CAPTAIN SHABBYHOUNDE 285 



would but take the trouble to observe them. 

 Nevertheless there are more savage servants in stables 

 than nine-tenths of the world imagine. 



It would be impertinent in us to trouble the 

 sagacious reader with the denouement of this deal in 

 detail. The most rusty-brained, wooden-headed cock 

 among them, must anticipate that the Captain was too 

 many for Strutt. The fact of the horse having been 

 taken out, coupled with Strutt's assertion of his vicious- 

 ness, and the Captain's wily insinuation by letter, all - 

 tended to a hasty dismissal, which was not even 

 softened by the stale trick of being allowed to give up 

 the place himself on seeing he was going to lose it. 

 Strutt was chassaed. 



Having had occasion, however, to exhibit the 

 Captain in not the most enviable colours, to avoid the 

 imputation of painting human nature "too severely 

 true," we will add something that may be placed to 

 his credit. Finding Mr. Milksop was not sufficiently 

 strong in the fork to compete with the vigorous 

 efforts of Lambkin, and knowing that his recent 

 success over Strutt would only add fresh fuel to 

 the fire of his exertions, the Captain kindly gave 

 Mr. Milksop the pick of his stud in exchange, and 

 Milksop got a very fine ^30 piece of antiquity that 

 was worth " any money," if he only stood sound. 

 Shabbyhounde's disinterested benevolence carried him 

 still further. He accommodated Mr. Milksop with Job 

 Tod, though helpers' wages had riz from twelve to 

 fourteen shillings a-week, and he could not hope to 

 supply Job's place under this latter amount. 



Job, it may be thought, was not exactly the man 

 for the heir to a peerage, but when a master has 

 been racked by the forward, loquacious, tormenting 

 impertinence of an officious, presuming puppy, he is 

 very apt to fall into the other extreme in the choice of 

 a successor, and Job, it must be admitted, was the very 

 antipodes to Strutt. Job was too old and too strongly 



