The Ride

They had kept it all from Hugh, telling him only that a stranger had
purchased Mosside. He had not asked for Rocket, or even mentioned him,
though his pet was really uppermost in his mind, and when he awoke next
morning from his feverish sleep and remembered Alice's proposal to ride,
he said to himself, "I cannot go, much as I might enjoy it. No other
horse would carry me as gently as Rocket. Oh! Rocket!"

It was a bright, balmy morning, and Hugh, as he walked slowly to the
window and inhaled the fragrant air, felt that it would do him good,
"But I shan't go," he said, and when, after breakfast was over, Alice
came, reminding him of the ride, he began an excuse, but his resolution
quickly gave way before her sprightly arguments, and he finally
assented, saying, however: "You must not expect a gay cavalier, for I am
still too weak, and I have no horse fit to ride with you, at least."

"Yes, I know," and Alice ran gayly to her room and donned her riding
dress, wondering what Hugh would say and how Rocket would act.

He was out in the back yard now, pawing and curvetting, and rubbing his
nose against all who came near him, while Claib was holding him by his
new bridle and talking to him of Mas'r Hugh.

Even an ugly woman is improved by a riding costume, and Alice, beautiful
though she was, looked still more beautiful in her closely-fitting
habit.