COMPARISONS INSTITUTED. 97 



and is exceecliDgly quick, without ever being in a flurry. See how 

 quietly he creeps along, always selecting the best ground for 

 his horse, whose resources he husbands to the utmost, with 

 neither whip nor spur to harass or frighten him. Again, when 

 approaching a large fence, he pulls his horse into a trot, if 

 necessary, to give him wind and strength to clear it, easing or 

 lifting him, as occasion may require. The falls he gets are very 

 few and far between, yet he is, as a huntsman ought to be, 

 always with his hounds; and as to his seat in the saddle, 

 he is a perfect centaur — man and horse appear as one animal." 



" That's all very true, Conyers," replied Burnett ; " Will 

 Beauchamp is a difficult man to beat in his own country, with 

 his horses so thoroughly made to their master's hand, and at 

 banks and stiff fences they are perfectly at home; but in 

 Leicestershire those horses would cut a poor figure, where it is 

 going from first to last without the hope of pulling up for a 

 second : nothing but thorough-bred ones can live with hounds 

 there." 



" Yery likely, Burnett ; I don't dispute that point ; but this 

 I will maintain, that Will Beauchamp, equally well horsed, 

 shall beat your hero in his own country six days out of ten 

 throughout the season. Your man is fast and furious, but in 

 rny opinion not a thorough good rider, which no one ought to 

 be called who gets such an extraordinary number of falls in a 

 season ; this, although a proof of daring, bull-dog courage, is no 

 proof, but just the reverse, of good horsemanship." 



" Well, Conyers, there is a good deal of sterling truth in 

 your remarks, and, I must add, no man entertains a better 

 opinion than I do of Will Beauchamp ; so now, as our roads 

 diverge, good night." 



CHAPTER X. 



Bob Conyers was not in words merely, but in deeds also, the 

 firm friend of Will Beauchamp ; and accordingly on the follow- 

 ing Tuesday, we find him at Throseby Hall, sitting with Mrs. 

 Harcourt in her drawing-room, in the hope of eliciting some 

 information about the invitation to Marston Castle, which he 

 knew had been received the previous day ; but that lady 

 evincing no disposition to enlighten him on the subject, Conyers 

 hazarded an experiment at drawing the badger, which fully 



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