The Buller-Podington Compact by Frank Richard Stockton
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when Podington looked out over the surface of_the pond, now so near his face, it seemed like a sheet of water he had never seen before . it_was something horrible, threatening to rise and envelop him . he trembled so_that he_could scarcely keep his footing .

"William," said his companion, " you_must sit down; if_you don't, you'll tumble overboard and be drowned . there_is nothing for_you to hold to ."

" sit down," said Podington, gazing blankly at_the water around him, " I_can't do_that ! "

at_this moment the horse made a slight movement .Having touched bottom after his efforts in swimming across the main bed of_the stream, with afloating wagon in tow, he had stood for a few_moments, his head and neck well above water, and_his back barely visible beneath the surface .Having recovered his breath, he now thought it_was time to move on .

at_the first step of_the horse Mr Podington began to totter . instinctively he clutched Buller .

" sit down ! " cried the latter, " or you'll have us both overboard ." there_was no help for_it; down sat Mr Podington; and, as with a great splash he_came heavily upon_the seat, the water rose to_his waist .

"Ough ! " said he ."Thomas, shout for help ."

" no use doing that," replied Buller, still standing on_his nautical legs; "I don't see anybody, and I don't see any boat . we'll get out all right . just you stick tight to_the thwart ."

" the what ? " feebly asked the other .

"Oh, the seat, I mean . we_can get to_the shore all right if_you steer the horse straight . head him more across the pond ."

" I_can't head him," cried Podington ." I_have dropped the reins ! "

" good gracious ! " cried Mr Buller, " that's bad . can't you steer him by shouting 'Gee' and 'Haw' ? "

" no," said Podington, " he isn't an ox; but perhaps I_can stop him ." and with as_much voice as he_could summon, he_called out: "Whoa ! " and_the horse stopped .

" if_you_can't steer him any_other way," said Buller, " we_must get the reins . lend me your whip ."

" I_have dropped that too," said Podington; " there it floats ."

"Oh, dear," said Buller, "I guess I'll have to dive for_them; if he were to run away, we_should_be in an awful fix ."

"Don't get out ! Don't get out ! " exclaimed Podington ." you_can reach over the dashboard ."

" as_that's under water," said Buller, " it_will_be the same thing as diving; but it's got to_be_done, and I'll try it .Don't you move now; I_am more used to water than you_are ."

Mr Buller took off his hat and asked his friend to hold it . he thought of_his watch and other contents of_his pockets, but there_was no place to_put them, so he_gave them no more consideration . then bravely getting on_his knees in_the water, he leaned over the dashboard, almost disappearing from sight . with_his disengaged hand Mr Podington grasped the submerged coat-tails of_his friend .

in a few seconds the upper part of Mr Buller rose from_the water . he_was dripping and puffing, and Mr Podington could_not but think what a difference it made in_the appearance of_his friend to_have his hair plastered close to_his head .

"I got hold of one_of_them," said the sputtering Buller, " but it_was fast to something and I couldn't get it loose ."

" was_it thick and wide ? " asked Podington .

" yes," was_the answer; " it did seem so ."

"Oh, that was a trace," said Podington; "I don't want that; the reins are thinner and lighter ."

" now I remember they_are," said Buller ."I'll go down again ."

again Mr Buller leaned over the dashboard, and this_time he remained down longer, and when he_came up he puffed and sputtered more than before .

" is_this it ? " said he, holding up a strip of wet leather .

" yes," said Podington, " you've got the reins ."

" well, take them, and steer . i_would_have found them sooner if his tail had_not got into my eyes . that long tail's floating down there and spreading itself out like a fan; it tangled itself all around my head . it would_have_been much easier if he had_been abob- tailed horse ."

" now then," said Podington, " take your hat, Thomas, and I'll try to drive ."

Mr Buller put on_his hat, which_was the only dry thing about him, and_the nervous Podington started the horse so suddenly that even the sea-legs of Buller were surprised, and he_came very near going backward into_the water; but recovering himself, he sat down .

"I don't wonder you_did_not like to do_this, William," said he ." wet as I_am, it's ghastly ! "

encouraged by his master's voice, and by_the feeling of_the familiar hand upon his bit, the horse moved bravely on .

but the bottom was very rough and uneven .Sometimes the wheels struck a large stone, terrifying Mr Buller, who thought they were going to upset; and sometimes they sank into soft mud, horrifying Mr Podington, who thought they were going to drown .

thus proceeding, they presented a strange sight . at first Mr Podington held his hands above the water as he drove, but he soon found this awkward, and dropped them to_their usual position, so_that nothing was visible above the water but the head and neck of a horse and_the heads and shoulders of two men .

now the submarine equipage came to a low place in_the bottom, and even Mr Buller shuddered as_the water rose to_his chin .Podington gave a howl of horror, and_the horse, with high, uplifted head, was obliged to swim . at_this moment a boy with a gun came strolling along the road, and hearing Mr Podington's cry, he cast his eyes over the water . instinctively he raised his weapon to_his shoulder, and then, in an instant, perceiving that_the objects he beheld were_not aquatic birds, he dropped his gun and ran yelling down the road toward the mill .

but the hollow in_the bottom was a narrow one, and when it_was passed the depth of_the water gradually decreased . the back of_the horse came into view, the dashboard became visible, and_the bodies and_the spirits of_the two men rapidly rose . now there_was vigorous splashing and tugging, and then a jet black horse, shining as_if he had_been newly varnished, pulled adripping wagon containing two well- soaked men upon ashelving shore .

"Oh, I_am chilled to_the bones ! " said Podington .

" i_should think so," replied his friend; " if_you_have got to_be wet, it_is a great deal pleasanter under the water ."

there_was a field- road on_this side of_the pond which Podington well knew, and proceeding along_this they came to_the bridge and got into_the main road .

" now we_must get home as fast as_we_can," cried Podington, " or we_shall both take cold . i_wish I hadn't lost my whip .Hi now ! get along ! "

Podington was now full of life and energy, his wheels were on_the hard road, and he_was himself again .

when he_found his head was turned toward his home, the horse set off at a great rate .

"Hi there ! " cried Podington ." I_am so sorry I lost my whip ."

" whip ! " said Buller, holding fast to_the side of_the seat; " surely you don't want him to_go any faster than this . and look here, William," he added, " it seems to_me we_are much more likely to_take cold in_our wet clothes if_we rush through_the air in_this_way . really, it seems to_me that horse is running away ."

" not a bit of it," cried Podington ." he_wants to_get home, and he_wants his dinner .Isn't he a fine horse ? look how he steps out ! "

"Steps out ! " said Buller, " i_think I'd like to step out myself .Don't you_think it would_be wiser for_me to walk home, William ? that_will warm me up ."

" it_will take you an hour," said his friend ." stay where you_are, and I'll have_you in a dry suit of clothes in less_than fifteen minutes ."

"I tell you, William," said Mr Buller, as_the two sat smoking after dinner, " what you ought to_do; you_should never go out driving without a life- preserver and a pair of oars; I always take them . it would make you feel safer ."

Mr Buller went home the next_day, because Mr Podington's clothes did_not fit him, and_his own outdoor suit was so shrunken as to_be uncomfortable . besides, there_was another reason, connected with_the desire of horses to reach their homes, which prompted his return . but he had_not forgotten his compact with_his friend, and in_the course of a week he wrote to Podington, inviting him to_spend some days with_him .Mr Podington was a man of honor, and in_spite of_his recent unfortunate water experience he_would_not break his word . he went to Mr Buller's seaside home at_the_time appointed .

early on_the morning after his arrival, before_the family were up, Mr Podington went out and strolled down to_the edge of_the bay . he went to look at Buller's boat . he_was well aware that he_would_be asked to_take a sail, and as Buller had driven with_him, it would_be impossible for him to decline sailing with Buller; but he_must see the boat . there_was a train for_his home at a quarter past seven; if he were_not on_the premises he_could_not be asked to sail . if Buller's boat were a little, flimsy thing, he_would take that train-- but he_would wait and_see .

there_was only_one small boat anchored near the beach, and a man--apparently a fisherman-- informed Mr Podington that_it belonged to Mr Buller .Podington looked at it eagerly; it_was not very_small and not flimsy .

" do_you consider that a safe boat ? " he asked the fisherman .

" safe ? " replied the man ." you_could_not upset her if_you tried . look at her breadth of beam ! you_could go anywhere in_that boat ! are_you thinking of buying her ? "

the idea that he_would think of buying a boat made Mr Podington laugh . the information that_it would_be impossible to upset the little vessel had greatly cheered him, and he_could laugh .

shortly after breakfast Mr Buller, like a nurse with a dose of medicine, came to Mr Podington with_the expected invitation to_take a sail .

" now, William," said his host, "I understand perfectly your feeling about boats, and what i_wish to_prove to_you is that_it_is afeeling without any foundation .I don't want to shock you or make you nervous, so I_am not going to_take you out today on_the bay in my boat . you_are as safe on_the bay as_you_would_be on land--a little safer, perhaps, under certain circumstances, to_which we_will_not allude-- but still it_is sometimes a little rough, and this, at first, might cause you some uneasiness, and so I_am going to let you begin your education in_the sailing line on perfectly smooth water . about three miles back of us there_is a very pretty lake several miles long . it_is part of_the canal system which connects the town with_the railroad . I_have sent my boat to_the town, and we_can walk up there and go by_the canal to_the lake; it_is only about three miles ."

if he had to sail at all, this kind of sailing suited Mr Podington .a canal, a quiet lake, and a boat which could_not_be upset . when_they reached the town the boat was in_the canal, ready for_them .

" now," said Mr Buller, " you get in and make yourself comfortable . my idea is to hitch on to a canal- boat and be towed to_the lake . the boats generally start about_this_time in_the morning, and_I_will go and_see about_it ."

Mr Podington, under the direction of_his friend, took a seat in_the stern of_the sailboat, and then he remarked:

"Thomas, have_you a life- preserver on board ? you_know I_am not used to any kind of vessel, and I_am clumsy . nothing might happen to_the boat, but I_might trip and fall overboard, and I_can't swim ."

" all right," said Buller; " here's a life- preserver, and you_can put it on . i_want you to_feel perfectly safe . now i_will go and_see about_the tow ."

but Mr Buller found that_the canal-boats would_not start at their usual time; the loading of one_of_them was not finished, and he_was informed that he_might_have to wait for an hour or more . this_did_not suit Mr Buller at all, and he_did_not hesitate to show his annoyance .

"I tell you, sir, what you_can do," said one_of_the men in charge of_the boats; " if_you don't want to wait till we_are ready to start, we'll let you_have a boy and a horse to tow you up_to_the lake . that won't cost you much, and_they'll be back before we_want 'em ."

the bargain was_made, and Mr Buller joyfully returned to_his boat with_the intelligence that_they were_not to wait for_the canal-boats .a long rope, with a horse attached to_the other end of it, was speedily made fast to_the boat, and with a boy at_the head of_the horse, they started up the canal .

" now this_is_the kind of sailing I like," said Mr Podington ." if I lived near a canal I believe i_would buy a boat and train my horse to tow . I_could_have a long pair of rope-lines and drive him myself; then when_the roads were rough and bad the canal would always be smooth ."

" this_is all very nice," replied Mr Buller, who sat by_the tiller to_keep the boat away from_the bank, " and I_am glad_to_see you in a boat under any circumstances . do_you_know, William, that although I_did_not plan it, there could_not have_been a better way to_begin your sailing education . here we glide along, slowly and gently, with no possible thought of danger, for if_the boat should suddenly spring a leak, as_if it were the body of a wagon, all we_would_have to_do would_be to step on shore, and by_the_time you get to_the end of_the

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