Vincent often visited the horse in the stables, and, taking with him an apple or some pieces of sugar, spent some time there talking to and petting it.

He never carried a whip, and never used the spurs except in forcing it to make its first start.
Had the horse been naturally ill-tempered Vincent would probably have failed, but, as he happened afterward to learn, its first owner had been a hot-tempered and passionate young planter, who, instead of being patient with it, had beat it about the head, and so rendered it restive and bad-tempered.

Had Vincent not laid aside his whip before mounting it for the first time, he probably would never have effected a cure.

It was the fact that the animal had no longer fear of his old enemy the whip, as much as the general course of kindness and good treatment, that had effected the change in his behavior.
It was just when Vincent had established a good understanding between himself and Wildfire that he had the altercation with the overseer, whom he found about to flog the young negro Dan.

Pearson had sent the lad half an hour before on a message to some slaves at work at the other end of the estate, and had found him sitting on the ground watching a tree in which he had discovered a 'possum.