Page 24 - A Little Bush Maid

"Good for you," observed Harry. "Now, how about harness?"

"Well, we’ll leave that to individual taste," Jim said. "Here’s a ball of string,
and there are plenty of light straps. Mrs. Brown--you’re the leading lady.

How shall T harness your prancing steed for you?"

"You will have your joke, Master Jim," retorted Mrs. Brown, bridling and

beaming. "Now, T don’t think T’ll harness my poor beastie at all. Give me a
couple of sticks to keep his head the right way and to poke him gently, and

we’ll beat you all yet!"

Norah and the two boys fixed up fearful and wonderful harness for their

nominations--collars of straps, and long string headpieces and reins. The
animals objected strongly to being harnessed, and the process was most

entertaining. Mrs. Brown was particularly appreciative, and at length in a
paroxysm of mirth narrowly escaped sitting down on the tortoise.

Black Billy’s harness was not extensive. He tied a string round the black
Orpington’s leg, and retired to the stable for a few minutes, returning with a

bulging pocket, the contents of which he did not communicate. Hogg did
not attempt to bit and bridle the yellow cat, which was much annoyed at the
whole proceeding. Tnstead he fixed up a collar and traces of string, and

chose a long cane, more, he said, for purposes of defence than for anything
else. Lee Wing and Jim harnessed their steeds in the same way--with a long

string tied to each leg.

"All ready?" Jim queried. "Toe the line!"

The course was across a small paddock near the house-- a distance of about

thirty yards--and the competitors were ranged up with no little difficulty.
Luckily, the line was a wide one, admitting of considerable space between
each starter, or the send-off might have been inextricably confused.

However, they were all arranged at last, and Jim, in a stentorian voice, gave
the word to "Go."