\"Holdyourjaw，yougosling，orI’llhityouinstead，\"retortedtheman.
Butbythattimeoneoftheroyalgroomshadmadehisappearanceandthebrutedidnotdarecarryouthisthreat.Whilethegroomstrovetoquietthemare，agreattumultaroseinsomeotherpartofthemarket—place.Therewasawhinnying，plunging，rearing，andscreaming，asifthewholefieldhadgonemad.Theblackmarejoinedintheconcert，andstoodwithherearsprickedupandherheadraisedinanattitudeofpanickyexpectation.QuitefearlesslyErikwalkeduptoher，pattedherontheneckandspokesoothinglytoher.
\"Lookout，\"yelledthegroom，\"orshe’lltrampleyoutojelly！\"
Butinsteadofthat，themarerubbedhersoftnoseagainsttheboy’scheek，withalow，friendlyneighing，asifshewishedtothankhimforhisgallantconduct.AndatthatmomentErik’sheartwentouttothatdumbcreaturewithanaffectionwhichhehadneverfelttowardanylivingthingbefore.Hedetermined，whatevermighthappen，tobidonherandtobuyher，whatevershemightprovetobeworth.Heknewhehadafewthousanddollarsinthebank——hisinheritancefromhismother，whohaddiedwhenhewasababy——andhemight，perhaps，beabletopersuadehisfathertosanctionthepurchase.Atanyrate，hewouldhavesometimetoinventwaysandmeans;forhisfather，CaptainCarstens，wasnowawayonthegreatannualdrill，andwouldnotreturnforsomeweeks.
Asamerematterofform，heresolvedtotrythemarebeforebiddingonher;andslippingacoinintothegroom’shandheaskedforasaddle.Itturnedout，however，thatallthesaddleswereinuse，andErikhadnochoicebuttomountbareback.