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. In happy far-away land . with dust, which stuck fastto his wet clothing, he mounted Dapple-Gray and jogged on once more. The sun was now so high that his shadow fell straight to the north, andby that he knew that it was noon. Half the day gone, said he, and I have done nothing worthy of aKings knight. The words were scarcely out of his mouth when he was forced to dis-mount again, for there by the side of the road sat a little girl, and she wascrying bitterly. When Tom asked her what the trouble was, she answeredthat she had been to the village on an errand for her mother, and that on herway
. In happy far-away land . with dust, which stuck fastto his wet clothing, he mounted Dapple-Gray and jogged on once more. The sun was now so high that his shadow fell straight to the north, andby that he knew that it was noon. Half the day gone, said he, and I have done nothing worthy of aKings knight. The words were scarcely out of his mouth when he was forced to dis-mount again, for there by the side of the road sat a little girl, and she wascrying bitterly. When Tom asked her what the trouble was, she answeredthat she had been to the village on an errand for her mother, and that on herway home she had tried to shorten her walk by going through the woods, where she had lost her way. I am too tired to walk any farther, she said, and I know my mothermust already be muchfrightened because I have o not come home. I do not know what to do. I will takeyou to yourhome, my littlelady, said Tom,and lifting herin his strongarms he set heron Dapple-Grays little ponystood veryquietly until shewas seated firmly. 50 THE WHITE KNIGHT in the saddle, and then he walked on so gently and so carefully that the littlegirl laughed and clapped her hands with delight. Tom led him by the bridle,and together they walked through the forest and back to the village, wherethe little girl was able to point out the way to her home. He set her downat her door, and without waiting to receive the thanks of her grateful mother,mounted his faithful pony and cantered back to the dusty highway. The afternoon was now half gone, and still Tom had met with neitherdragons nor robbers. He felt that he had done nothing to deserve the Kingspraise, but he hoped still for a chance to prove himself worthy knighthood. Once more he stopped, and this time to let Dapple-Gray nibble a littleof the fresh grass which grew at the edge of the highway, for he could notthink of letting his pony go hungry, even if he never became a knight. As Dapple-Gray grazed, Tom noticed that some one had thrown sticksand stone
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidinhappyfaraw, bookyear1902