wondered what the boy's haste might mean.

"I've got a horse! I've got a horse!" shouted Tad, vaulting the fence
lightly and bounding up the steps. "I surely have a horse at last,
mother."

Grasping his mother about the waist with both arms, Tad whirled her
dizzily, the full length of the porch and back, finally dropping her
into a rocking chair with a merry laugh.

"Mercy!" gasped Mrs. Butler. "You have shaken all the breath out of
me. What does this whirlwind arrival mean?"

"It means that I have a horse at last, mother. To be sure, it is not
much of a horse; but it's a horse just the same. And it's all mine,
too."

Mrs. Butler gazed up at him in perplexity. Tad sank down at her feet
and explained the terms on which he had procured Jinny from
Mr. Langdon.

"Well, now that you have her, what do you mean to do with her?" asked
Mrs. Butler, a quizzical smile on her face.

"With your leave, I shall bring her home. Will you let me turn Jinny
in the clover patch there, mother? There'll be enough grass there to
keep her all summer, and as soon as she is able to work I can get odd
jobs enough with her to pay for the oats that I shall need to keep her
up on," went on the boy speaking rapidly.