black beauty chapter 9 a naughty boy
one day john manley and i rode out to
deliver a message for the squire
on our way home we saw a teenage boy
riding a stout black pony
john and i watched as the boy rode the
pony toward a gate near the road
on either side of the gate was a tall
hedge
is he crazy john murmured that gate is
much too high for a pony that size to
jump
the pony seemed to be thinking the same
thing
when he reached the gate he veered off
to the right and stopped
hey
the boy shouted
he spun the pony around and tried again
this time he thumped the pony sides with
his heels and gave him several cracks
with his whip
but once again the pony refused the jump
instead he darted off to the left
you rotten little thing the boy cried
he still didn't notice john and me
watching
the boy wheeled the pony around and
aimed him at the gate once again kicking
as hard as he could and lashing him with
the whip
the pony's ears were flat back against
his head
this time the pony turned neither left
nor right
he just stopped short threw his head
down and bucked several times
the boy tried to hang on
but the last buck sent him flying
he went right over the pony shoulder
landing head first in the thorny hedge
ow he yelled thrashing around
stupid thorns
meanwhile the pony spun around and
galloped off his reins dangling
john burst out laughing that boy got
what he deserved he said
the boy heard him
help he called
come help me out of these thorns so i
can catch that rotten pony and teach him
a lesson
i think you're the one who needs the
lesson young man john said
and those thorns seem to be giving you
one
maybe next time you'll know better than
to try to make your pony jump over such
a high gate
or to use the whip so cruelly
we rode off with the boys cries
following us part of the way
when we reached the next intersection
john turned off to the right
i think we'd better stop by farmer
bushby's house beauty he said
that young man might be a liar as well
as a bad rider
it might be better for that pony if
we're there to tell his side of the
story
we rode up to a farmhouse
a man was standing in the road looking
back and forth with a worried expression
his wife was nearby and she looked
frightened too
the black pony was grazing in the yard
he was still wearing his saddle but he
looked much more content without his
rider
hello mr manley the farmer said when he
saw us
have you seen my boy anywhere
his pony just came home without him
as a matter of fact i have john replied
and after seeing the way he rides his
pony is better off without him
what do you mean the farmer asked
well sir i saw your son whipping and
kicking that good looking pony to make
him jump john said
but the pony knew better than to try to
make it over a gate that was far too
high for him he finally kicked up his
heels and tipped the young man into a
thorn hedge
your son wanted me to help him out
but i could tell that the boy had no
injuries aside from the scratches the
thorns were giving him and so i decided
to leave him where he was
i love horses and it bothers me to see
them treated badly
the farmer's wife was crying by now
oh poor bill she sobbed
we should go find him and help him
i think i'd better go by myself my dear
the farmer said with a sigh
this is not the first time bill has
mistreated that pony or the second
either
it's time to put a stop to it and teach
him a lesson
he nodded toward john
thank you for letting us know about this
mr manley
you're welcome john said good luck with
your boy
when we got home james was there to
remove my saddle and groom me
while they worked john told him what had
happened
soon the two of them were both chuckling
i know the boy you mean james
said and you were right about his
needing that lesson
he's always been careless about animals
maybe this will teach him to treat them
better
i hope so john replied
only a coward is cruel to helpless
animals
at least this coward is still only a boy
if his father can get him to change his
ways there may be hope for him yet
little fox