32 THE ADVENTURES OP A GENTLEMAN 



I cared not a sous whether she dropped colts or 

 fillies, so long as she did not drop me. 



" Do you warrant her, Sir ?" 



'' Warrant her ! to be sure : I'll warrant her to fly 

 with you." 



"Will you warrant her sound?" 



" Tickleback soun4 ! why she's as well known at 

 Tattersall's as myself! ! !" 



I was by no means satisfied, but in decency I 

 could press the point no farther ; I liked her looks, 

 and thought the best policy was to assume that his 

 intentions were good. I told him I would send a 

 check by my servant, and would trouble him to send 

 back a receipt with the usual warranty, and left him. 

 In a couple of hours John brought home the mare 

 and the receipt. "How does she go, John?" 

 "Pretty well. Sir." I saw the rascal was drunk, 

 and asked him for the receipt. He fumbled first in 

 this pocket and then in the other, and at last pro- 

 duced an unstamped acknowledgment for the money, 

 but not a word of warranty ! The next morning, 

 when sober, he owned that "the gentleman" had 

 given him half a crown, and "the gentleman's" 

 groom had helped him to spend it ! The rest was 



