Not give him enough to eat, my lad! Lor' bless you, the more he eats the thinner he gets.

He finds the work too hard for him grinding his oats, for he's got hardly any teeth worth anything." "Is he so old, then ?" I asked, as I saw collar and hames and the rest of the heavy harness adjusted.
"Old! I should just think he is, my lad.

Close upon two hunderd I should say's his age." "Nonsense!" I said; "horses are very old indeed at twenty!" "Some horses; but he was only a baby then.

He's the oldest horse as ever was, and about the best; ain't you, Basket?
Come along, old chap." The horse gave a bit of a snort and followed the man in a slow deliberate way, born of custom, right out into the yard to where the trestle-supported cart stood.

Then as I held the lantern the great bony creature turned and backed itself clumsily in between the shafts, and under the great framework ladder piled up with baskets till its tail touched the front of the cart, when it heaved a long sigh as if of satisfaction.
"Look at that!" said Ike; "no young horse couldn't have done that, my lad;" and as if to deny the assertion, Basket gave himself a shake which made the chains of his harness rattle.