me it would be all right. We were in a shipwreck and—”
“Oh, you’re the one,” interrupted the officer. “We’ve received orders about you. You’re to gothrough.” He smiled. “You’ve certainly had a tough enough trip as it is without our making it any tougher.” He turned to the inspector, who had his trouser rolled up and was washing his leg. “How’s the leg, Sandy?” he asked.
“It’s okay, I guess, sir—but that horse is the wildest one I’ve seen around here in fourteen years!” he answered.
“And I think the best, too!” The officer smiled. He turned to Alec. “You must have quite a story, son—shipwrecked, and turning up with an animal like this.”
“It is, sir. We were both on the
Drake
when it went down, and from what I’ve heard we’re the only survivors.” He paused. “It’s a pretty long story, sir.” He turned to the stallion. “How about it, fella?” The Black snorted.
With a clean bill of health, the ship left Quarantine and steamed through the Narrows into the harbor. Alec eagerly peered through the porthole beside the Black’s stall. His throat tightened as the skyline rose before him. Here he was back home again! How differently he had left it five months ago—it seemed more like five years!
Alec felt the Black’s heavy breathing on his arm. He turned and ran his hand across the tender nostrils. “Well, Black,” he said, “we’re home!”
He could see the two small tugs effortlessly pushing the big freighter. The buildings climbed higher and higher into the sky. A large liner, ocean-bound, passed them—its stacks belching white smoke into the heavens. Tankers and flatboats loaded with railroad cars crept past. In the distance Alec saw the Statue of Liberty.His eyes filled with tears. What was the matter with him? He was too old to become emotional. But his throat tightened and he swallowed hard as they neared the symbol of freedom and home!
An electric ferry plowed through the water beside the ship, its decks crowded with people. The sun was sinking behind the buildings on the Jersey shore. The Black sniffed at Alec’s hand. He turned and smiled. “Only a few more minutes, Black,” he said. He reached in his pocket and pulled out two lumps of sugar and a radiogram. The stallion took the sugar from his hand. Alec opened the yellow piece of paper, and read it once again: “Will be at pier. Can hardly wait. Love. Mother and Dad.”
The steamer was now opposite Brooklyn, where it was to dock. The tugboats swung the ship around and headed toward the shore. The hold was filled with noise as the crew prepared to unload the ship. The Black became uneasy.
Then the boat slid up beside the dock. Alec heard the bumping of the boat against the dock. A few minutes later the hold doors were thrown open.
The crew began to unload the horses. Because of the Black’s reputation, they made him wait until all the others were off. Then one of the crew signaled to him. “Okay,” he said. Alec smiled as he saw him move quickly away out of the way.
Alec led the Black out of his stall, his hand tight on the lead rope. The stallion’s head rose high; he knew that something unusual was going to happen. Lightly he pranced toward the door. The pier was crowded with people. Dusk had fallen and the lights were on.The Black snorted; he had never seen anything like this. He reared, but Alec brought him down. It was a cool fall night. A breeze blew in through the open door, whipping his mane. His large eyes moved nervously, and he uttered a short, sharp whistle. He shook his head and screamed louder.
Sudden silence fell upon the dock, and all eyes turned toward the Black as he stood in the doorway. Slowly Alec led him down the gangplank. He felt the stallion’s black body tremble as the city noises became louder now that the pier was quiet. Halfway down, the Black suddenly went high into the air. Alec brought him down. Three of the crew started up the gangplank to help. The
“Oh, you’re the one,” interrupted the officer. “We’ve received orders about you. You’re to gothrough.” He smiled. “You’ve certainly had a tough enough trip as it is without our making it any tougher.” He turned to the inspector, who had his trouser rolled up and was washing his leg. “How’s the leg, Sandy?” he asked.
“It’s okay, I guess, sir—but that horse is the wildest one I’ve seen around here in fourteen years!” he answered.
“And I think the best, too!” The officer smiled. He turned to Alec. “You must have quite a story, son—shipwrecked, and turning up with an animal like this.”
“It is, sir. We were both on the
Drake
when it went down, and from what I’ve heard we’re the only survivors.” He paused. “It’s a pretty long story, sir.” He turned to the stallion. “How about it, fella?” The Black snorted.
With a clean bill of health, the ship left Quarantine and steamed through the Narrows into the harbor. Alec eagerly peered through the porthole beside the Black’s stall. His throat tightened as the skyline rose before him. Here he was back home again! How differently he had left it five months ago—it seemed more like five years!
Alec felt the Black’s heavy breathing on his arm. He turned and ran his hand across the tender nostrils. “Well, Black,” he said, “we’re home!”
He could see the two small tugs effortlessly pushing the big freighter. The buildings climbed higher and higher into the sky. A large liner, ocean-bound, passed them—its stacks belching white smoke into the heavens. Tankers and flatboats loaded with railroad cars crept past. In the distance Alec saw the Statue of Liberty.His eyes filled with tears. What was the matter with him? He was too old to become emotional. But his throat tightened and he swallowed hard as they neared the symbol of freedom and home!
An electric ferry plowed through the water beside the ship, its decks crowded with people. The sun was sinking behind the buildings on the Jersey shore. The Black sniffed at Alec’s hand. He turned and smiled. “Only a few more minutes, Black,” he said. He reached in his pocket and pulled out two lumps of sugar and a radiogram. The stallion took the sugar from his hand. Alec opened the yellow piece of paper, and read it once again: “Will be at pier. Can hardly wait. Love. Mother and Dad.”
The steamer was now opposite Brooklyn, where it was to dock. The tugboats swung the ship around and headed toward the shore. The hold was filled with noise as the crew prepared to unload the ship. The Black became uneasy.
Then the boat slid up beside the dock. Alec heard the bumping of the boat against the dock. A few minutes later the hold doors were thrown open.
The crew began to unload the horses. Because of the Black’s reputation, they made him wait until all the others were off. Then one of the crew signaled to him. “Okay,” he said. Alec smiled as he saw him move quickly away out of the way.
Alec led the Black out of his stall, his hand tight on the lead rope. The stallion’s head rose high; he knew that something unusual was going to happen. Lightly he pranced toward the door. The pier was crowded with people. Dusk had fallen and the lights were on.The Black snorted; he had never seen anything like this. He reared, but Alec brought him down. It was a cool fall night. A breeze blew in through the open door, whipping his mane. His large eyes moved nervously, and he uttered a short, sharp whistle. He shook his head and screamed louder.
Sudden silence fell upon the dock, and all eyes turned toward the Black as he stood in the doorway. Slowly Alec led him down the gangplank. He felt the stallion’s black body tremble as the city noises became louder now that the pier was quiet. Halfway down, the Black suddenly went high into the air. Alec brought him down. Three of the crew started up the gangplank to help. The
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