Old Captain and His Successor

Old Captain and His Successor

Captain is seriously injured when a drunk driver loses control of his wagon and Jerry's cab tips over. Although Jerry is not seriously injured, Captain is. Furious, Jerry rants about those who put others at risk with their drunkenness. Jerry admits he once drank heavily but broke himself of the habit with help from God and Polly Barker. In spite of Jerry's best efforts, however, Captain will never be right again. Jerry arranges for him to be shot dead to end his misery.

Jerry gets a new horse, Hotspur. Hotspur once belonged to a nobleman but injured himself after running away. Although perfectly healthy and strong, the horse now has scars that render him "no longer fit for a gentleman's stables." Hotspur thinks cab work is demeaning at first, but as he gets used to Jerry, Hotspur tells Black Beauty "an easy mouth and a free hand made up for a great deal." After a week, he adjusts well to life with Jerry and Beauty.