The stallion neighed, and Alec said, “We’re getting off now, boy.”

He had untied the Black when Henry reappeared at the back of the van. “Okay, Alec,” the trainer said. “They’re ready for him.”

Alec turned the stallion carefully, talking to him all the while. The Black stopped at the ramp, his eyes shifting to the long field opposite the barn doors. One of the other stallions neighed; the Black’s ears pitched forward and he whistled.

When Alec stepped onto the ramp the stallion followed him down and onto the ground with no hesitation. The Black moved quickly about and his gaze turned again to the field; the gate was open, but the stallion made no attempt to pull away from Alec when the boy led him toward the barn.

“Take him all the way down to the end stall on your left,” the veterinarian told Alec when the boy reached him; then, turning to Henry, he added, “Put Satan two stalls up from him, Mr. Dailey, if you will. We’re keeping an empty stall between the horses, but all of them are to go on this one side of the barn.”

Alec walked the Black down the long corridor, and the stallion’s hoofs beat rhythmically on the wooden flooring. The box stalls were high and closed above with a heavy wire screen. The stallion stopped before his stall, but Alec turned him in a circle, then led him inside.

As he shut the door behind them Satan entered the barn, walking beside Henry. The burly black colt swept his ears back when the Black screamed at him. Satan moved restlessly but continued following Henry. Alec was going to him when Henry said, “Better stay away, Alec. The Black won’t like it any.”

Henry had Satan in his stall when Phar Fly entered the barn, followed closely by Avenger, Cavaliere, Sea King and Kashmir.

When they were all inside their stalls the Black was still screaming his challenging blasts. And his eyes blazed fiercely through the wire mesh as he looked up the row at the other stallions.

“He ought to get used to having them around, now,” Henry said. “He’s not going to have anything else to look at for a long while.”

“What difference does it make now?” Alec asked bitterly.

But Henry didn’t answer.

Jim Neville left the group of reporters gathered about the State Veterinarian and walked over to them. “I’m sorry,” he told Alec. “I feel partly responsible for the Black’s being here. I haven’t forgotten the talk we had, Alec.”

“It was my decision to make,” Alec said, walking away. “I’m the only one responsible for anything that happens.”

The boy went outside the barn, his eyes following the white fence of the field beyond, noting that it extended all along the edges of the forest. “They won’t even be able to get out there,” he said bitterly. “They can’t even eat off the same ground.”

He had been standing there many minutes when a small coupe came down the road. He watched it as it drew closer. Then suddenly he burst into a run.

His father sat behind the wheel of the car, and beside him was Tony!

Reaching the car, Alec jumped into it, and his father’s hand clasped his arm. “We got to the inn early and found out how to get here,” Mr. Ramsay said.

Tony was first out of the car. “I come when your father tell me this-a terrible thing, Aleec,” he said sadly. “I no can work, so I come.”

“It was good of you, Tony,” Alec said. Then, nodding toward the barn, he added, “They’re all in there … Henry, too.”

“You coming?” his father asked when he and Tony started for the barn without Alec.

“I think I’ll stay here, Dad. Henry will tell you everything we know.”

Alec walked up the road and didn’t return to the barn until he saw the State Veterinarian appear at the door, with the trainers gathered about him.