the one time. Soon the colt took to burying his
nose in the box along with the others, and would
wriggle his tail with a vigor that seemed to tell
of his gratitude at being accepted as part of the
great establishment and its devices. And then
another thing. With this change in his method
of feeding, he soon came to reveal steadily increasing
courage and independence. Oftentimes
he would be the first to reach the box, and, what
was more to the point, would hold his position
against the other horses -- hold it against rough
shouldering from the family horse, savage nipping
from the saddler, even vigorous cursing and
flaying from the swarthy hostler.

With the approach of winter he revealed his
courage and temerity further. Of his own volition
one night he abruptly changed his sleeping-
quarters. Since the memorable occasion when
the mare had kicked him out of her stall he had
sought out a stall by himself with the coming of
night, and there spent the hours in fear-broken
sleep. But this night, and every night thereafter,
saw him boldly approaching the mare and crowding
in beside her in her stall, where, in the contact
with her warm body and in her silent presence,
he found much that was soothing and comfortable.
Which, too, marked the beginning of a new
friendship, one that steadily ripened with the
passing winter and, by the tune spring again descended
into the valley, was an attachment close
almost as that between mother and offspring.
When in his playful moments, rare indeed now

[[49]]

p048 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p049w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p050

v?