I strolled carelessly up towards the door, and as I did so he left the horse and came to meet me.
"Come in here," said he, "and let's see how you can rub down a horse." "I don't need you to show me," said I.

"Look at her there, with her mane all in a twist and her fetlock grazed by your clumsy pail." He turned round to look, and in that moment I had the door shut on him and the key turned on the outside.

I knew that the door, which was thick enough to stand a horse's kick, had nothing to fear from his.

And as to his noise, there would be no one to heed that.

He would be safe there till morning, and there were oats enough in the place to keep him and Juno both from starving.
This business done, I hastened back to the house, and sought Miss Kit, to whom I told everything.
"Father will not be home to-night," said she bravely.