Having gone through the usual routine, the lad now walked the glowing
coated snorting horse back to where the trio stood. Mr. Sponge again looked
him over, and still seeing no exception to take to him, bid the lad get off
and lengthen the stirrups for him to take a ride. That was the difficulty.
The first two minutes always did it. Mr. Sponge, however, nothing daunted,
borrowed Sam's spurs, and making Leather hold the horse by the head till he
got well into the saddle, and then lead him on a bit; he gave the animal
such a dig in both sides as fairly threw him off his guard, and made him
start away at a gallop, instead of standing and delivering, as was his
wont.

Away Mr. Sponge shot, pulling him about, trying all his paces, and putting
him at all sorts of leaps.

Emboldened by the nerve and dexterity displayed by Mr. Sponge, Mr. Buckram
stood meditating a further trial of his equestrian ability, as he watched
him bucketing 'Ercles' about. Hercules had 'spang-hewed' so many triers,
and the hideous contraction of his resolute back had deterred so many from
mounting, that Buckram had begun to fear he would have to place him in the
only remaining school for incurables, the 'bus. Hack-horse riders are
seldom great horsemen. The very fact of their being hack-horse riders shows
they are little accustomed to horses, or they would not give the fee-simple
of an animal for a few weeks' work.

'I've a wonderful clever little oss,' observed Mr. Buckram, as Sponge
returned with a slack-rein and a satisfied air on the late resolute
animal's back. '_Little_ I can 'ardly call 'im,' continued Mr. Buckram,
'only he's low; but you knows that the 'eight of an oss has nothin' to do
with his size. Now this is a perfect dray-oss in miniature. An 'Arrow gent,
lookin' at him t'other day christen'd him "Multum in Parvo." But though