But it did not take
so long to mend, after all, and one day in the early spring the big
foreman appeared, his shrewd eyes twinkling with fun, although he made
the grave statement that Andy had at last consented to sell old Grey.
"It isn't true! It can't be true!" gasped Jacky. "Sell Grey-Boy after
what he did to save the mill hands? Oh! I _can't_ believe Andy would do
such a thing." And his thin little face went white, and his poor foot
dragged as he stood erect, as if to fight for the horse's rights.
"But Andy has sold him, nevertheless," grinned Alick Duncan, "sold him
to me and the other mill hands, and we're going to give him away."
"Away?" cried the boy, with startled, agonized eyes.
"Yes, lad," answered the big foreman seriously; and placing his strong
hand on Jacky's head, he added, "Give him away to the bravest little
chap in the world--a chap we all call Jack o' Lantern."
For a moment the boy stood speechless, then held out his arms--for the
old grey horse had come slowly up to the shanty, and with downbent head
was laying his soft, warm muzzle against Jacky's ear.
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