IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 61 



bought one in the country ; I rode him to town — 

 only a few miles, and he fell ; he was not blemished 

 and I returned him. The man would not believe my 

 story ; he fancied, as they often pretend, that I re- 

 turned him from caprice, and was dissatisfied, I 

 offered to keep the horse on one condition — that he 

 should ride with me a mile over the stones at my 

 pace ; if he did not stumble, I would have him. He 

 readily assented ; we mounted, and set off at a 

 moderate trot. 



^' There never was a surer-footed horse in England 

 — stones or sward." 



But scarcely were the words out of his mouth, 

 before the animal gave him the lie direct, blemished 

 his own knees irretrievably, and, as if by way of 

 appropriate rebuke, caused his rider almost to bite 

 his tongue off in the fall ! The horse had a running 

 thrush. 



