112 IX THE RIDING-SCHOOL. 



to your delight that you may begin to ride with 

 five or six other pupils on the next stroke of 

 the clock, and you hasten to array yourself, and 

 come forth just in time to see another class, a 

 long line of pretty girls, making its closing 

 rounds, the leader sitting with exquisitely bal- 

 anced poise, which seems perfectly careless, but 

 is the result of years of training and practice ; 

 others following her with somewhat less grace, 

 but still accomplishing what even your slightly 

 taught vision perceives to be feats of manage- 

 ment far beyond you ; still others, one blushing 

 little girl with her hat slung on her arm, the 

 heavy coils of her hair falling below her waist ; 

 and an assistant master riding with the last 

 pupil, who is less skillful than the others, while 

 another master rides up and down the line or 

 stands still in the centre of the ring, criticising, 

 exhorting, praising, using sarcasm, entreaty and 

 sharp command, until the zeal and energy of all 

 Gaul seem centred in his speech. 



The clock strikes, and in a trice the whole 

 class is dismounted, and its members have 

 scampered away to make themselves present- 

 able for their journey home, and to you, await- 



