This horse must have reminded
her of the circus-riders of her childhood (or possibly her action was
owing to temporary aberration); anyhow, without a word of warning, she
leapt astride the native saddle and gave a short display of how it
should be done. However, fortunately from her point of view, though
disappointingly from that of the spectators, the piebald animal had not
been trained to circus tricks, and only quietly ambled along for a few
yards, during which time the cameras came into full play. After The
Saint had been persuaded to dismount, and the horses were harnessed up,
an onward move was made, and it was not long before we met our host for
the day. He had ridden to the furthest outposts of his section to join
us, and under his guidance we were conducted to two or three spots,
where The Instigator inspected rodeos of animals in his charge.
We arrived at the Section house of Polvareda about midday, and found
that our host had prepared an alarmingly sumptuous repast for his influx
of visitors: as course followed course, roast ducks dodged the turkey,
and were pursued by plum pudding, etc., we began to wonder if our host
thought that meal would have to last us for the fortnight of our trip.
But we discovered that he came from the West of England, and had not
forgotten the ideas of hospitality current in that part of the world.
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