The brown ears shot forward to attention at the sound, and as the head
reached out to investigate, the snapping fingers repeated the invitation,
and without hesitation the magnificent creature went forward obediently
until the hand was once more resting on the dark muzzle.
The trusting beauty of the surrender seemed to break some spell that had
held us silent since the beginning of the catching. "Oh, Jack! Isn't he
a beauty?" I cried unconsciously putting my admiration into a question.
But Jack no longer objected to questions. He turned towards us with
soft, shining eyes. "There's not many like him," he said, pulling at one
of the flexible ears. "You could learn him anything." It seemed so, for
after trying to solve the problem of the roller and bit with his tongue
when it was put into his mouth, he accepted the mystery with quiet,
intelligent trust; and as soon as he was freed from it, almost courted
further fondling. He would let no one but Jack near him, though. When
we entered the yard the ears went back and the whites of the eyes showed.
"No one but me for a while," Jack said, with a strange ring of ownership
in his voice, telling that it is a good thing to have a horse that is
yours, and yours only.
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