BOYS WILL BE BOYS
Up to the moment that Johnnie Green reached out a hand for the long fishpole Twinkleheels had behaved like a little gentleman. He saw thatsomething unusual was afoot. And feeling quite sure that it was somekind of fun, he was glad that he was going to have a part in it.
"I hope Johnnie has some oats for me in that basket," he thought.
Just then Johnnie caught up the pole.
"Oats and corn!" Twinkleheels exclaimed. "What's he going to do withthat enormous whip?" He was so startled that he jumped sideways, andJohnnie Green all but lost his seat on Twinkleheels' back. As he lurchedin the saddle he brought the fish pole smartly against Twinkleheels'head.
"I won't stand this," Twinkleheels decided. "I don't see what Johnnie isthinking of, to beat me over the head. I've certainly done nothing todeserve such treatment." Thereupon he dashed madly across the farmyardand made for the orchard.
"Whoa!" cried Johnnie Green.
"Whoa!" cried his father. "Stop him! Hang to him! Don't let him run!"
"He'll have to drop that great whip if he expects me to mind,"Twinkleheels said with a snort.
Johnnie's hands were so full of a number of things that he could dolittle more than stick to the saddle.
"Drop that junk that you're carrying!" Farmer Green shouted.
"Why doesn't he tell Johnnie to drop that long whip?" Twinkleheelsmuttered to himself.
What Farmer Green said was of no account, anyhow, for Johnnie was sobusy that he didn't hear a word of his father's advice.
Twinkleheels had reached the orchard and already was tearing in and outamong the trees. The tin pail containing Johnnie's bait slipped from hisgrasp and clattered upon the ground, causing Twinkleheels to run all thefaster. The fish pole struck the tree trunks right and left. One end ofit lodged for an instant in a branch, while the other end nearly sweptJohnnie off Twinkleheels' back. Still Johnnie Green clung to it and tohis lunch basket as well.
"Wh-wh-whoa! Wh-wh-whoa!" Jolted as he was, he couldn't get a whole wordout of his mouth at a time. He could only jerk a word out piecemeal.
If the fish pole hadn't at last snapped off short, leaving only the buttof it in Johnnie's hand, there's no telling when Twinkleheels would havestopped.
Finding himself with only a bit of the pole left in his hand, Johnniegave it a fling, slipped an arm through the handle of his lunch basket,and set to pulling mightily on the bridle reins.
"There!" said Twinkleheels. "There goes that whip. I'm glad I broke it.Now I'll let Johnnie pull me down to a walk--but not too quickly."
With Johnnie Green tugging steadily, Twinkleheels changed from a run toa canter, from a canter to a trot, from a trot to a walk; and finallystood still.
Then Johnnie turned him around and rode slowly back to the barn. Hejumped down, unbuckled the girth, and drew off Twinkleheels' saddle.
"What's the matter?" his father asked him. "You haven't given up goingfishing--have you?"
"No!" Johnnie answered. "I'm going to harness Twinkleheels to the buggy.And I'll cut a pole at the creek."
His father said nothing more. But he smiled a little to himself whenJohnnie wasn't looking his way.
"Boys will be boys," Farmer Green remarked after Johnnie had gone.
"Yes!" the hired man agreed. "And ponies will be ponies."
They may have been talking in riddles.
Anyhow, they seemed to understand each other.
THE END.
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