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A short time later a cart went past our stand with a dead horse in it . It was a chestnut with a long , thin neck and a white line down her face . I believe it was Ginger . I hoped it was , because then her troubles would be over . If men were more merciful , no horse would ever come to such an end . That same year Captain was badly hurt . A drunk man drove a heavy cart much too fast , and it crashed into our cab . Captain could never pull a cab again . Jerry did not want to sell him to a hard master . So he decided that the kindest thing was to end his life quickly and gently . We all missed him very much . A young brown horse called Hotspur took his place . For cabmen , the New Year is a time of hard , late work . On New Year’s Eve we took two gentlemen to a card party at nine o’clock . They told Jerry to come back at eleven . We came at eleven , because Jerry was never late . The clock struck twelve , then one , and still nobody came . A cold wind was blowing wet snow round us . Jerry pulled my rug over my neck and walked up and down to keep warm . He already had a bad cough , and now it grew worse . At a quarter past one the gentlemen came out . They did not say they were sorry . When we got home , Jerry could hardly speak . Jerry was very ill for a long time . Governor Grant was very kind . He took Hotspur out to work every day and gave half the money to Polly . At last Jerry began to get better , but the doctor said that he must never drive a cab again . Then a letter came from Mrs Fowler . Polly worked for her when she was young . Now Mrs Fowler needed a coachman in the country , and she had an empty cottage with apple trees for the family . So everybody was happy . Everybody except me . I was not young now , and three years of cab work had made me tired . Governor Grant promised Jerry that he would find me a good place . On the last day Polly and the children came to say goodbye . “ Poor old Jack ! Dear old Jack ! ” said Polly . “ I wish we could take you with us . ” She put her face against my neck and kissed me . Dolly was crying , and Harry stroked me without a word . Then I was led away . XIII . Hard Times My new master sold corn and bread . Jerry knew him and thought that I would have a good place there . My food was good , but the carts were always too heavy . My driver , Jakes , knew it was too much for me , but the foreman did not listen . And Jakes always used the bearing rein , like all the carters . One day the load was heavier than usual , and the road went up a steep hill . I pulled with all my strength , but I had to stop again and again . Jakes whipped me hard . “ Get on , you lazy horse , ” he said .
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