“All right then, fifty guineas,” Mr Wiggins said rather testily. “Well, what about it, my lad?”
Suddenly Adam came to. “If Mr Sinclair thinks fifty guineas is a fair price, then it is. But before I agree to sell Haki I’d like to ask you a few questions, Mr Wiggins.”
“All right! What do you want to know?”
“Will Haki be well treated?”
“Yes, he will indeed.”
“Will he have a good home with you?”
Mr Wiggins looked a bit surprised. “He won’t exactly be living with me. I’ll be passing him on to someone else to look after, but I shall see him every day. I can assure you he’ll be well cared for.”
Adam summoned up courage to ask another question. “Who will have him, then?”
“Why, the circus, of course!”
“The circus!” It was Adam’s turn to look surprised.
“Yes. I thought you knew that I bought animals for my circus.”
“I didn’t have the chance to explain to Adam,” Mr Sinclair put in.
“And would Haki be trained for showing in a circus?” Adam asked.
“That’s the idea. Circus animals are very well treated indeed. Their training is done by kindness. It’s a mistaken idea that they’re trained by the whip. You wouldn’t get far that way with any animal.”
“I know that,” Adam replied.
“Well, are you willing to sell him?” Mr Wiggins sounded a bit impatient.
A wonderful idea suddenly struck Adam like a blinding light.
“Mr Wiggins, I’ll sell him to you if I can go with him. Can you give me a job at the circus too, so that I can be with Haki?”
The others stared at him. “Oh, come—” Mr Wiggins was beginning.
“Adam’s awfully good at training Haki,” Ian broke in. “He taught Haki how to march behind him when he played the bagpipes.”
Mr Wiggins looked doubtful.
“I’ve taught Haki other tricks as well,” Adam put in eagerly. “Watch this!” He turned to Haki. “Show your hooves! One!” Haki obediently held up his right forefoot. “Down!” Haki dropped the foot. “Two!” Up came the left forefoot! “Three!” The right hind foot was brought up. “Four!” Haki showed the left hind foot.
Mr Wiggins was impressed. “Pretty good! Anything else?” he asked.
“Lie down and go to sleep, Haki!”
Obediently Haki knelt down, rolled over and even shut his eyes!
Adam flicked one of his ears. “Get up, Haki!” Haki rose to his feet.
“If I’d known he could do all that I would have said his price should be higher,” Peter Sinclair said candidly.
“Of course, the trainers at the circus are experienced people,” Mr Wiggins pointed out.
“He’s not used to anyone else training him,” Adam put in quickly. “I could teach him lots more yet.”
“I might be willing to advance my offer to sixty pounds,” Mr Wiggins said.
Adam saw that Mr Wiggins wanted the colt very much. He turned stubborn and decided to press home his advantage.
“But I want a job, and I want my job to be with Haki. Mr Wiggins, I’d be willing to sell Haki to you for fifty pounds provided you take me on for a year at the circus too, to help to train him.”
“Well, Adam, you’d have to learn the tricks of the trade too. You’d be a kind of apprentice.” Mr Wiggins was weakening. After all, here was a chance to acquire a likely lad too. He decided to take a chance on it.
“I can’t offer you big money. You’re only a beginner, remember. Will you take fifty pounds for the animal and ten pounds a week pay? You’d have to be responsible for the grooming, exercise and feeding of your animal as well as showing him in the circus ring. And you’d have to lend a hand setting up and taking down the circus when we’re on the road touring the towns. It’s not an easy life.”
“It would suit me all right,” Adam declared. “I’ve not been brought up soft.”
“Are you willing to settle for the amount I offered, then?”
There was a streak of caution and foresight in Adam where Haki was concerned. If he sold Haki outright the colt would belong to Mr Wiggins and they could be separated.
“I’ll agree if you promise to keep me on for twelve months, and if I can have the right to buy back Haki for fifty pounds before or by the end of that time. Oh, and you would have to pay my fare to England because I haven’t got any money.”
Mr Wiggins reflected. The circus was a life where one took chances, and after all this was not too big a venture. He had taken bigger chances with elephants and their trainers. If at the end of twelve months Adam was not suited to the circus, as least they’d had his services as a groom and a handyman. As for the promise to redeem his pony, one need not take that too seriously. Once a lad earned money, he soon spent it too. He couldn’t see Adam saving up fifty pounds even in a year, and even if he did pay it back, they would have had the animal’s services for nothing for a year. It was not too bad a bargain.
“Very well,” Mr Wiggins said at last. “I’ll agree. Fifty pounds down for Haki. You join the circus at ten pounds a week with the option of buying back your animal at what I gave for it within the next twelve months. It’s a deal.”
“It’s a deal,” Adam agreed. “Will you please put it in writing for Mr Sinclair here to witness it?”
“Well, my word is my bond, as Mr Sinclair will tell you, but come back with me to my hotel and we’ll put it in writing. For a lad who’s making his first business deal, you know what you’re about.”
They followed Mr Wiggins to his hotel in the centre of town. Ian held on to Haki while Adam and the two men went up to the lounge. There, on a big table under the window, Mr Wiggins wrote out the agreement.
They both signed it, Mr Sinclair as witness, then Mr Wiggins handed it to Adam. “There you are. You keep that. And now, you must have the pony ready down at the wharf to sail at five pm on the steamship.”
Adam had not realized they would leave so soon. There would be no time to go home to Scalloway and make the journey back again! No time for farewells! Adam was at the crossroads of his life. He hesitated.
“I did not know you would be going so soon. There will be no time for me to go home to tell my parents.”
“There’s no Sunday boat, so I must leave Shetland tonight to get to my circus. I can’t afford to waste time here. Come on, boy! You must make up your mind.”
Adam thought quickly. Sooner or later he would have to seek a job across the sea. This was the only job where he could be with Haki. Indeed, his job would be Haki! His father had told him he must sell the pony. He would go with him.
“I’ll come with you, Mr Wiggins.”
“Good!” Mr Wiggins was pleased at Adam’s quick decision. The circus had no room for wafflers. “Here is your fifty pounds.” Mr Wiggins counted it out in five pound notes. “Look out for me at the quay at half-past four. I’ll expect you to have the animal aboard by then.”
“I’ll do that,” Adam promised.
Adam felt a bit dazed when he rejoined Ian in the street.
“I’ve got to sail on the five o’clock boat!”
“Well, that’s quick work! Are you sure your father won’t be mad?” Ian asked.
“I’ve only done what he told me: sold the pony and got myself a job. Ian, will you go to my father and tell him what’s happened?”
“Aye, I’ll do that.”
“And will you give him the money for Haki?” Adam thrust the envelope containing the fifty pounds into Ian’s hands.
“I’ll take it straight to him on my way home. Any other messages?”
“Yes. Tell – tell my mother I’ll write to her.” Adam’s voice began to choke. “Tell her I’ll aye be writing every week and sending money to her.”
“Adam, should you not keep back part of Haki’s price? You’ll need clothes, and things like soap.”
“I’ve still got Haki’s prize money. I can manage on that till I draw my fir
st pay. I’ll see what clothes I need when I get to the circus. If I’m only to be mucking out stables and grooming, I’ll no’ be needing smart clothes.”
Mr Sinclair shook hands with Adam. “Well, good luck, Adam! Keep up with your piping. You’ve got the makings of a good piper. The best of luck! See you later, Ian!”
The boys went to the offices of the steamship company.
“Aye, we were told to expect you,” the clerk said. He made out a document and stamped it. “Take this along to the ship. It’s the Saint Rognvald lying at the Victoria Pier. Ask for the purser and he’ll send a man to show you where the pony is to be berthed.”
Already cargo was being loaded into the ship when they arrived. Adam went to seek the purser while Ian held Haki. He came back with a friendly seaman who said, “We can take your pony aboard now, son. Just bring him along to the gangway.”
A door in the hull of the ship was open and a gangway was laid from it to the quay.
“Come on, Haki!” Adam gave a gentle tug to the bridle. Haki hesitated and eyed the gangway and the water below it with suspicion. He was not very willing to tread on this strange contraption.
“Come on!” Adam gave a tug to the reins. Haki tried to back away.
Adam slackened his hold on the rein. “Very well!” he told Haki. “You can do what you like. I’m going aboard.”
Haki watched Adam step on the gangway. Adam did not look back at him. He just strode straight ahead. Haki was seized by a panic lest Adam should go away and leave him behind. He hardly needed Ian’s slap on his flanks. He gave one look at Adam’s back and obediently trotted up the gangway after him. Another stride or two and he was aboard the ship!
The seaman led them along a passage to a number of stable-like pens, each big enough to take one animal. “This is yours,” he told Adam.
It was a clean, well-ventilated pen with straw bedding.
“See your pony bedded down, then if you go up that companionway at the end of the passage” – he pointed to some stairs – “you’ll find a steward who’ll show you to your cabin.”
“Cabin?” Adam was surprised. “Can’t I stay here with my pony?”
The seaman looked astonished. “Stay if you like, but you’ll not find it very comfortable. You’d be better in your cabin. You could keep coming down to look at him.”
“I’ll see him settled first and give him a feed,” Adam decided.
Ian looked at his watch. “It’s nearly four o’clock, Adam. D’you mind if I slip into the town for a few minutes? I’ve got to go to a shop?”
“Right! I’ll stay here with Haki.”
It was not long before Ian was back with an armful of small parcels.
“I’ve brought you some chocolate. There’s not been much time for a meal today. And here’s half a pound of sugar for Haki and some apples.”
“That’s mighty kind of you, Ian!”
“Oh, and here’s something I thought you might need,” Ian said awkwardly.
Adam unwrapped it. It was a small plastic writing case containing a writing pad and envelopes and a ballpoint pen. Adam knew it must have taken most of Ian’s pocket money.
“Just so you could write to your folks, you know! I knew you wouldn’t be carrying writing materials around,” Ian excused his own generosity. “I stuck a wee book of stamps inside too. It’s not always easy to get stamps just when you want them.”
“Ian, I–I– thanks a lot!” Adam stammered. “I–I’ve got nothing to give you in return.”
“Och, forget it! Just be sending me a line now and again.”
“I’ll do that. Listen, Ian! Will you keep my little silver cup? I don’t want to take it with me.”
“Right, I will, Adam. Let me know how Haki’s getting on at the circus and I’ll let you know that your silver cup is being polished.”
A couple of other ponies had come in to the next pens. Haki watched them suspiciously, keeping well to the faraway side of his own pen.
“Haki’s going to have to get used to a lot of different animals,” Adam said thoughtfully.
“Aye, and in a circus there’ll be some awful strangelike beasts,” Ian remarked. When he saw Adam’s look of misgiving he added hastily, “But Haki’s a well behaved pony. He’ll soon learn to get on with them.”
“I hope so,” Adam said doubtfully, conjuring up pictures of lions, tigers and elephants.
Ian looked at his watch. “It’s coming up towards five o’clock, Adam. Maybe I’d better go on deck to be ready to go down the gangway.
“I’ll come with you to the rail,” Adam said heavily.
Haki whinnied after them as they went towards the companionway.
“It’s all right, Haki. I’m coming back,” Adam told him. Ian turned back to Haki and stroked his head. He could not trust himself to speak. He followed Adam sadly up the stair.
At the gangway Ian turned, “Well, it’s goodbye now, Adam. It’ll seem strange in Scalloway this summer without you. You’ll mind and write now.”
“Aye, you can count on that.”
The two boys shook hands quickly.
“So long, Adam!”
“So long, Ian!”
The brief farewell hid their feelings. Once on the quay Ian turned and waved and Adam waved back. Adam watched Mr Wiggins coming towards the gangway, then he went below to Haki again.
A few minutes later the ship’s siren sounded the warning for all who were not passengers to go ashore. Haki started a little at the sound, but Adam’s hand at his shoulder soothed him. The ship’s motors began throbbing. Haki turned his head and looked at Adam.
“It’s all right, Haki. Lie down!”
Obediently the colt settled down in the straw. Adam sat down beside him. Once again the siren sounded. The gangways were hoisted. The motors increased their throbbing. Bells rang on the bridge.
Slowly the Saint Rognvald moved from the quayside into the Sound of Bressay. It was a quiet evening. The wind that so often blows in Shetland was just a gentle breeze. The sea rippled peacefully. Only the seabirds wheeled and screamed.
Haki grew used to the throb of the engines and relaxed in the straw. Adam gave him an apple and he munched it sleepily. He seemed lulled by the movement of the ship. Adam rose to his feet.
“I’ll be back soon, Haki,” he said.
The colt raised his head to watch him leave the pen, then lazily settled down to sleep. It had been a long, exciting day for him and he was glad now to be undisturbed.
Adam went on deck. The Sound was widening out now to the North Sea. Lerwick had dwindled to a mass of rooftops astern. For a short time the ship kept parallel with the coast, then she gradually altered course towards the south-east. Adam leaned on the rail and watched the land recede, his heart heavy, his mind a turmoil of thoughts. He looked at the little white-washed crofts, so like his own home. The Isle of Mousa merged with the mainland. The coast looked misty, dream-like, as though seen through a veil. The lace-like waves curled whitely round the feet of the great grey cliffs. It seemed as though the land was moving, wheeling away, and not the ship.
Adam watched the coast dwindle till it was a ragged black line of cliffs topped by the greens and browns of the moorland, a blur of pastel colours on the deeper blue of the sea.
“Goodbye, Shetland!” His lips framed the words silently. “Will I ever be back?”
For a moment he stood there, thinking of the croft below the hills above Scalloway; of Hecla, busy now with the next foal that was not his to train; of his father tending the sheep; of his mother knitting away patiently, knitting in every spare moment that poverty might not knock at their door. At the thought of her kind quiet face, the warm tears gushed into his eyes. He walked resolutely forward and stared at the far, mysterious horizon behind which lay his destination and his future.
Adam was following the path that so many sons of Shetland had had to take, ever since remembered time. To live and prosper they had to leave the islands. In all the countries of the world were Shetla
nd’s exiled children. Adam’s thoughts were those of the lads who for centuries had left the islands. There was one difference, though, Adam was taking Haki with him. With Haki was comfort and love. Adam turned away from the ship’s rail and went below to the little pony.
7. Arrival at the Circus
It was quite a comfortable voyage. Haki settled down well, contented that Adam was near him, and Adam shared his apples with the colt. Before he went to his cabin, though, he ran up on deck to see if he could still see the islands. They had vanished in the deep blue haze of the northern night. There was only the deeper blue of the sea around them. There was a smell of cigar smoke. Adam turned and saw Mr Wiggins at the rail.
“Taking a breather before you turn in? I didn’t see you at supper in the saloon,” Mr Wiggins remarked.
“I had mine beside Haki – the pony, you know. I didn’t want him to feel strange.”
“Very fond of that animal, aren’t you, boy?”
“Yes, Mr Wiggins.”
“That’s a good thing. A circus trainer needs to be on good terms with his animals. Now see your pony’s fed and watered and then get to your bed. I’ve no use for half-awake lads in the morning.”
Adam felt comforted by what Mr Wiggins had said. He slipped down to Haki. The little colt sleepily opened one eye, looked at Adam, then settled down again.
“I think it’s going to be all right, Haki,” Adam whispered. “We’ll both have to work hard and we’ll have to stick out lots of strange things, but we’ll get by.”
Adam was astonished at the comfort of his cabin, his bunk with a soft mattress, snowy white pillows and sheets. There was even a hand-basin with hot and cold water; Adam peeled off his jacket and turned on the hot water tap. After a good wash he settled into his bunk. He hardly seemed to have been asleep an hour when there was a tapping at the cabin door. He struggled back to consciousness and sat up.
“Yes. What is it?”
The door opened. It was a steward with a tray in his hand.
“Here’s your morning tea, laddie.”
“My morning tea!” Adam goggled at him. “Guid sakes! What time is it?”
Haki the Shetland Pony Page 6