Chapter XVI. Hospitality Without Grudging - Page 2

need something before you ride. You will have breakfast after your return."

Jane went close to her and stood beside her, still blushing. "Oh, thank you," she cried, "I am really hungry already. I hope I won't get killed. I never was on a horse before, you know."

"Oh, never fear, Lawrence is very careful. If it were Nora now I would not be so sure about you, but Lawrence is quite safe."

At this point Larry came in. "Well, Jane, all ready? Good for you. I like a girl that is always on time."

"How do you like her pants, Larry?" said Nora, wickedly.

"Perfectly splendiferous," cried Larry.

"Oh, you mean thing, Nora," cried Jane, dropping hurriedly into a chair with scarlet face and indignant eyes.

"Come along, Jane, old chap, don't mind her. Those pants never looked so well before, I assure you. We are going to have a great time. I guarantee that in a few minutes you will be entirely oblivious of such trivial things as mere pants."

They all passed out into the front yard to see Jane mount and take her first lesson.

"This is Polly," said Larry. "She has taught us all to ride, and though she has lost her shape a bit, she has still 'pep' enough to decline to take a dare."

"What do I do?" said Jane, gazing fearfully at the fat and shapeless Polly.

"There is just one rule in learning to ride," said Larry, "step on and stick there. Polly will look after the rest."

"Step on--it is easy to say, but--"

"This way," said Nora. She seized hold of the horn of the saddle, put her foot into the stirrup and sprang upon Polly's back. "Oh, there's where the pants come in," she added as her dress caught on to the rear of the saddle. "Now up you go. Make up your mind you are going to do it, not going to try."

A look of serious determination came into Jane's face, a look that her friends would have recognised as the precursor of a resolute and determined attempt to achieve the thing in hand. She seized the horn of the saddle, put her foot into the stirrup and "stepped on."

The riding lesson was an unqualified success, though for some reason, known only to herself, Polly signalised the event by promptly running away immediately her head was turned homeward, and coming back down the lane at a thundering gallop.

"Hello!" cried Nora, running out to meet them. "Why, Jane, you have been fooling us all along. You needn't tell me this is your first ride."

"My very first," said Jane, "but I hope not my last."

"But, my dear," said Mrs. Gwynne, who had also come out to see the return, "you are doing famously."

"Am I?" cried