When Wednesday came, all three of us were taken to the riding-school. We entered by a large porch, and from the large porch went to a smaller one. Beyond the porch was a very large room: instead of a floor it had sand. And in this room were gentlemen and ladies and just such boys as we. That was the riding-school. The riding-school was not very light, and there was a smell of horses, and you could hear them snap whips and call to the horses, and the horses strike their hoofs against the wooden walls. At first I was frightened and could not see things well. Then our valet called the riding-master, and said: "Give these boys some horses: they are going to learn how to ride." The master said: "All right!" Then he looked at me, and said: "He is very small, yet." But the valet said: "He promised not to cry when he falls down." The master laughed and went away. Then they brought three saddled horses, and we took off our cloaks and walked down a staircase to the riding-school. The master was holding a horse by a cord, and my brothers rode around him. At first they rode at a slow pace, and later at a trot. Then they brought a pony. It was a red horse, and his tail was cut off. He was called Ruddy. The master laughed, and said to me: "Well, young gentleman, get on your horse!" I was both happy and afraid, and tried to act in such a manner as not to be noticed by anybody. For a long time I tried to get my foot into the stirrup, but could not do it because I was too small. Then the master raised me up in his hands and put me on the saddle. He said: "The young master is not heavy,--about two pounds in weight, that is all." At first he held me by my hand, but I saw that my brothers were not held, and so I begged him to let go of me. He said: "Are you not afraid?" I was very much afraid, but I said that I was not. I was so much afraid because Ruddy kept dropping his ears. I thought he was angry at me. The master said: "Look out, don't fall down!" and let go of me. At first Ruddy went at a slow pace, and I sat up straight. But the saddle was sleek, and I was afraid I would slip off. The master asked me: "Well, are you fast in the saddle?" I said: "Yes, I am." "If so, go at a slow trot!" and the master clicked his tongue. Ruddy started at a slow trot, and began to jog me. But I kept silent, and tried not to slip to one side. The master praised me: "Oh, a fine young gentleman, indeed!" I was very glad to hear it. Just then the master's friend went up to him and began to talk with him, and the master stopped looking at me.