OFF TO GREAT HEDGE

Russ and Laddie saw Grandpa Ford holding the bridle of a horse harnessed to a light carriage, in which sat a pretty young lady.  The horse was trying to rise up on its hind legs, and Grandpa Ford was doing his best to make the animal stand still.

Not far away was a large automobile, and smoke was coming from the back of this, while a man, who seemed to have just gotten out of the car, was hurrying toward the prancing horse.

“I guess he’s all right now, Miss,” said Grandpa Ford.  “When that automobile back-fired, and made such a bang, it scared your horse.”

“I never knew him to be afraid of an auto before,” said the young lady.  “But then I never heard one, before, make such a loud bang.”

“Nor I,” returned Grandpa Ford.  “It was enough to scare any horse.”

“And I am very sorry it happened,” said the man who had gotten out of the car.  “My machine is a new one, and it does not run just right, but this is the first time it ever made such a racket.  I thought I was going to be blown up, and I guess your horse did too, Miss.  I’m very sorry for the fright I caused you.  I’ll not start my auto again until you drive on.  Then, if it should happen to back-fire again, your horse will not mind it so much.”

“Thank you,” the young lady said.  “But I do not want to drive on right away.  I came to see you,” she announced to Grandpa Ford.

“To see me?” and Mr. Ford was quite surprised.  “You drove up here to see me?”

“Yes, if you are Mr. Munroe Ford.”  And the young lady smiled pleasantly.

“Yes, that’s my name,” said Mr. Bunker’s stepfather.  “And if you don’t believe me you can ask these boys,” and he pointed to Russ and Laddie, who were staring at the pretty young lady.  “Only,” went on the old gentleman, “they would probably say I was ‘Grandpa Ford,’ and so I am, to them.”

“That’s who he is,” declared Russ.

“He’s grandpa to all us six little Bunkers,” added Laddie.  “We thought it was a big cannon,” he went on, speaking about the noise.

“I seem to have stirred up some excitement,” remarked the man who owned the new automobile.  “I had better get away from here before I have the police after me,” and he laughed, to show he was only joking.  Of course it was not his fault that the automobile made so much noise.

“If you are not going to drive on, to get out of the way of my machine, where your horse won’t hear any more explosions, I think I had better drive on myself.  I’ll go as quietly as I can,” he said.

“And I’ll hold her horse,” offered Grandpa Ford.  “As long as she has come to see me, and is going to stay, I’ll see that her horse doesn’t run away.”

“You know how to manage horses,” said the automobile man.  “I don’t.  But I can run an auto.”

“Yes, I’ve been among horses for a number of years,” replied Grandpa Ford.  “I have three or four on my place, Great Hedge.  I’d rather drive a horse than an auto.  But won’t you get down and come in, if you want to see me?” asked Grandpa Ford of the young lady.