English
JoeGreenwentonverywell;helearnedquickly,andwassoattentiveandcarefulthatJohnbegantotrusthiminmanythings;butasIhavesaid,hewassmallofhisage,anditwasseldomthathewasallowedtoexerciseeitherGingerorme;butitsohappenedonemorningthatJohnwasoutwithJusticeintheluggagecart,andthemasterwantedanotetobetakenimmediatelytoagentleman'shouse,aboutthreemilesdistant,andsenthisordersforJoetosaddlemeandtakeit,addingthecautionthathewastoridesteadily.
Thenotewasdelivered,andwewerequietlyreturningwhenwecametothebrick-field.
Herewesawacartheavilyladenwithbricks;thewheelshadstuckfastinthestiffmudofsomedeepruts,andthecarterwasshoutingandfloggingthetwohorsesunmercifully.Joepulledup.Itwasasadsight.
Therewerethetwohorsesstrainingandstrugglingwithalltheirmighttodragthecartout,buttheycouldnotmoveit;thesweatstreamedfromtheirlegsandflanks,theirsidesheaved,andeverymusclewasstrained,whiletheman,fiercelypullingattheheadoftheforehorse,sworeandlashedmostbrutally.
"Holdhard,"saidJoe;"don'tgoonfloggingthehorseslikethat;thewheelsaresostuckthattheycannotmovethecart."
Themantooknoheed,butwentonlashing.
"Stop!praystop!"saidJoe."I'llhelpyoutolightenthecart;theycan'tmoveitnow."
"Mindyourownbusiness,youimpudentyoungrascal,andI'llmindmine!"
Themanwasinatoweringpassionandtheworsefordrink,andlaidonthewhipagain.
Joeturnedmyhead,andthenextmomentweweregoingataroundgalloptowardthehouseofthemasterbrick-maker.
IcannotsayifJohnwouldhaveapprovedofourpace,butJoeandIwerebothofonemind,andsoangrythatwecouldnothavegoneslower.
Thehousestoodclosebytheroadside.Joeknockedatthedoor,andshouted,"Halloo!IsMr.Clayathome?"Thedoorwasopened,andMr.Clayhimselfcameout.
"Halloo,youngman!Youseeminahurry;anyordersfromthesquirethismorning?"
"No,Mr.Clay,butthere'safellowinyourbrick-yardfloggingtwohorsestodeath.
Itoldhimtostop,andhewouldn't;IsaidI'dhelphimtolightenthecart,andhewouldn't;soIhavecometotellyou.Pray,sir,go."Joe'svoiceshookwithexcitement.
"Thankye,mylad,"saidtheman,runninginforhishat;thenpausingforamoment,"WillyougiveevidenceofwhatyousawifIshouldbringthefellowupbeforeamagistrate?"
"ThatIwill,"saidJoe,"andgladtoo."Themanwasgone,andwewereonourwayhomeatasmarttrot.
"Why,what'sthematterwithyou,Joe?Youlookangryallover,"saidJohn,astheboyflunghimselffromthesaddle.
"Iamangryallover,Icantellyou,"saidtheboy,andtheninhurried,excitedwordshetoldallthathadhappened.
Joewasusuallysuchaquiet,gentlelittlefellowthatitwaswonderfultoseehimsoroused.
"Right,Joe!youdidright,myboy,whetherthefellowgetsasummonsornot.
Manyfolkswouldhaveriddenbyandsaiditwasnottheirbusinesstointerfere.
NowIsaythatwithcrueltyandoppressionitiseverybody'sbusinesstointerferewhentheyseeit;youdidright,myboy."
Joewasquitecalmbythistime,andproudthatJohnapprovedofhim,andcleanedoutmyfeetandrubbedmedownwithafirmerhandthanusual.
TheywerejustgoinghometodinnerwhenthefootmancamedowntothestabletosaythatJoewaswanteddirectlyinmaster'sprivateroom;therewasamanbroughtupforill-usinghorses,andJoe'sevidencewaswanted.
Theboyflusheduptohisforehead,andhiseyessparkled."Theyshallhaveit,"saidhe.
"Putyourselfabitstraight,"saidJohn.
Joegaveapullathisnecktieandatwitchathisjacket,andwasoffinamoment.
Ourmasterbeingoneofthecountymagistrates,caseswereoftenbroughttohimtosettle,orsaywhatshouldbedone.
Inthestableweheardnomoreforsometime,asitwasthemen'sdinnerhour,butwhenJoecamenextintothestableIsawhewasinhighspirits;hegavemeagood-naturedslap,andsaid,"Wewon'tseesuchthingsdone,willwe,oldfellow?"
Weheardafterwardthathehadgivenhisevidencesoclearly,andthehorseswereinsuchanexhaustedstate,bearingmarksofsuchbrutalusage,thatthecarterwascommittedtotakehistrial,andmightpossiblybesentencedtotwoorthreemonthsinprison.
ItwaswonderfulwhatachangehadcomeoverJoe.
Johnlaughed,andsaidhehadgrownaninchtallerinthatweek,andIbelievehehad.
Hewasjustaskindandgentleasbefore,buttherewasmorepurposeanddeterminationinallthathedid—asifhehadjumpedatoncefromaboyintoaman.
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