166 LUCY AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.

*Q Robert,” said Lucy, “them he'll run
away.”

“ No,” said Robert.

Robert then unfastened the throat-lash, and
took hold of the bridle, at the top of the horse’s
head, and drew it over his ears, and off before ;
and then the bits dropped easily out of his mouth,
and the horse, understanding that he was liberated,
drew his head away. He walked off a few steps,
and then lay down to roll, while Lucy stood
laughing heartily at the awkward figure he made,
with all his four heels, as she called them, in the air.

“ T believe he’ll run away,” said Lucy.

“No,” said Robert ; “ he won’t run away.”

“« And, besides, I don’t believe you can catch
him, and put his bridle on again.” 3

“ Yes,” said Robert; “I’ve got some salt in
my pocket, on purpose.”

Lucy had heard of catching birds by sprinkling
salt on their tails, and she stood bewildered and
perplexed, trying to imagine how this method was
to be applied to Hero, when she heard her moth-
er calling her. So she turned away from Robert,
and began to descend the bank, towards her
mother, calling out, —

“Yes, mother ; I’m coming.”

Robert carried the bridle to the wagon, and put
it in; and then he pushed the wagon entirely
out of the road, so that, if a team were to come
by, it would not run against it. After doing that,
he followed Lucy and her mother down the bank
of the stream.