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“ This horse is not ill , only overworked , ” said the horse doctor . “ If you rest him for six months , he can work again . ” “ I have no fields for sick horses , ” said Skinner . “ I work them as long as they can go . Then I sell them for what I can get . ” “ There is a horse sale in ten days , ” said the horse doctor . “ If you rest him and feed him well , you may get more money for him . ” So for ten days I rested and ate good food . I began to think that it might be better to live after all . Then I was taken to the sale . Any change had to be better than Skinner’s place , so I held up my head and hoped for the best . XIV . My Last Home At the sale I stood with the old , broken horses . Many of the buyers looked as poor as the horses . Then a farmer came along with a young boy . He had a kind red face , and he wore a wide hat . He looked at us sadly , and then his eyes stopped on me . “ There’s a horse that has known better days , Willie , ” he said . “ Poor old fellow ! ” said the boy . “ Look how well he understands kindness . Grandpapa , couldn’t you buy him and make him young again ? ” The seller said that I was only tired from too much cab work . The farmer felt my legs and looked at my mouth . Then I had to trot for him . My legs were stiff , but I held my neck up and did my best . “ What is the lowest price ? ” he asked . “ Five pounds , sir . ” “ It’s a risk , ” said the old gentleman , and he shook his head . But he took out his purse and paid . His name was Mr Thoroughgood . He put me in a large meadow at his farm . “ Willie , ” he said , “ you must look after him . ” Willie was very proud of this job . He came to see me every day with a carrot or some kind words , and I grew very fond of him . He called me Old Crony , which means an old friend . Rest , good food and soft grass began to make me strong . By the spring I felt quite young again . “ He’s growing young , Willie , ” said Mr Thoroughgood . “ Now we must find him a quiet , good home . ” One summer day they drove me to a pretty house in the country . Three sisters lived there : Miss Blomefield , Miss Lavinia and the youngest , Miss Ellen . Miss Ellen liked my face at once . But Miss Lavinia was worried . “ A horse that has fallen once may fall again , ” she said . “ Many good horses have broken knees because of careless drivers , ” said Mr Thoroughgood . “ Try him and see . ” The next morning their groom came for me . When he saw my knees , he looked disappointed . But the next day , as he was cleaning my face , he stopped . “ That’s just like the star that Black Beauty had , ” he said to himself . “ I wonder where Beauty is now . ” He looked me over carefully , and then he looked at my back .
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