THE LION OF THE DAY. 91 



" Tell me what my present is to be," said the child. 



"No, my dear, you must wait patiently till the basket 

 arrives." 



"Really, Mr. Conyers," exclaimed Mrs. Compton, "it is 

 very provoking to see how you spoil my children ; they 

 are quite unmanageable when you are here, and I really 

 think I must forbid you the house, or they will be entirely 

 ruined." 



" If indulgence is to cause this," returned Bob, " I think 

 their mamma will have much more to answer for than Bob 

 Conyers." 



" Well, Mr. Conyers, we are all now impatient to begin our 

 clay's sport, which we can see from the terrace ; so give a hint 

 to William Beauchamp, or these increasing new comers will 

 soon clear off our stock of old cherry brandy." 



" Thank you for the hint," replied Conyers, " as I have not 

 yet had my glass of jumping powder." 



The hounds having arrived, Mr. Compton' s guests quickly 

 dispersed in search of their steeds ; the lion of the day, on whom 

 all eyes were turned, being a great Leicestershire squire, who 

 had for many years hunted that country with a splendid pack of 

 fox-hounds, but was now settled down on his own patrimonial 

 estates. It being one of his maxims, that every fence was 

 practicable with a fall, it is almost needless to say, he was a 

 bold and fearless rider, and that no obstacle ever stopped him. 

 In stature, he was about the general standard, with a broad, 

 expansive chest, and features, if not handsome, yet manly, 

 reflecting the spirit, which was working within, of cool determi- 

 nation and undaunted courage. His seat on horseback was 

 neither studied nor graceful, but easy and careless as his manner 

 of riding across country, to which may be attributed many of 

 the severe falls he encountered, which were of such continued 

 occurrence, that he never appeared quite satisfied without his 

 general allowance of half-a-dozen per diem. 



" Oh, demmit ! " exclaimed Markham, who had been listen- 

 ing to a recital of the great squire's exploits, retailed by 

 Yernon, " what a confounded fire-eating monster he looks ! 

 he'll pound us all to-day, and ride away from Burnett and 

 Beauchamp too." 



" I hope so," replied Vernon, " and that both of them may 

 break their necks in trying to catch him." 



" Eh ! indeed, Dick, you're a nice member of the hunt, aint 

 you, to wish every man of us to be beaten by a stranger % but 



