From legendary short seller to god of American capital

Chapter 187 Riding a Horse and Getting a Sweat

Chapter 187 Riding a Horse and Getting a Sweat

At 6:40 a.m. on Sunday morning, the train, trailing a long plume of white steam, slowly pulled up to the platform at Holliston town's train station.

Larry has been on the train for 18 hours, hasn't eaten or slept well, and is now walking unsteadily.

Mr. Dunbar carried both of their luggage and Larry's small suitcase containing the tickets in his hands, but he was still full of energy and walked briskly.

"Young man, you should be at an age full of youthful exuberance and jealousy, how did staying up all night turn you into this?"

Larry paused for a moment, then realized that Mr. Dunbar's so-called "age full of urine and vinegar" was an American slang term used to describe a boy who was energetic and full of vitality.

Another version says it "is full of beans," but Larry isn't sure what that means either.

Larry smiled at Dunbar and then said, "Maybe I haven't had any systematic sports training, which means I'm not used to being a big, strong person."

Mr. Dunbar raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm good at this. You really should train yourself if you have the chance. Also, don't smoke so many cigars."

Larry nodded and smiled, "You're right!"

After spending these days with Dunbar, Larry felt more and more that the man's personality was quite compatible with his own.

Mr. Dunbar was very discreet, not one to talk too much or cause trouble, but when performing his duties, he sometimes seemed slow and deliberate, but his eyes were always alertly looking around.

This could be a soldier's intuition, or a habit he developed after encountering a tragedy with the Native Americans.

Dunbar's feeling is different from Mr. K's. The latter can also be alert to sudden dangers or changes, but it is more like neuroticism; while Mr. Dunbar has a kind of intuitive focus and a sense of composure that is ready for everything.

It looks like a well-worn, hidden-blade military knife.

As the two exited the train station, they looked out by the gas lamps at the station entrance. In the April weather, the morning mist was almost dissipating, and many pedestrians had already appeared on the streets of Holliston.

Larry looked around and finally found a coffee shop selling breakfast in the town.

Holliston is a small town with a small population, most of whom are engaged in agriculture, so it has no strong commercial atmosphere.

The two sat down, and Larry immediately called the cook behind the counter to bring coffee, bread, and fried eggs.

The cook was unusually robust, her arms thicker than Larry's thighs, and her bust and waist equally enormous. She carried two breakfast dishes, rudely placing the plates in front of them, and frowned as she spoke.

"That's 75 cents in total!"

Larry glanced at her, then took out a 75-cent coin and tossed it on the table.

The coffee was very hot, and the two of them weren't very hungry, just feeling sleepy. They took the opportunity to lean back in their chairs and let the coffee cool down slowly.

"You said your parents are in Oak Valley? That's 18 miles from here?" Mr. Dunbar asked.

"Yes, it takes two hours to walk there, but only an hour by carriage."

Mr. Dunbar frowned and said calmly, "Larry, that's your problem. To build a strong physique, you have to ride a horse, not a carriage."

"Horse riding?" Larry straightened up and asked casually. "Does horse riding help you exercise? I rarely ride horses. I only rode a horse for a short time when I went to Walden Pond, but that was with a farmer who rented the horses and led them. I didn't feel that horse riding helped me exercise at all."

Mr. Dunbar said casually, "I've heard that city people now exercise by pushing and pulling a lump of iron indoors, or running around in circles—what kind of work is that? It makes you feel like a mule pulling a millstone, so boring it can drive you crazy."

Modern fitness is already taking shape. Larry has seen people in New York and Boston start building gyms. What Mr. Dunbar was talking about, Larry has already seen in this era.

"But horseback riding is the best sport God ever created, no doubt about it!" Dunbar continued, "because it doesn't just train your muscles, it trains your whole being."

Larry nodded casually in agreement; he was still a bit sleepy and not very interested in what Mr. Dunbar had to say.

Mr. Dunbar frowned and stopped talking when he saw Dunbar's listless appearance.

The two began to eat breakfast. Larry sipped his coffee slowly and deliberately, while Dunbar quickly stuffed his own breakfast into his mouth before saying goodbye to Larry and telling him he was going out for a walk.

Larry watched Dunbar leave the coffee shop, then lowered his head and slowly ate his meal.

But after waiting for a full twenty minutes, and Larry had already had two more cups of coffee, Mr. Dunbar still hadn't returned.

Larry was a little confused, wondering if Mr. Dunbar would be in trouble.

Just as I was about to go out to take a look, I heard the sound of hooves outside the coffee shop, and a strong horse was already blocking the doorway.

"Larry, come out and see!" came Mr. Dunbar's voice from outside the door.

Larry paused for a moment, then walked out the door, only to see Dunbar riding a large chestnut horse with an undisguised smile on his face.

"Wow~~~ Where did this horse come from?" Larry looked at the huge horse, which was at least 17 hands tall at the shoulder, and took a half step back with a slight fear.

Dunbar chuckled and lifted the chestnut horse's forehead, revealing a white mark, and exclaimed, "Morning Star, a perfect Morgan horse, well-trained, steady and obedient. What do you think? Beautiful, isn't it?"

Larry nodded. The horse was indeed gentle and beautiful, standing there motionless as Dunbar stroked its forehead. It was clear that the horse was very well-behaved.

Dunbar dismounted, grabbed the reins, walked a few steps to Larry, placed the reins in Larry's hand, and said with a smile,

"This is a gift for you!"

Larry paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Don't joke around, Uncle Dunbar. Why would you give me a horse out of the blue? Besides, I don't even have time to ride one."

Dunbar smiled without saying a word, but glanced at the saddle, indicating that Larry should try it on.

Larry was genuinely surprised. He looked at the horse, then at Mr. Dunbar, and asked hesitantly, "You really bought a horse? In just twenty minutes?"

Dunbar nodded and said with a smile, "Buying a horse in America isn't much harder than buying a gun. Don't be fooled by the small size of this town; it still has horse markets and stables where horses are sold."

"Is this really a gift for me? Why?" Larry still asked.

Mr. Dunbar frowned, gave Larry a push, and said, "Enough talk, get on the horse, I'll teach you how to ride."

Urged on by the other party, Larry walked to the saddle, put one foot in the stirrup, and then mounted the horse.

Mr. Dunbar nodded and shouted, "Head up, chest out, shoulders, hips, and heels in a straight line, yes, just like that!"

Dunbar then began to loudly instruct Larry on the essentials of riding a horse, how to control the reins, and how to urge the horse forward and backward.

As Larry sat on his horse, correcting his movements according to Mr. Dunbar's instructions, he finally accepted the fact that Dunbar had indeed bought him a horse and was going to personally teach him how to ride.

What do you mean? The bodyguard gave his master a horse?

Isn't this equivalent to a Didi driver giving their employer a bicycle?

Larry was not offended by the other party's good intentions or the somewhat forced riding lesson.

As Larry spent more time with him, he realized that when this weathered man was kind to others, it was from the bottom of his heart.

Moreover, as Dunbar's instruction gradually improved, Larry also began to grasp the intricacies of riding. With the youthful energy surging, the drowsiness that had been lingering in his body vanished.

Dunbar watched as Larry gradually got used to controlling the horse, and could even ride it slowly through the town's streets. He nodded with satisfaction, then casually pulled out his pistol, pointed it at a man stealing luggage in the café, and said...

"If you dare touch that suitcase again, I'll fucking smash your head in!"

The man in the shop was startled, then saw the dark muzzle of a gun pointed directly at him. Startled, he quickly took a few steps back and whispered his protest.

"No, sir, you've misunderstood..."

Dunbar glanced at him and snapped, "Get lost! I'm in a good mood today, don't let me see you again."

The man quickly ran out of the shop and slipped away along the eaves...

Dunbar followed the man's movements until he disappeared around the street corner, then put the Colt 1873 Peacemaker back into its holster.

Larry was so engrossed in the novelty of riding a horse for the first time that he didn't notice what was happening at the café. He simply held the reins and rode back to the café entrance.

"Uncle Dunbar, you're right, riding a horse really feels great!" Larry said with a smile.

Dunbar smiled, took a few steps forward, patted the horse's neck, and looked up at Larry.

"It can give you a good physique. Look at your posture. In order to sit steadily, you have to tense up the muscles from your neck to your ankles and learn to use your strength. It gives you iron legs, rock-hard arms, and a body that won't fall apart no matter how much you bounce around."

Larry nodded, casually stroking the horse's mane. "You mean, we're going to ride to Oak Valley?"

"Yes! Wait for me." Mr. Dunbar went to the coffee shop, carried both of their luggage on his shoulders, picked up a small suitcase, and came out to Larry.

"Come on! By the time you get here, you'll have basically learned how to ride a horse."

Larry paused, then asked, "And what about you?"

Mr. Dunbar handed the small suitcase to Larry, smiling, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll be right there."

As he spoke, Dunbar strode toward the east of the town. A moment later, he returned riding a chestnut Morgan horse, carrying luggage on its back.

Larry clicked his tongue, thinking to himself that Mr. Dunbar had really spent a lot of money today; two adult Morgan horses would cost at least $260.

"Let's go to Oak Valley!" Mr. Dunbar stroked the chestnut horse beneath him and said with a smile, "I've had my eye on it for a while now. It's a nice horse, and not too old!"

The two rode side by side, Mr. Dunbar's horse slightly ahead, leading the chestnut horse.

Horses are social animals, and with Dunbar's horse by his side, Larry's horse felt more at ease and followed the chestnut horse along the way.

Dunbar demonstrated the correct operating procedures on horseback, and Larry imitated Mr. Dunbar's posture, the strength of the reins, and how to observe the horse's emotions and gait.

After leaving the town, the two gradually increased their speed, turning the horses from a slow trot to a trot. Once the speed increased, Mr. Dunbar maintained a steady pace, and if he saw Larry struggling, he would slow the horse down and explain the horsemanship techniques again.

After traveling for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, the two arrived at the Oak Valley farm.

When Larry arrived at the gate of his parents' farm, he was drenched in sweat, but all his fatigue had vanished.

"How does it feel?" Mr. Dunbar asked, pulling on the reins.

"I feel that horseback riding is a man's sport!" Larry replied with a laugh.

(End of this chapter)