motion
-of the big wagon, as it was rapidly driven
-away, toppled him about so that it was easier
-to lie down than to stay on his feet.</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle stretched out on the bags and tried
-to think what it all meant. His eyes were getting
-used to the dark now, and he could see,
-dimly, that he was in some place like his box stall.
-Only it was not as nice, and Tinkle could not
-smell any sweet hay or oats.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder if they can be taking me where
-George is?” thought Tinkle, for he had greatly
-missed the little boy and his sister who were
-accustomed to ride him or drive him about.</p>
-
-<p>On and on went the moving van with Tinkle
-locked inside. The horses pulling the big
-wagon of course did not know they were taking
-a little pony away from his home. Even if they
-had known there was nothing they could have<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[86]</span>
-done. Poor Tinkle felt very sad and lonely.
-It was the first time anything like this had ever
-happened to him.</p>
-
-<p>Up on the seat the two men were talking.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, we got that trick pony all right,” said
-the red-haired one.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, but if the folks who own him find out
-we have him they’ll have us arrested,” said the
-short man.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, they’ll never find out. No one saw us
-take him, nobody but us knows he’s in this van
-and we’ll soon be far enough away. We can
-make money on this pony.”</p>
-
-<p>On and on the moving van rumbled, farther
-and farther away, and pretty soon Tinkle,
-locked inside, began to feel hungry. He got
-up, intending to go about looking for something
-to eat. But the van tossed and tilted about so
-on the rough road that Tinkle was thrown
-against the side and bruised.</p>
-
-<p>“I guess I had better stay lying down,” he
-said. “But I am very thirsty!”</p>
-
-<p>It was hot, shut up inside the big wagon,
-and Tinkle thought longingly of the trough of
-cool drinking water in the stable yard and
-wished he were back there.</p>
-
-<p>The men who had taken Tinkle away made
-the horses drawing the van hurry along, so they
-were soon out of the city where the Farleys<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[87]</span>
-lived. They drove along a country road and,
-just as night was coming on, they came to another
-city where they had their stable, and where
-they kept the van.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, let’s see how the pony stood the trip,”
-said the red-haired man as he opened the big
-end doors.</p>
-
-<p>“He seems to be all right,” replied the other.
-He held up a lantern and looked inside. Tinkle
-got up from his bed on the old bags. He
-saw the open doors and he smelled hay and oats,
-though the smell was not as good as that which
-came from his stable at home.</p>
-
-<p>“Lift him out, and we’ll put him in one of
-the stalls,” said the red-haired man.</p>
-
-<p>But Tinkle did not wait to be lifted out. He
-knew how to jump, and, giving a leap, he was
-quickly on the ground. Then, as he did not
-like the place where he was, nor the men who
-had taken him from his nice home, Tinkle tried
-to run away.</p>
-
-<p>But the men were too quick for him. One of
-them caught him by the mane and the other by
-the nose, pinching so that it hurt Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Look out! He’s a lively chap!” cried the
-short man. “He wants to get away.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes. We must put a halter on him and tie
-him in the stall,” said the other.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle again tried hard to get away, but could<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[88]</span>
-not. If he had been a big, strong horse he might
-have broken loose from the men. But, as I
-have said, he was not much bigger than a large
-Newfoundland dog. The men easily held him
-and led him into the barn.</p>
-
-<p>This stable was not at all like the nice place
-in which Tinkle had lived when he was the pet
-of George. The straw on the floor was not clean,
-and when Tinkle was given a pail of water, after
-he had been tied in the stall, the water was not
-clean, either. Still Tinkle was so thirsty that he
-drank it. Then he felt a little better. But oh!
-how he did want his own, nice, clean box stall.</p>
-
-<p>For now he found himself in an ordinary
-stall, such as the other horses had. The manger
-was too high for him to eat from, but one of
-the men brought a low box and put some hay
-in it.</p>
-
-<p>“There! he can eat out of that I guess,” said
-the man. “We’ll likely sell him in a couple of
-days if we can find some one to buy him. He
-ought to bring in some money if he can do
-tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>Poor Tinkle did not understand or pay much
-attention to this talk. He was too hungry, and,
-though the hay was not so sweet as that he got
-at home, still he munched it. Suddenly he
-heard a voice speaking in a language he understood.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[89]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Hello in there!” was called to him. “Are
-you a new horse?”</p>
-
-<p>“I’m a pony,” was the answer Tinkle made.
-“Who are you, if you please?”</p>
-
-<p>“Ha! You’re polite, anyhow, which is more
-than I can say of some of the horses in this
-stable,” went on the voice. “Where did you
-come from, anyhow?”</p>
-
-<p>“I belong to a boy named George,” answered
-Tinkle. “To George and his sister Mabel. I
-don’t know where I am, nor why I was brought
-here. I didn’t want to come. I’d rather be
-back in my own home.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, ho!” exclaimed the voice, and by the
-light of a lantern hanging in the stable Tinkle
-could see that it was a horse in the next stall
-that was speaking to him. “Oh, ho! If you
-stay here long you’ll find there are lots of things
-you don’t want to do. I don’t want to pull a
-heavy moving van about the streets all day, but
-I have to,” said the horse, and he gave something
-like a groan.</p>
-
-<p>“Do all the horses here do that?” asked Tinkle,
-who felt very sad.</p>
-
-<p>“Most of us,” answered his new friend.
-“Some horses haul big wagons loaded with hay
-and feed, and the men don’t give us any too
-much to eat, either. Sometimes, when I’m
-drawing a load of hay, I’m so hungry I could<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[90]</span>
-just eat nearly all that is piled on the wagon.
-You won’t like it here a bit.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, what’s the use of making trouble?” asked
-a horse in the stall on the other side of Tinkle.
-“He’s here, and he’ll have to stay.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I guess he will,” agreed the first horse.
-“But I don’t see what kind of work he can do.
-He isn’t big enough to be hitched up with any
-of us, and, if he was, he couldn’t pull the smallest
-moving van the men have.”</p>
-
-<p>“I can pull a pony cart!” said Tinkle who
-did not like the other horses to think he was of
-no use in the world.</p>
-
-<p>“Ha! Pony cart!” exclaimed one horse
-whose hide was covered with mud. “You’ll
-find no pony carts around <em>here</em>! <em>Dump</em> carts,
-more likely. I’ve been hauling dirt in dump
-carts all day long, until I’m so tired I can hardly
-stand. And there’s a big sore on my back, too!”</p>
-
-<p>“I’m sorry for that,” said Tinkle kindly. “If
-Patrick were here he’d put something on it to
-make it better.”</p>
-
-<p>“Who’s Patrick?” asked the dirt-cart horse.
-“Is he one of us?”</p>
-
-<p>“Patrick is the coachman who taught me to
-do tricks for George, the little boy,” answered
-Tinkle, and he felt rather proud as he said this.</p>
-
-<p>“Tricks, is it?” laughed the horse who had
-first spoken. “You’ll have no time for tricks<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[91]</span>
-here. You must belong in a circus. Tricks
-indeed!”</p>
-
-<p>“I wish I could go to a circus!” said Tinkle
-eagerly. “I’ve heard about Tum Tum, the
-jolly elephant. He is in the circus.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, eat your supper and be thankful for
-what you have,” said the dump-cart horse. “I
-hope they don’t work me so hard to-morrow.
-If they do I’ll try to run away, though that isn’t
-much use,” and the horse kept on with his supper
-of hay.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was very sad and lonesome. It was
-not at all nice in the stable where he was tied.
-It was dirty, and did not smell good. The
-horses around him, though kindly, were poor,
-hard-working animals, and were not like the
-sleek Prince and other horses in Mr. Farley’s
-stable. The men who owned the work horses
-seldom took the time to use the currycomb or
-brush on them. If a horse fell down in the dirt,
-as they often did from pulling too heavy loads,
-the dirt stayed on until it dried and blew off.</p>
-
-<p>For several days Tinkle was kept tied in the
-stable. The men could not use him on any of
-their heavy wagons and there was no time for
-him to do his tricks, and no pony cart for him
-to ride children about in. Poor Tinkle felt very
-bad, and many, many times he wished himself
-back in his old home.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[92]</span></p>
-
-<p>As best he could, in his stall, Tinkle practiced
-the tricks he had learned from George and
-Patrick. He bowed and he did a little jumping,
-but not much, as his stall was too small. And
-one day, when Tinkle was practicing his bowing
-trick, the red-haired man suddenly happened to
-come into the stable.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, ho!” he cried. “I forgot about that
-pony doing tricks! We must try to sell him and
-get the money. I wonder who would buy him?”</p>
-
-<p>“I know,” said the other man, coming into the
-stable just then.</p>
-
-<p>“Who would?” asked the red-haired man.</p>
-
-<p>“The circus people,” was the answer. “The
-big circus which came to the city to-day. I
-have been down on the circus lot just now with
-a load of hay for the elephants. I saw some
-little ponies there, and I asked one of the circus
-men if they ever bought extra ones. He said
-they did sometimes, and he said they needed a
-new trick pony just now as one of theirs is sick.”</p>
-
-<p>“That may be just the chance we’re looking
-for!” cried the red-haired man.</p>
-
-<p>“Good,” said the other. “We’ll take this
-pony to the circus and sell him.”</p>
-
-<p>Through the city streets one of the men led
-Tinkle and before long the pony heard music
-playing. He looked up and saw the big white
-tents and the gay fluttering flags.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[93]</span></p>
-
-<p>“Oh, this must be the circus Dido, the dancing
-bear, told me about,” Tinkle said to himself.
-“I wonder if I shall meet Tum Tum, the jolly
-elephant?”</p>
-
-<p>“Here’s the trick pony my partner was telling
-you about,” announced the red-haired man to
-a man who came out of a tent where many
-ponies and horses were eating their dinners.</p>
-
-<p>“Can he do any tricks?” asked the circus man.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I’ve seen him make bows and jump.
-I don’t know what else he can do.”</p>
-
-<p>“I’ll soon find out,” stated the circus man.
-“He looks like a good pony. I’ll buy him of
-you.”</p>
-
-<p>So after some talk, the money was paid over
-and then Tinkle belonged to the circus.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder what will happen to me now,”
-thought Tinkle, and very many strange things
-were to happen. I am going to tell you about
-them.</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[94]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X<br />
-<small>TINKLE AND TUM TUM</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">“Well, come along now, pony. I’ll
-see how many tricks you know and
-how many I can teach you.”</p>
-
-<p>It was the circus man who had bought Tinkle
-who was speaking, but Tinkle was so taken up
-with looking about him, at the strange sights
-all round that he did not at first listen.</p>
-
-<p>“Come along!” called the man again, and then
-Tinkle heard a whistle. This time he turned
-around quickly. For a moment he thought his
-dear little master George had come for him, but
-he saw only the circus man, and other strange
-men and animals all about.</p>
-
-<p>“It must have been the man who whistled to
-me,” said Tinkle to himself. “I guess, though,
-he wants me to come with him, as George used
-to want me to go with him when he whistled.
-I’ll go.”</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle followed the man, which was just
-what the man wanted. He led Tinkle along by
-the rope made fast to his halter.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, you know something, to start with,”<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a>[95]</span>
-said the circus man, smiling at Tinkle. The
-pony, of course, did not know what a smile
-meant, but he did know that the man spoke in
-kind tones and not sharp and cross as had the
-moving men, sometimes. Besides the circus
-man talked <em>to</em> the pony, and the other men had
-not.</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle knew by the voice that the man
-was kind, and he followed him to a little tent
-where there were many other ponies. In a tent
-next door were big horses, and they were all
-either eating hay or oats, or lying down on the
-straw, for it was not yet time for the circus to
-begin.</p>
-
-<p>“Here is a new pony I have bought, Tom,”
-said the first man to one who had charge of the
-ponies. “He can do a few tricks and I am going
-to teach him more. Look after him, and clean
-him off. He doesn’t seem to have been well
-taken care of.”</p>
-
-<p>“That’s right, Mr. Drake; he doesn’t,” answered
-Tom. “I’ll take good care of him,
-though.”</p>
-
-<p>Poor Tinkle’s hairy coat was in a sad state.
-It was dirty and bits of hay and straw clung to
-it. Also his mane and tail were tangled. Tinkle
-had been kept very clean by Patrick and
-George, but the moving men spent no time on
-the pony they had stolen.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a>[96]</span></p>
-
-<p>“First to clean you up,” said Tom, talking
-to himself, but also, in a way, speaking to Tinkle.
-“Then we’ll see about your tricks. Mr.
-Drake is a good pony teacher.”</p>
-
-<p>Though Tinkle could understand very little
-of this talk, yet, somehow, he felt happier than
-he had in a long while—in fact since he had
-been taken away from George.</p>
-
-<p>With a brush, a currycomb, and a cloth Tom
-cleaned Tinkle’s hairy coat until it began to
-shine and glisten almost as it had when he lived
-in the nice Farley stable.</p>
-
-<p>“That will do for a while,” said Tom. “Now
-I’ll get you something to eat. Come along,
-pony,” and he whistled just as George used to
-do. Tinkle liked to hear a clear, cheerful
-whistle.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle was tied in the tent with the other
-ponies. His stall was just a place between two
-ropes, and his manger made of canvas, for the
-tent, and everything in it, had to be moved from
-place to place as the circus traveled, and wooden
-stalls, such as are in barns, would never do.
-In the manger were some hay and oats. Tinkle
-began to eat hungrily. It was almost as good
-as being home again.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, where in the world did you come
-from?” asked a pony on Tinkle’s left side.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, tell us about yourself,” added another<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[97]</span>
-on the right side. “You are a stranger. I never
-saw you in the circus before.”</p>
-
-<p>“I just came to-day,” said Tinkle, after he had
-swallowed some of the hay and oats. “I never
-was with a circus before. Is it nice?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, it’s lots of fun,” said the pony on
-the left, whose name was Tiny Tim. “It’s
-jolly!”</p>
-
-<p>“We have great times doing tricks,” said the
-pony on Tinkle’s right, and his name was Prancer.
-“We do lots of tricks. Can you do any,
-Tinkle?” for the new pony had told his name.</p>
-
-<p>“I can make a bow, jump over a rope and
-walk on my hind legs.”</p>
-
-<p>“Those are all good tricks,” said Tiny Tim,
-“but you will have to learn many more if you
-are to stay with this circus.”</p>
-
-<p>“I guess the man they call Mr. Drake will
-teach Tinkle tricks,” remarked Prancer. “He
-taught me all I know. Why, would you believe,”
-he went on, “when first I joined the circus
-I couldn’t do a single thing!”</p>
-
-<p>“Can you do many tricks now?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“I should say he could!” cried Tiny Tim, with
-a laughing whinny. “He is the best trick pony
-in the circus!”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, not the <em>best</em>,” protested Prancer modestly.
-“I can do a <em>few</em> tricks, it is true, but—”</p>
-
-<p>“Now you let me tell!” interrupted Tiny Tim,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[98]</span>
-laughing. “You can jump over a barrel, stand
-up on a platform on your hind legs and turn
-around, you can pick up different colored flags,
-count, add up numbers on a blackboard and take
-letters from the post-office.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, yes, I can do those things,” said
-Prancer.</p>
-
-<p>“My! What a lot of tricks!” cried Tinkle.
-“I wonder if I shall ever be able to do even
-half that many?”</p>
-
-<p>“Of course you will,” said Prancer kindly.
-“You wait; Mr. Drake will teach you as he
-taught me.”</p>
-
-<p>All this while many things were going on
-about the circus grounds. The big tents had
-been put up, the animal cages wheeled in, the
-clowns were painting their faces in such funny
-ways to make the boys and girls laugh, and the
-big, golden wagons were being made ready for
-the parade. A band was playing, the pretty
-flags were blowing in the wind, and, altogether,
-the circus was such a nice place that, for the
-first time in a long while, Tinkle felt happy.
-But when he thought of George and the nice
-home he had been taken from he felt sad.</p>
-
-<p>“Still, this is much better than being kept in
-the dirty stable,” thought the trick pony.
-“Maybe I’ll see George some day.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[99]</span></p>
-
-<p>Tom, the man who had cleaned and fed Tinkle,
-came running into the ponies’ tent.</p>
-
-<p>“Come on now!” he cried. “Lively everybody!”</p>
-
-<p>All at once some other men began taking
-down, off pegs in the tent poles, red blankets,
-strings of bells, gaily colored plumes and harness.</p>
-
-<p>“What is going on?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, they are going to dress us up, and hitch
-us to a little golden wagon to go in the parade,”
-said Prancer.</p>
-
-<p>“Do you think I am to go?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“I think not this time,” answered Tiny Tim.
-“You see you don’t know much about a circus
-yet, and you might be frightened by the big
-crowds and the noise. Then, too, you wouldn’t
-know how to pull the golden chariot in which
-a lady rides, dressed up like a fairy princess.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, that must be fine!” cried Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“It is. But you’ll be in it soon, so don’t
-worry,” put in Prancer. “We’ll be back by
-noon.”</p>
-
-<p>The men hitched up the ponies and led them
-out of the tent to where the golden chariot stood.</p>
-
-<p>“This new pony is a very pretty one,” said
-the man Tom to one of his helpers. “When he
-is trained he’ll go in the parade too.”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[100]</span></p>
-
-<p>Tinkle felt a little sad when his pony friends
-left him alone in the big tent, but still he had
-plenty to eat and a clean place to stay, and he
-knew they would come back soon. Tinkle saw
-a boy coming toward him with a pail of water,
-and, for a moment, the pony thought the boy
-might be George. But he was not.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder if I shall ever see George, Mabel
-and nice Patrick again?” thought Tinkle. “I
-would just love to be in my nice home once
-more, even though I like the circus.”</p>
-
-<p>Suddenly Tinkle heard some one call:</p>
-
-<p>“Look out! Here come the elephants!” and
-the ground seemed to rumble and shake as it
-did when there was a heavy thunder storm.</p>
-
-<p>“Elephants? Elephants?” said Tinkle to
-himself. “Where have I heard that word before?”
-Then he remembered. “Oh, now I
-know,” he said. “Dido, the dancing bear, told
-me about them.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle looked from his tent. Near him, just
-outside, were ten big elephants with gay silk
-blankets on their backs. And, <a href="#i_p101">as Tinkle looked,
-he saw one funny elephant slyly reach out his
-trunk and pull the tail of the elephant in front
-of him</a>. Then the funny elephant looked the
-other way and seemed to be hunting on the
-ground for a peanut.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[101]</span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_p101" style="width: 379px;">
- <img src="images/i_p101.jpg" width="379" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_100">As Tinkle looked he saw one funny elephant slyly reach
-out his trunk and pull the tail of the elephant in front of
-him.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[102]</span></p>
-
-<p>All at once it flashed into Tinkle’s head.</p>
-
-<p>“That must be Tum Tum the jolly elephant
-Dido was telling me about. I’ll ask him.” So
-he called, in animal talk: “How do you do,
-Tum Tum?”</p>
-
-<p>“Ha! What’s that? Some one must know
-me,” answered Tum Tum, for it was he. “Oh,”
-he went on, “it’s a little pony. But, though I
-know most of the ponies in this circus, I don’t
-know you,” and Tum Tum walked a little closer
-to Tinkle’s tent.</p>
-
-<p>“I heard about you from Dido, the dancing
-bear,” said Tinkle, as he told his own name.
-“I never thought I should meet you in this circus,
-though.”</p>
-
-<p>“Why, how strange!” cried Tum Tum.
-“Fancy meeting Dido! You must tell me all
-about him. He and I are very good friends.
-I was sorry when he went away from the circus.
-Tell me about him when I come back.
-I have to go in the parade now,” and Tum Tum,
-with a jolly laugh and a wink of his eye at
-Tinkle, marched slowly off with a man seated
-on his big head.</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[103]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI<br />
-<small>TINKLE IS SAD</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">“Now, Tinkle, we can have a nice talk,”
-said Tum Tum, a little later, when he
-came back from the parade. “Tell
-me about yourself, how you came to join the
-circus and, most of all, I want to hear about my
-old friend Dido.”</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle told all he could remember; telling
-first of the beautiful green meadow in which
-he had once lived, and of George who had taught
-him a few tricks, and of having been taken away
-by two men in the big moving van.</p>
-
-<p>Then Tinkle told of having met Dido, of what
-the dancing bear had said, and of what he had
-told Tinkle about Tum Tum and Mappo, the
-merry monkey.</p>
-
-<p>“Is Mappo in this circus?” asked Tinkle, as
-he finished his little story.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, and you’ll probably see him in a day
-or so,” answered Tum Tum.</p>
-
-<p>That afternoon, when the performance was
-over, Mr. Drake, the man who had bought Tinkle
-from the man who had stolen him, came to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[104]</span>
-where the pony was lying down in the tent and
-said:</p>
-
-<p>“Now we’ll see what you know and how much
-I have to teach you. We will begin with some
-easy tricks.”</p>
-
-<p>Then began a busy time for Tinkle, not only
-that day but for a number of days. When the
-circus was not traveling from one city to another
-or when a performance was not being held
-in the tents, Mr. Drake taught Tinkle tricks.
-Tinkle, the first time it occurred, did not know
-what was going to happen when, instead of
-being allowed to go to sleep after the show, he
-and the other ponies and animals were put in
-the big railroad cars and the whole train was
-hauled away by an engine.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle did not know what was happening but
-the other ponies told him it was all right, that
-he would not be hurt, that they were only going
-to another city to give a show there and that
-this happened nearly every day or night. Tinkle
-soon became used to travel, and rather liked
-it.</p>
-
-<p>It would take too long to tell you how Tinkle
-was taught to do many different tricks. It was
-not so easy as at first he had thought it would
-be, and many times he could not understand
-what Mr. Drake wanted him to do.</p>
-
-<p>In time he learned how to go to a box, in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[105]</span>
-which were a number of flags or handkerchiefs,
-of different colors—red, white and blue.</p>
-
-<p>“Bring me a blue flag,” Mr. Drake would
-say; and though at first Tinkle could not tell
-one color from another, he soon learned to do
-so. And he could tell, by hearing the word
-“blue,” that it was not the <em>red</em> or the <em>white</em> flag
-the trainer wanted, but the other. So, though
-Tinkle had no word in his own language for
-blue, he knew what that sound meant, and for
-which flag it stood.</p>
-
-<p>“Now, Tinkle, bring me the <em>red</em> flag,” Mr.
-Drake would say, when the blue one had been
-dropped at his feet from the pony’s teeth. And
-Tinkle would pick out the right color. In time
-he could pick out of the box, and bring to the
-trainer, any of the three colors, no matter which
-one was asked for first. Tinkle hardly ever
-made a mistake.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, now that you know red, white and
-blue,” said Mr. Drake one day, “suppose we put
-all three together, and this is what we get, Tinkle,”
-and he held up the beautiful United States
-flag, with its stripes of red and white and the
-white stars on the blue field. “Now, Tinkle
-when I ask you what flag you love best I want
-you to bring me from the box this red, white
-and blue one,” said the trainer, shaking the flag
-in front of the pony.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[106]</span></p>
-
-<p>It was several days before Tinkle learned to
-do this trick, but, after a while, he could go to
-the box, pick out the red, white and blue flags,
-and then, at the last when the trainer asked the
-question about loving the flag, Tinkle would trot
-over to him carrying in his teeth the stars and
-stripes. Then Mr. Drake petted him and gave
-him two lumps of sugar, for he had done the
-trick well.</p>
-
-<p>Nor were these all the tricks Tinkle learned.
-Mr. Drake taught him how to add and subtract
-simple numbers that the trainer wrote on a blackboard
-with chalk. Tinkle could not <em>really</em> add
-the numbers in his head, but when the trainer
-wrote down say a 3 and a 4 and said: “Tell me
-how much that is, Tinkle,” Tinkle would nod
-his head seven times. He knew Mr. Drake
-wanted him to nod seven times by the way the
-trainer spoke and by the words he used. If the
-sum were eight, on ten or some other number,
-the trainer would ask the question in a different
-way. So that Tinkle got to know numbers by
-listening to the different ways his trainer spoke
-the words to him, and it really seemed as though
-the pony could do sums in arithmetic.</p>
-
-<p>Another trick Tinkle learned to do was to get
-letters from the “post-office.” Mr. Drake had a
-box made with partitions in it so that it looked
-like part of a post-office. Into the little squares,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[107]</span>
-into which the big box was divided, the trainer
-would put cards with the names of different
-persons written on them—such as “John Jones,”
-or “Peter Smith” or “Mary Black.”</p>
-
-<p>Each card was always put in the same place,
-and Mr. Drake taught Tinkle to trot up to the
-make-believe post-office. Then when asked:
-“Is there a letter for John Jones,” the pony
-would take out the right card. Tinkle learned
-to do this by listening to the different <em>sounds</em>
-of Mr. Drake’s voice just as happened when the
-numbers were called. A pony knows the different
-sounds of words, else how could he know
-enough to stop when “whoa!” is called, or that
-he should go when told to “gid-dap!”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, now you know so many tricks, I think
-I’ll show you off before the people in the big
-circus tent,” said Mr. Drake one day. And
-that afternoon Tinkle was led out all alone.
-A new white bridle was put on him, and around
-him was put a red strap, on top of which, in the
-middle of the pony’s back, was fastened a gay,
-red, white and blue plume.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle had looked in, but had never been in
-the big circus tent before, where all the people
-were seated, and where the band was playing
-jolly tunes, with funnily painted clowns jumping
-here and there making the boys and girls laugh.
-And at first Tinkle was a bit frightened. But<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[108]</span>
-he looked over to where Tum Tum, the jolly
-elephant, was turning a hand organ with his
-trunk, and Tum Tum called in his pleasant
-voice:</p>
-
-<p>“Steady there, Tinkle. Don’t be afraid.
-You’ll do all right.”</p>
-
-<p>Then Tinkle felt better, and Mr. Drake patted
-him and gave him a lump of sugar before
-Tinkle had done even one trick.</p>
-
-<p>“We’ll begin with the easy one—make a bow,”
-said the trainer.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle bowed his prettiest, and some boys and
-girls in the front row of seats clapped their
-hands and laughed. This made Tinkle feel
-glad, and he looked around, thinking he might
-see George or Mabel. But neither was in the
-tent.</p>
-
-<p>Then the pony went through all his tricks—he
-added and subtracted numbers, he brought letters
-from the post-office and then he picked out
-the differently colored flags or handkerchiefs
-that Mr. Drake called for.</p>
-
-<p>“Now, Tinkle,” said the trainer, after the pony
-had done some jumping, “tell the people which
-flag you love the best.”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle trotted over to the box where a number
-of flags of different countries had been put.
-The United States banner was at the bottom, but
-Tinkle knew that. <a href="#i_frontis">He nosed around among all </a><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[109]</span>
-<a href="#i_frontis">the flags until he found the one he knew he
-wanted, and with that in his teeth he trotted over
-to Mr. Drake</a>, while the band played “The Star
-Spangled Banner.”</p>
-
-<p>My! I wish you could have heard the people
-clap then. And how the boys and girls shouted
-with joy! They thought Tinkle was just the
-finest pony they had ever seen. And Mr. Drake
-patted him and gave him an extra large lump
-of sugar for behaving so nicely when he first
-did his tricks in public.</p>
-
-<p>“I told you he’d make a good trick pony,”
-said Mr. Drake, as Tom led the little animal
-back to the tent.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, he’s a dandy!” replied the man. “I’ll
-give him a good feed of oats for this.”</p>
-
-<p>And when Tinkle was back in his stall Prancer
-and Tiny Tim talked to him and told him how
-glad they were that he had done his tricks so
-well. Tinkle felt happy, for a while.</p>
-
-<p>As the days went on, and the circus traveled
-from place to place, Tinkle gave many exhibitions
-of his smartness. He learned new tricks
-and he could do the old ones much more easily
-the oftener he practiced them, just as you can
-with your music lesson.</p>
-
-<p>But though he liked it very much in the circus,
-Tinkle was sad. His animal friends could<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[110]</span>
-tell that by looking at him, and the pony did
-not eat as well as he had at first.</p>
-
-<p>“Come now, Tinkle, tell me what the matter
-is,” came a voice behind him one day, and,
-turning, the pony saw a funny monkey seated in
-the straw on the ground.</p>
-
-<p>“I am Mappo, the merry chap Tum Tum and
-Dido told you about,” went on the monkey. “I
-haven’t had time to come to see you before. I’ve
-been kept so busy in this circus.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, yes, I remember Dido and Tum Tum
-speaking about you,” said Tinkle. “Thank you
-for coming to see me.”</p>
-
-<p>“Well, you don’t look very happy over it,”
-said Mappo. “Come, what is the trouble?
-Why are you sad? Look at me, I’m merry
-enough for any one,” and Mappo turned a somersault
-that made Tinkle laugh in his pony way.</p>
-
-<p>“Come! That’s better,” said Mappo. “Be
-jolly like Tum Tum. What is the matter,
-anyhow?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, I feel sad when I think of the nice home
-I was taken from,” said Tinkle. “I miss George
-and Mabel, and I’d like to be with them again,
-to let them ride on my back or pull them about
-in the pony cart. That is why I am sad.”</p>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a>[111]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII<br />
-<small>TINKLE IS HAPPY</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p class="cap">Mappo, the merry monkey, picked up
-a long, clean straw and put it in his
-mouth, almost as a man might do with
-a toothpick. Mappo sat chewing on the straw
-and looking at Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Tell me about that nice home where you
-used to live, little pony,” said Mappo. “Maybe
-it will make you feel better to talk about it.”</p>
-
-<p>“I think it will,” sighed Tinkle. “Oh, I just
-<em>love</em> to talk about George and Mabel, they were
-so good and kind to me! And so was Patrick,
-the coachman.”</p>
-
-<p>So Tinkle told Mappo the story of his home
-and of his having been taken away in the moving
-van.</p>
-
-<p>“Those were queer adventures,” said Mappo.
-“Almost as queer as those I had.”</p>
-
-<p>“Did you have adventures, too?” asked Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“Indeed I did,” answered the merry monkey,
-and he told his story of having once lived in the
-jungle-forest and of how he had been caught and
-put in the circus.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a>[112]</span></p>
-
-<p>“I had so many adventures,” said Mappo,
-“that a man put them in a book, as he did those
-of Tum Tum, Dido and some other animals.
-Maybe you’ll be put in a book, too, Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, nothing like that will ever happen to
-<em>me</em>!” said the trick pony. But that only goes
-to show we never can tell what is going to happen
-in this world, doesn’t it? For Tinkle <em>is</em>
-in this very book you are reading. And how
-surprised he was when he heard about it and
-saw his pictures!</p>
-
-<p>But now we will leave him talking to Mappo,
-if you please, and go back to where George and
-Mabel live. You will remember that Patrick,
-the coachman, had gone to the store for salve
-for one of the horses, and that George and
-Mabel, with their father and mother, were visiting
-in the country.</p>
-
-<p>When Patrick came back with the salve the
-first thing he noticed was that Tinkle was not in
-his stall.</p>
-
-<p>Patrick searched all around for Tinkle, but,
-of course, could not find him. He asked the
-people living in neighboring houses, but none
-of them had seen Tinkle go away, because the
-men shut him up inside the moving van, you
-see. Some persons had seen the big wagon near
-the stable but none had seen Tinkle put into it.</p>
-
-<p>Patrick even got a policeman and a fireman,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[113]</span>
-whom he knew, to look for Tinkle, but they
-could not find him. And when, a day or so
-later, Mr. and Mrs. Farley came back from the
-country, with George and Mabel, the two children
-cried when told that Tinkle was gone.</p>
-
-<p>“I think I must cheer them up a bit,” said Mr.
-Farley to his wife one afternoon. “They are
-thinking too much about Tinkle. I must take
-their minds off him.”</p>
-
-<p>“How will you do it?” asked Mrs. Farley.</p>
-
-<p>“A circus is coming to town to-morrow,” said
-her husband. “I’ll take the children to see that,
-and when they watch the funny monkeys, the
-queer clowns and the big elephants they will
-forget about Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>So, when the big show with the white tents
-came to the city where the Farleys lived, George
-and Mabel were taken with their father to see
-the wonderful sight.</p>
-
-<p>“Do you think there’ll be any ponies in the
-circus?” asked George.</p>
-
-<p>“Why, yes, maybe,” answered Mr. Farley.
-“Why?”</p>
-
-<p>“I’m not going to look at them,” said Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>“Nor I,” added George. “They’d make me
-think too much of our Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>On the way to the circus with their father,
-Mabel and George passed through a part of the
-city where there were not many houses, and in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[114]</span>
-what few homes there were poor people lived.</p>
-
-<p>Many of them owned goats, some for the milk
-they gave, for the milk of goats is almost as good
-as that of cows.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, see that big goat!” cried George as they
-passed a small house, on the rocks behind which
-a goat was jumping about. “Look how easy he
-jumps!”</p>
-
-<p>“You may well say that!” exclaimed a pleasant-faced
-Irish woman at the front gate. “Sure,
-Lightfoot is the most illigint goat that ever was.”</p>
-
-<p>“Is Lightfoot his name?” asked Mr. Farley.</p>
-
-<p>“Sure an’ it is, for it fits him well. He’s that
-light on his feet you’d never know he was jumpin’
-at all. Ah, he’s a fine goat.”</p>
-
-<p>“I had a fine pony once,” said George, “but
-somebody took him away.”</p>
-
-<p>“That’s too bad,” said the Irish woman, whose
-name was Mrs. Malony. “Sure but I’d like to
-see any one, not a friend, try to take Lightfoot
-away. He’d butt ’em with his horns.”</p>
-
-<p>“Isn’t it too bad Tinkle didn’t have horns?”
-sighed Mabel, as she walked on.</p>
-
-<p>“A pony with horns would be a funny one,”
-said her brother.</p>
-
-<p>I wish I had time to tell you all that George
-and Mabel did at the circus and the many
-things they saw, from Tum Tum the jolly elephant
-to Mappo the merry monkey. They<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[115]</span>
-laughed at the clowns, ate popcorn and peanuts,
-giving some to the elephants, feeding a whole
-bag of peanuts to Tum Tum, though they did
-not know his name. But they were sure he was
-nice because he looked at them in such a funny,
-jolly way.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, look at the ponies!” cried Mabel, as the
-little horses trotted into the middle ring. There
-was Prancer and Tiny Tim, as well as others,
-and they were going to do their tricks.</p>
-
-<p>“They are nice ponies,” said George, glancing
-at them, even though he and Mabel had said they
-would not look. “But not one of them is as nice
-as Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>The ponies went through their tricks, doing
-their very best, and then, when the time came,
-Tinkle himself was led in to do his tricks alone,
-as of late he always did. Mabel and George
-were looking the other way just then, watching
-a man turn a somersault over the backs of Tum
-Tum and some other elephants, and at first they
-did not see Tinkle. But as George turned in
-time to watch the trick pony take the United
-States flag out of the box, and bring it to Mr.
-Drake the little boy cried:</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, Mabel! See that pony!”</p>
-
-<p>“Which one?” asked the little girl.</p>
-
-<p>“There,” and George pointed. “Doesn’t he
-look just like Tinkle? He has four white feet<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[116]</span>
-and a white star on his head. Mabel, see, isn’t
-he just like our pony? Why—why!” cried
-George, standing up in his seat, and very
-much excited, “it <em>is</em> Tinkle! Oh, Mabel, it <em>is</em>
-Tinkle!”</p>
-
-<p>“I—I believe it is,” said the little girl slowly.</p>
-
-<p>Persons sitting near the children looked at
-them, and then at the pony. Mr. Farley, too,
-was staring at the little trick horse.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder if it could be Tinkle?” he asked
-himself.</p>
-
-<p>George was sure he was right—so sure that he
-jumped from his seat and rushed into the ring
-where the pony had just finished his tricks.</p>
-
-<p>“Tinkle! Tinkle!” said George. “It <em>is</em> you,
-isn’t it? And you know me, don’t you?”</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle knew his little master at once though
-it was several months since he had seen him.
-The pony trotted across the ring, and while the
-trainer, the circus folk, and the people in their
-seats looked on in wonder, <a href="#i_p117">George threw his
-arms around the pony’s neck</a>.</p>
-
-<p>Tinkle whinnied. That was the only way he
-could talk our language, but it meant he was
-glad to see George again—very glad indeed.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, Tinkle, Tinkle!” cried the happy little
-boy. “I’ve found you again! I’ve found our
-Tinkle!”</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[117]</span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="i_p117" style="width: 376px;">
- <img src="images/i_p117.jpg" width="376" height="600" alt="" title="" />
- <br />
- <div class="caption"><a href="#Page_116">George threw his arms around the pony’s neck.</a></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[118]</span></p>
-
-<p>“What does this mean?” asked Mr. Drake.
-“Do you say this is your pony? I bought him
-for the circus.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, Tinkle is my pony,” cried George.
-“Mine and Mabel’s. I taught him some tricks,
-too. Make a bow, Tinkle.” And Tinkle did.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, this is very strange,” said the trainer.
-“He minds you and does tricks for you. But I
-bought him of a man, and—”</p>
-
-<p>“Perhaps I can explain,” said Mr. Farley,
-coming into the ring with Mabel, who not only
-put her arms around Tinkle’s neck but kissed
-him on his white star. And Tinkle rubbed his
-soft nose against her soft cheek. “This looks
-very much like my little boy’s pony, that was
-stolen from our stable some time ago,” went on
-Mr. Farley, and he told of having bought Tinkle
-at the stock farm.</p>
-
-<p>“Well, I guess you’re right, and it is your
-little boy’s pet,” said the circus man, after
-Tinkle’s story had been told by Mr. Farley. “I
-didn’t like the looks of the man from whom I
-bought the pony, but I never thought he had
-stolen Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>There was no doubt that Tinkle belonged to
-George. You could tell that by watching how
-glad the pony was to see his master again. The
-people in the audience thought it was all part of
-the circus, and laughed as Tinkle followed
-George about the ring.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[119]</span></p>
-
-<p>The circus man was sorry to lose Tinkle but,
-as he said he had no right to him, he agreed to
-let George and Mabel have the pony back.</p>
-
-<p>“And may we take him now?” asked George
-eagerly.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I guess so,” said Mr. Drake. “There is
-an old pony cart in one of the tents. You can
-drive Tinkle home in that and send the cart back
-by your coachman. But you may keep Tinkle.”</p>
-
-<p>“And we’ll never let him go away again,” said
-George.</p>
-
-<p>“Never!” cried his sister. “We’ll keep him
-forever.”</p>
-
-<p>A man took Tinkle away to harness him to the
-pony cart. Tinkle had a chance to say good-by
-to Mappo and Tum Tum.</p>
-
-<p>“So you are going back to your old home,”
-observed the monkey. “I am glad, for you never
-would have been happy here in the circus,
-though it just suits me.”</p>
-
-<p>“And me, also,” added Tum Tum, the jolly
-elephant. “If you see Dido, the dancing bear,”
-he went on, “tell him to hurry back. We are
-lonesome without him.”</p>
-
-<p>“I will!” cried Tinkle, who was so excited he
-could hardly wait to be harnessed. He was very
-eager to be with George and Mabel again.</p>
-
-<p>The circus men patted the pony, for they liked
-him. Tinkle called good-by to Tum Tum,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a>[120]</span>
-Mappo and all his animal friends, and then, the
-pony cart being ready, he trotted home with Mr.
-Farley, George and Mabel.</p>
-
-<p>“There is that funny goat, Lightfoot, again,”
-said George as they passed the home of Mrs.
-Malony.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said Mabel. “I like him. I wonder
-if we will ever see him again?”</p>
-
-<p>And they did, several times; and you may
-read about it in the book to come after this,
-which will be called: “Lightfoot, the Leaping
-Goat: His Many Adventures.”</p>
-
-<p>You may well imagine how surprised Mrs.
-Farley and Patrick were to see the children come
-driving home with the long-lost Tinkle.</p>
-
-<p>“We found him in the circus!” cried George.</p>
-
-<p>“And he can do ever so many more tricks,”
-said Mabel, laughing.</p>
-
-<p>“You ought to see him find the flag!” added
-her brother, and they began to make Tinkle do
-some of his new circus tricks. So while the
-children are doing that, and telling their mother
-how they found Tinkle again, this will be a good
-chance for us to say good-by to the trick pony.</p>
-
-
-<p class="p4 noic">THE END</p>
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<p class="noic adgroup">GOOD STORIES FOR CHILDREN</p>
-
-<p class="noic">(From four to nine years old)</p>
-
-<p class="noic adtitle">THE KNEETIME ANIMAL STORIES</p>
-
-<p class="noic adauthor">By RICHARD BARNUM</p>
-
-
-<div class="figleft" id="i_bm01" style="width: 110px;">
- <img src="images/i_bm01.jpg" width="110" height="153"
- alt="Kneetime Animal Stories" title="Kneetime Animal Stories" />
-</div>
-
-<p>In all nursery literature animals have
-played a conspicuous part; and the reason
-is obvious, for nothing entertains a child
-more than the antics of an animal. These
-stories abound in amusing incidents such
-as children adore, and the characters are
-so full of life, so appealing to a child’s
-imagination, that none will be satisfied until
-they have met all of their favorites—Squinty,
-Slicko, Mappo, and the rest.</p>
-
-<div class="adpage">
-<ol>
-<li class="ident">Squinty, the Comical Pig.</li>
-<li class="ident">Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel.</li>
-<li class="ident">Mappo, the Merry Monkey.</li>
-<li class="ident">Tum Tum, the Jolly Elephant.</li>
-<li class="ident">Don, a Runaway Dog.</li>
-<li class="ident">Dido, the Dancing Bear.</li>
-<li class="ident">Blackie, a Lost Cat.</li>
-<li class="ident">Flop Ear, the Funny Rabbit.</li>
-<li class="ident">Tinkle, the Trick Pony.</li>
-<li>Lightfoot, the Leaping Goat.</li>
-<li>Chunky, the Happy Hippo.</li>
-<li>Sharp Eyes, the Silver Fox.</li>
-<li>Nero, the Circus Lion.</li>
-<li>Tamba, the Tame Tiger.</li>
-<li>Toto, the Rustling Beaver.</li>
-<li>Shaggo, the Mighty Buffalo.</li>
-<li>Winkie, the Wily Woodchuck.</li>
-</ol>
-</div>
-
-<p class="noic"><i>Cloth, Large 12mo., Illustrated.</i></p>
-
-<hr class="r20" />
-
-<p class="noic"><span class="adtitle">BARSE &amp; HOPKINS</span><br />
-<span class="noic adauthor">Publishers</span><br />
-Newark, N. J.            New York, N. Y.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-<div class="tnote">
-<p class="noi tntitle">Transcriber’s Notes:</p>
-
-<p class="smfont">Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently
- corrected.</p>
-
-<p class="smfont">Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.</p>
-
-<p class="smfont">Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.</p>
-</div>
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-<pre>
-
-
-
-
-
-End of Project Gutenberg's Tinkle, the Trick Pony, by Richard Barnum
-
-*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKLE, THE TRICK PONY ***
-
-***** This file should be named 61847-h.htm or 61847-h.zip *****
-This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
- http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/8/4/61847/
-
-Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
-
-Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will
-be renamed.
-
-Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
-law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
-so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
-States without permission and without paying copyright
-royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
-of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
-concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
-and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive
-specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this
-eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook
-for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports,
-performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given
-away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks
-not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the
-trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
-
-START: FULL LICENSE
-
-THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
-PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
-
-To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
-distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
-(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
-Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at
-www.gutenberg.org/license.
-
-Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-
-1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
-and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
-(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
-the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
-destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your
-possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
-Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
-by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the
-person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph
-1.E.8.
-
-1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
-used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
-agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
-things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
-paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this
-agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
-
-1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
-Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
-of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual
-works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
-States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
-United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
-claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
-displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
-all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
-that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting
-free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm
-works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
-Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily
-comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
-same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when
-you share it without charge with others.
-
-1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
-what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
-in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
-check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
-agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
-distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
-other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no
-representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
-country outside the United States.
-
-1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
-
-1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
-immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear
-prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work
-on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the
-phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed,
-performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
-
- This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
- most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
- restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
- under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
- eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
- United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you
- are located before using this ebook.
-
-1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is
-derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
-contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
-copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
-the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
-redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
-either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
-obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
-
-1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
-with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
-must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
-additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
-will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works
-posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
-beginning of this work.
-
-1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
-License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
-work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
-
-1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
-electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
-prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
-active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm License.
-
-1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
-compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
-any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
-to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format
-other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official
-version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site
-(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
-to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
-of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain
-Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the
-full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
-
-1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
-performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
-unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
-
-1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
-access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-provided that
-
-* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
- the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
- you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
- to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has
- agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
- within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
- legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
- payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
- Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
- Literary Archive Foundation."
-
-* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
- you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
- does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
- License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
- copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
- all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm
- works.
-
-* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
- any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
- electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
- receipt of the work.
-
-* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
- distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
-
-1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than
-are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
-from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The
-Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
-
-1.F.
-
-1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
-effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
-works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
-Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
-contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
-or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
-intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
-other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
-cannot be read by your equipment.
-
-1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
-of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
-liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
-fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
-LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
-PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
-TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
-LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
-INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
-DAMAGE.
-
-1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
-defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
-receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
-written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
-received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
-with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
-with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
-lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
-or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
-opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
-the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
-without further opportunities to fix the problem.
-
-1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
-in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO
-OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
-LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
-
-1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
-warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
-damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
-violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
-agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
-limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
-unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
-remaining provisions.
-
-1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
-trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
-providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in
-accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
-production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
-including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
-the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
-or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or
-additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any
-Defect you cause.
-
-Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
-electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
-computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
-exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
-from people in all walks of life.
-
-Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
-assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
-goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
-remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
-and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future
-generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
-Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
-www.gutenberg.org
-
-
-
-Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
-
-The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
-501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
-state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
-Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
-number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
-U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
-
-The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the
-mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its
-volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous
-locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt
-Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to
-date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and
-official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact
-
-For additional contact information:
-
- Dr. Gregory B. Newby
- Chief Executive and Director
- gbnewby@pglaf.org
-
-Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
-Literary Archive Foundation
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
-spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
-increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
-freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
-array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
-($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
-status with the IRS.
-
-The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
-charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
-States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
-considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
-with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
-where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
-DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular
-state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate
-
-While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
-have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
-against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
-approach us with offers to donate.
-
-International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
-any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
-outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
-
-Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
-methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
-ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
-donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate
-
-Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works.
-
-Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be
-freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
-distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of
-volunteer support.
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
-editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
-the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
-necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
-edition.
-
-Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search
-facility: www.gutenberg.org
-
-This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
-including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
-subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
-
-
-
-</pre>
-
-</body>
-</html>
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/cover.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 55617ff..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/cover.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_bm01.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_bm01.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 971c44d..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_bm01.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_frontis.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_frontis.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index c13acec..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_frontis.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_p023.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_p023.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index d5d487f..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_p023.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_p045.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_p045.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index b94012b..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_p045.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_p059.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_p059.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 0b79be9..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_p059.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_p081.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_p081.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index e6a46df..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_p081.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_p101.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_p101.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a714ba..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_p101.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/i_p117.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/i_p117.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c59322..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/i_p117.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/61847-h/images/logo.jpg b/old/61847-h/images/logo.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 4b797f5..0000000
--- a/old/61847-h/images/logo.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ