The Eskdale Herd-boy | Page 4

were an honest boy; and that if you undertook
the charge, after he had explained to your what your duty was to consist
in, I had no doubt you would do all in your power to perform it. But, at
the same time, I told him you must determine for yourself; as I would
on no account press you to leave me sooner than was quite agreeable to
your own feelings. Now," continued he, seeing John beginning to speak,
"hear what I have to propose to you. It is, that if you go to live with Mr.
Laurie, I will make an agreement with him, provided you are a careful
and industrious boy in his service through the day, that he shall allow
you, after you have penned your sheep, to come to me for an hour in
the evening; and in that hour, if we both, my dear boy, make a good use
of our time, I in teaching, and you in learning, I have little doubt but
that in a very short time you will be able to read perfectly, both this
book and many other useful and entertaining stories. Take time to
reflect on what I have been saying to you," continued Mr. Martin, "and
be sure that you are resolved in your own mind to be an honest and
industrious servant to Mr. Laurie, so far as your strength and years will
allow, before you engage with him; and if, after thinking over the
subject, you believe that you can promise me to be very attentive, and
strive to learn what I shall be most willing to teach you, then, my dear
John, I shall consider the plan as nearly settled, and shall only wait till I
have seen Mr. Laurie to make it completely so."
Mr. Martin then pointed to the green plat before the window, where his
little daughter was standing looking at some beautiful crocuses, which
had made their first appearance that season; and said, "Go, John, now;

and let me see if you are a handy lad, and can get Master William's
pony ready for Helen; as I have promised her a ride up the glen, if she
has pleased her mother by attention to her morning lessons; and I think,
by her merry face, she must have earned her reward. I am going a
couple of miles to see David Little, who, you know, broke his leg last
week by a fall from his horse; and if you will go and get the pony ready,
I will desire Mrs. Martin to put up a loaf of wheaten bread, which will
be a rarity to him, and which he may perhaps relish more than his oaten
cakes whilst he is sick; and you, John, get your bonnet (boys always
wear Highland bonnets, instead of hats, in the hilly part of Scotland)
and come along with us; as you can carry the basket and open the gates
for Helen. To-morrow morning will be time enough for you to give me
your answer about Mr. Laurie." John made an awkward bow, and a
scrape with his foot, and then set off in search of the pony, which was
feeding on a green flat plain by the side of a river, which sort of
meadow in that country is called a holm. The animal appeared very
quiet, and suffered John to come close to him, without attempting to
move; but the moment he tried to put out his hand to take hold of him,
off went the pony as fast as he could scamper. When he got at a little
distance, he stopped and looked back at John, who again approached
and attempted to lay hold of him, but with no better success. All this
was observed by Helen, for the green plat, where she stood, overlooked
the holm; and though she could not help laughing at first, on seeing
John's awkward attempts to catch the pony, yet, as she was a
good-natured little girl, she soon ran into the house, and begged a little
corn of her papa, and having put it in her pinafore, she skipped down
the lane with it to the holm, where holding it out to let Bob (for that
was the pony's name) see it, he instantly began trotting towards her,
neighing with pleasure. She then told John to throw the halter over
Bob's neck while he was eating, and he might jump on his back and
ride him up to the stable, where he would find the side-saddle. John
very soon appeared in front of the house with the pony neatly combed,
brushed, and ornamented with a very pretty little white side-saddle and
bridle, a present which Helen had received from her grand-mamma the
last time she had visited