22 6 WOLF-HUNTING. 



seeing the fun. " Kenwyn has fully informed M. Johnson of the 

 horse's tricks ; and the only answer he made was, ' I should like 

 to see him try them on with me, that's all.' So now, if his neck 

 is broken, it will be clearly his business, not Kenwyn's." 



At that instant St. Prix's drag rattled up to the doors of the 

 hotel, and a general move taking place, we were quickly brought 

 face to face with Mr. Johnson, who for the last five minutes had 

 become the subject of some curiosity to all of us. There was 

 the man, then, seated low in his saddle, apparently as uncon- 

 cerned and as much at home as if he had been mounted on one 

 of old Tilbury's park hacks, instead of a brute whose eye was as 

 wicked as Waterton's cayman. His hunting attire, however, was 

 simply awful : top-boots and yellowish cord breeches, a green coat 

 with basket buttons, a red waistcoat and a bright blue bird's-eye 

 throat-lash, with a black velvet cap above all, encased his body 

 in a medley of colours, strangely inharmonious ; nevertheless, 

 with that love of parti-coloured paraphernalia which, in their 

 hunting costume, is not unfrequently exhibited by our neighbours, 

 his "get-up" appeared to attract unbounded admiration among 

 the crowd of Bretons now gathering around him on every side. 



"Where on earth does the fellow come from? and what can 

 he be ? " inquired Shafto, half indignant that so questionable a 

 specimen of his countrymen should be described as an English 

 gentleman. " He looks as if he had escaped from Portland or 

 some other convict establishment." 



The man's countenance, however, had more of the knave 

 than the ruffian in it, with something about the glint of his eye, 

 expressive at once of broad humour and intense cunning. I was 

 so attracted at first by his extraordinary costume that for some 

 moments I did not observe his face ; but when at length I looked 

 up and caught his eye, and then heard him address St. Prix in 

 that broad franc-patois peculiar to Jersey, I immediately recog- 

 nised the individual as a livery-stable keeper, with whom I had 



