The Life of a Great Sportsman 



his mouth, caused by Maunsell seizing the reins, was a dis- 

 quieting experience for any animal young or old with the 

 natural spirit of a well-bred and well-fed horse. But that 

 special Providence which watches over children, sailors, and 

 those who have dined " not wisely but too well " saved us, 

 and as my brothers fell to fighting over which should have the 

 reins, I, like the fox in the fable, secured them as they were 

 falling to the ground, and pending the end of the quarrel 

 assumed the ribbons, which I held to the right of the com- 

 batants, and to the right of the phaeton. 



Many thousand times have I driven since then in later life, 

 but for variety, excitement, and no doubt considerable danger, 

 though I thought nothing of that at the time, commend me to 

 that particular drive. 



For four miles we proceeded in this fashion, neither boy 

 mastering the other sufficiently to get possession of the reins 

 again. At it they went as hard as they could go, swaying this 

 way and that in their seats, arms working, legs working, but 

 so evenly were they matched, that luckily for them, for me, 

 and for the black horse, neither got in a knock-out blow. My 

 only fear was that the gate of our homestead would be shut, 

 and then I did not know what on earth could be done, or how I 

 should land my fighting passengers, for I could not leave the 

 horse to get down or stay the combatants for a moment. 



Luckily it had been thrown open by loving hands to 

 welcome we three delightful specimens of humanity, and I 

 turned in and drew up to the side door in fine style, and with 

 much empressement. I even remember turning the horse round 

 to face the stables, as we had been taught was the correct way 

 of driving up to the house. And still the boys in the carriage, 

 even when I pulled up, were at fisticuffs as hard as they could 

 fight, although our Mother and Grandmother were standing at 



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