5 The storm

One day in the autumn my master had to go to a distant town on business. John harnessed me to the carriage and the three of us went off. There had been a lot of rain, and the wind was very strong.When we came to the river,the wa-ter was so high it nearly reached the wooden bridge,and many of the fields were under water. In one low part of the road the water was half-way up to my knees.

We got to the town and the master's business took a long time.It was late in the afternoon when we started back for home.The wind was much stronger,and as we drove through a wood,I heard my master say,'I've never been out in a storm as bad as this,John.'Indeed,I thought so too, hearing the ter-rible noise of that wild wind in the trees.

'I wish we were out of this wood,'said my master.

'Yes,sir,'agreed John.'We don't want one of those bran-ches coming down on top of us.'

But just as he finished speaking,there was a great noise of wood breaking, and a big tree came crashing down through the other smaller trees and fell across the road right in front of us!I was very frightened and I stopped immediately, but I didn't turn round or try to run away.John jumped out and quickly ran to my side.

'What can we do now,John?'said my master.

'We can't drive over the tree or get round it,sir,'said John.'We'll have to go back to the crossroads,and take the longer road round to the wooden bridge.It will make us late,but the horse isn't tired.'

It was nearly dark when we got to the wooden bridge.We could see water over the middle of it,but this often happened when the river was high.But the moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge,I was sure something was wrong,and I stopped suddenly.

'Go on,Beauty,'said my master,and he touched me with the whip.I did not move, so he hit me sharply, but I would not go forward.

'There's something wrong,'said John,and he jumped from the carriage and began to look round.He tried to lead me for-ward.'Come on,Beauty,what's the matter?'

Of course I could not tell him, but I knew the bridge was not safe.

Just then a man ran out of the house on the other side of the bridge.'Stop!Stop!'he cried.

'What's the matter?'shouted my master.

'The bridge is broken in the middle,'said the man,'and part of it was carried away.If you come across, you'll fall in the river!'

'Thank you,Beauty!'John said to me, and turned me gently round to the right-hand road by the riverside.

It got darker and the wind got quieter as I trotted towards home by another,much longer road.The two men were quiet for some time, but then my master spoke.

'We were very close to drowning in that river,John,'he said.'Men may be clever enough to think of things for them-selves,but animals know things without thinking,and that's often saved a man's life,as it has ours tonight.People don't realize how wonderful their animals are,nor do they make friends with them as they should.'

When we arrived back at Birtwick Park,the mistress ran out to meet us.'I've been so worried!'she said.'Are you all right? Did you have an accident?'

'We nearly did,'said my master.'But Black Beauty was cleverer than we were,and saved us all from drowning!'

* * *

One morning early in December,the master came to the stable with a letter in his hand,looking very serious.

'Good morning,John,'he said.'Tell me,does James work hard and do what you tell him to do?'

'Yes,sir, always,'replied John.

'And he doesn't stop work when your back is turned?'

'Never,sir.'

'And if he goes out with the horses,does he stop to talk to friends,or go into houses where he has no business, leaving the horses outside?'said the master.

'No,sir,'said John.'And if anybody has said that about James, I don't believe it.I never had a pleasanter, more honest young man in this stable.'

The master smiled and looked across at James,who was standing by the door.'James, I'm glad John's opinion of you agrees with my own,'he said.'I've had a letter from my wife's brother,Sir Clifford Williams. He wants me to find him an honest young groom who knows what he's doing.The man who drives his carriage is getting old and needs a young man who will work with him and be able to do his job one day.How old are you?'

'Nineteen next May,sir,'said James.

'That's young. What do you think,John?'

'It is young, sir,'said John,'but he's tall and strong. He doesn't have much experience of driving,but he has a light touch and a quick eye.'

'Well,James,'said the master,'talk to your mother at din-ner-time and let me know what you want to do.'

A few days later it was agreed that James would go to Clif-ford Hall in a month or six weeks,and for the next few weeks he drove the carriage.We went in and out of town,through busy streets, and to the railway station, where the road was narrow and there were lots of other carriages hurrying to and from the station.

Then my master and mistress decided to visit some friends who lived about seventy-five kilometres from our home.'You can drive us,James,'said my master.