“Mebbe we could, Lois,” said Mrs. Daggett amiably.  “I’ve always thought I’d like to know more about famous people:  what they eat for breakfast, and how they do their back hair and—­”

“Don’t be silly, Abby,” Miss Daggett bade her sharply.  “There ain’t any such nonsense in Famous People! I wouldn’t be canvassing for it, if there was.”  And she shifted her pointed nose to one side with a slight, genteel sniff.

“Git-ap, Dolly!” murmured Mrs. Daggett, gently slapping the reins.

Dolly responded by a single swift gesture of his tail which firmly lashed the hated reminder of bondage to his hind quarters.  Then wickedly pretending that he was not aware of what had happened he strolled to the side of the road nearest the hay field.

“Now, if he ain’t gone and got his tail over the lines!” cried Mrs. Daggett indignantly.  “He’s got more resistin’ strength in that tail of his’n—­wonder if I can—­”

She leaned over the dashboard and grasped the offending member with both hands.

“You hang onto the lines, Lois, and give ’em a good jerk the minute I loosen up his tail.”

The subsequent failure of this attempt deflected the malicious Dolly still further from the path of duty.  A wheel cramped and lifted perilously.

Miss Daggett squealed shrilly: 

“He’ll tip the buggy over—­he’ll tip the buggy over!  For pity’s sake, Abby!”

Mrs. Daggett stepped briskly out of the vehicle and seized the bridle.

“Ain’t you ashamed?” she demanded sternly.  “You loosen up that there tail o’ yourn this minute!”

“I got ’em!” announced Miss Daggett, triumphantly.  “He loosened right up.”

She handed the recovered reins to her sister-in-law, and the two ladies resumed their journey and their conversation.

“I never was so scared in all my life,” stated Lois Daggett, straightening her hat which had assumed a rakish angle over one ear.  “I should think you’d be afraid to drive such a horse, Abby.  What in creation would have happened to you if I hadn’t been in the buggy?”

“As like as not he wouldn’t have took a notion with his tail, Lois, if I’d been driving him alone,” hazarded Mrs. Daggett mildly.  “Dolly’s an awful knowing horse....  Git-ap, Dolly!”

“Do you mean to tell me, Abby Daggett, that there horse of Henry’s has took a spite against me?” demanded the spinster....  “Mebbe he’s a mind-reader,” she added darkly.

“You know I didn’t mean nothin’ like that, Lois,” her sister-in-law assured her pacifically.  “What I meant to say was:  I got so interested in what you were saying, Lois, that I handled the reins careless, and he took advantage....  Git-ap, Dolly!  Don’t you see, Lois, even a horse knows the difference when two ladies is talking.”

“You’d ought to learn to say exactly what you mean, Abby,” commented Miss Daggett.

She glanced suspiciously at the fresh striped muslin, which was further enhanced by a wide crocheted collar and a light blue satin bow.