Then he took hold of the halter and led the Black toward the door. The policeman moved to one side. The stallion reared again when he again saw the lights and the crowd. Alec quickly turned him and went back to the stall.

The officer spoke up, “Take off your sweater, kid, and blindfold him.”

“Good idea.” Quickly he drew off his sweater. He led the stallion to a box, and stepped on it so as to reach his eyes. He folded the sweater and placed it across them, tying it in the back. The stallion jerked his head and tried to toss it off. He half-reared. Alec’s assuring hand and voice calmed him down.

Once again he led him toward the door. When they appeared in the doorway, the crowd shouted. Carefully Alec led the stallion down the plank. He saw the stallion’s ears prick forward and then go flat back against his head. His breathing became heavier. He shook his head and half-reared again. Alec glanced below; it seemed that thousands of upturned faces were watching them.

Halfway down, the Black again reared into the air. Once again Alec felt himself start to leave the gangplank. He let the rope slide through his hands. The stallion went high and then descended. Alec dodged the front hoofs. White-faced, he led the Black down. A few more feet and they were on the dock. The crowd shoved aside quickly to get out of the stallion’s path.

The Black made a beautiful sight. He moved lightly on his feet; he tossed his head trying to rid himself of the blindfold; his mane waved in the wind. Alec’s white sweater across his eyes made a sharp contrast against his coal-black body. “He’s getting used to the noises,” thought Alec, but he never relaxed his hold on the stallion.

Suddenly he heard his father’s voice. “Alec, Alec—here we are!” He turned, saw his mother and father standing on the edge of the crowd—Dad just as tall and thin as ever, Mother just as short and plump. Their faces were as white as the sweater across the Black’s eyes. Alec moved toward them, then he remembered the stallion. He saw his mother grip his father’s arm. He stopped a short distance away from them.

“Hello, Mother and Dad!” was all he said, though his heart was full. He could see his mother had been crying. Grasping the end of the rope so as to keep hold of the Black, Alec ran up to her, threw his arms around both of them.

“It’s good to see you, Alec,” his father said after a few minutes.

“It’s good to be home,” answered Alec. His mother smiled.

The Black moved restlessly beside him. Alec looked at him, then at his parents. “He’s mine,” he said proudly.

“I was afraid of that,” said his father. His mother was too astonished to say anything. He saw his father’s eyes going over the stallion. He had done a lot of riding in his day and it was from him that Alec, even as a small child, had learned to love horses. He said nothing, but Alec could tell that he was admiring the Black.