In the very midst of this panegyric upon the animal's good and noble qualities he flung open the door of a little shed, and exhibited her to our view. I verily believe, whatever the urgency of the youth's reason for proceeding, that his heart failed him at the sight of the steed; a second's reconsideration seemed to rally his courage, and he said, "No matter, it can't be helped; saddle her at once, and let us be off."
"That's easier said nor done," muttered Andy to himself, as he stood at the door, without venturing a step farther. "Con," said he, at last, in a species of coaxing tone I well knew boded peril, "Con, a cushla! get a hould of her by the head, that's a fine chap; make a spring at the forelock."
"Sorra kick! get up there, now, and I'll be talking to you all the while."
This proposition, though doubtless meant as most encouraging, by no means reassured me.
"Come, come! I'll bridle the infernal beast," said the youth, losing all patience with both of us, and he sprung forward into the stable; but barely had he time to jump back, as the animal let fly with both hind legs together. Andy, well aware of what was coming, pulled us both back and shut to the door, against which the hoofs kept up one rattling din of kicks that shook the crazy edifice from roof to ground.
"Ye see what comes of startlin' her; the crayture's timid as a kid," said Andy, whose blanched cheek badly corroborated his assumed composure. "Ye may do what ye plaze, barrin' putting a bridle on her; she never took kindly to that!"
"But do ye intend me to ride her without one?" said the youth.
"By no manner of means, sir," said Andy, with a plausible slowness on each word that gave him time to think of an expedient. "I would n't be guilty of the like; none that knows me would ever say it to me: I 'm a poor man--"
"You're a devilish tiresome one," broke in the youth, suddenly; "here we have been above half an hour standing at the door, and none the nearer our departure than when we arrived."
"Christy Moore could bridle her, if he was here," said Andy; "but he's gone to Moate, and won't be back till evening; may be that would do?"
A very impatient, and not very pious exclamation consigned Christy to an untimely fate. "Well, don't be angry, anyhow, sir," said Andy; "there's many a thing a body might think of, if they were n't startled. See, now, I have a way this minute; an elegant fine way, too."