‘I want you to have the horse,’ Neil said.
‘What!’ shouted the boy in amazement.
‘Yes. It’s yours,’ said Neil, feeling secretly very pleased and happy he was able to do this.
Everyone was crowding round now, talking at once, patting the horse, admiring it, teasing the boy, slapping the boy’s father on the back. Thorfinn’s mother burst into tears and wiped her nose on her apron.
‘You have been like my own son,’ she wept, ‘and now you have done this!’
She reached up and he leant down, and flushing scarlet, suffered her to give him a hug in front of all those people.
Embarrassed to take any more gratitude he waved goodbye and moved off.
Thorfinn climbed immediately on to his new horse and with a great shout of glee galloped away down the road and back again. He reined up beside Neil an
