He broke a leg for my father, and was near killing him." "Sir," I said to him, catching his thought quickly, "we could not afford to have the horse injured, but if you wish to ride him fair or be beaten by him fair, you are welcome to the chance." His eye kindled at this.

"You're a sportsman, sir," he exclaimed, and he advanced at once toward Satan.
I saw in him something which awakened a responsive chord in my nature.
He was a man to take a risk and welcome it for the risk's sake.
Moreover, he was a horseman; as I saw by his quick glance over Satan's furniture.

He caught the cheek strap of the bridle, and motioned us away as we would have helped him at the horse's head.

Then ensued as pretty a fight between man and horse as one could ask to see.

The black brute reared and fairly took him from the ground, fairly chased him about the street, as a great dog would a rat.