The Black Stallion

sheds.
    In his stall, the subject of it all sniffed the corners of his feedbox, cleaning up the last bit of oats; then he stretched his long, supple neck to the hay in the rack above him.
    Bonfire was learning to be on his own.

First Bridle
11
    It didn't take very long—only two or three days, just as Jimmy had said—before Bonfire ceased neighing for the Queen. Uncle Wilmer wrote, telling them that the mare had arrived safe and sound and "liked her old stall, all right." He said too that he had hitched her to his wagon and had driven the Queen into town for his weekly supplies. "She's a fast stepper, all right," he wrote. "Lester Eberl rode in with me and he says she's the fastest mare in Berks County. I believe it."
    "The work will do the mare a lot of good," Jimmy said, after reading the letter.
    January came, Bonfire was a yearling, and Jimmy Creech spent more and more time with him. On nice days the colt was put into the paddock to romp and play and
get
all the exercise he needed. When the weather turned bad, Jimmy kept him in the stall and started breaking Bonfire to bridle and harness. Each lesson was taught so slowly and patiently that Tom's respect for Jimmy's thoroughness knew no bounds.
    "They don't break colts better than Jimmy breaks 'em," George said. "He talks about not havin' patience. But he's . got all the patience in the world when it comes to schoolin' a colt. There aren't many left like Jimmy."
    And it was true, Tom knew. For weeks Jimmy tied Bonfire in his stall or at the paddock fence for a few minutes each day, teaching the colt to stand tied and to respect the rope holding him. Tom watched Bonfire, fearful at first that he might try to get away. But the colt hadn't fought the rope, and Tom's eyes had shone with pride when Jimmy said, "The work you did with him at the farm is payin' off, Tom. Makin' it real easy for me, it is."
    He repeated this compliment to Tom's early work time and time again. Jimmy put a light bridle and bit on Bonfire and the colt did nothing but play with the bit while he moved about his stall. As the days went by he got so used to it he even ceased playing with it. Jimmy nodded in approval, and during February he placed the light racing harness on the colt's back. Bonfire didn't take to the harness as quickly as he had the bridle, but Jimmy was patient with him and within a few days the colt moved about his stall complete with bridle and harness.
    And that, together with daily handling of the colt's body, especially his feet, was all that was done during the winter months.
    With the coming of spring, Bonfire shed much of his winter coat under Tom's daily grooming. He was a tall colt, standing almost fifteen hands now, and still growing.
    George remarked, "Jimmy said he was goin' to be over sixteen hands, an' he's goin' to be. He's filling out, too."
    There was no doubt about that, for even now fine, hard muscles stood out prominently beneath his sleek red coat.
    George turned to Tom while the boy pulled his brush through the black mane, which now fell halfway down Bonfire's neck. "And you're growin' with him, Tom," he said. "You're puttin' on weight yourself."
    Tom's frame was gaunt no longer and there was a full, healthy look to his face. Going to the colt's tail to brush it, he laughed and said, "It's the hard work, George."
    "You've sure made things easier for us," George admitted, taking a plug of tobacco from his pocket. "When you get our age, y'need young hands around." Then, seeing Jimmy drive Symbol past the shed, he added, "We'll be needin' your help even more now with spring here. Jimmy'll start workin' harder now, and worryin', too, about the season ahead of us."
    During the weeks that followed, Tom understood more and more what George had meant. For Jimmy worked tirelessly and became quieter and, at times, irritable. Symbol's workouts were stepped up, and Tom stopped driving him on Saturdays, for Jimmy was attempting to lengthen the black horse's stride. He changed Symbol's shoes often and tried heavier toe weights to encourage a longer stride; but all this was of no avail, and Jimmy's drawn face was evidence of his anxiety about the fast-approaching races.
    At the same time, he spent many hours with the colt, very often leading him around the track with one hand while he drove Symbol with the other. Bonfire's strides were low, and beautiful to watch, but even they didn't comfort Jimmy just now.
    "He couldn't ask for more than a colt like that," Tom said,