for fear of choking his friend, or else letting the bit get amongst
his teeth. It was a job to get the saddle on; but with the chair
he managed it. If old Diamond had had an education in physics
to equal that of the camel, he would have knelt down to let him put
it on his back, but that was more than could be expected of him,
and then Diamond had to creep quite under him to get hold of
the girth. The collar was almost the worst part of the business;
but there Diamond could help Diamond. He held his head very low
till his little master had got it over and turned it round,
and then he lifted his head, and shook it on to his shoulders.
The yoke was rather difficult; but when he had laid the traces
over the horse's neck, the weight was not too much for him.
He got him right at last, and led him out of the stable.

By this time there were several of the men watching him, but they
would not interfere, they were so anxious to see how he would get
over the various difficulties. They followed him as far as the
stable-door, and there stood watching him again as he put the horse
between the shafts, got them up one after the other into the loops,
fastened the traces, the belly-band, the breeching, and the reins.

Then he got his whip. The moment he mounted the box, the men
broke into a hearty cheer of delight at his success. But they
would not let him go without a general inspection of the harness;
and although they found it right, for not a buckle had to be shifted,
they never allowed him to do it for himself again all the time his
father was ill.

The cheer brought his mother to the window, and there she saw her
little boy setting out alone with the cab in the gray of morning.