78 THE EARLY DAYS OF 



Accordingly, attended by our respective supporters, we appeared 

 on the Marlborough Downs — It must have been sometime sub- 

 sequent to my friend Beauchamp's visit — and selecting two rough 

 looking nags, with due ceremony we mounted, and trotted up and 

 down amid much conflicting criticism. The captain said the 

 proper test was to see how far we could surmount obstacles on 

 horseback ; and accordingly he led us to a formidable five-barred 

 gate, which I would have much preferred to climb over on my feet. 

 Just as the captain was giving the word to start, a fearful scream 

 was heard to proceed from an old woman in a red cloak, with a 

 basket of eggs upon her arm, who stood in the middle of a 

 group of outsiders looking on. This, sounded like a reprieve to my 

 ears, for I felt certain I should break my neck. But the captain 

 looked sternly round, and asked what the old woman was making 

 all that row about, whilst she evidently confident of holding her 

 own in repartee, declared that we both would certainly be killed. 



" Killed ! " indignantly exclaimed one of the other lads who was 

 not riding, " Why, missus, don't you suppose we go out hunting 

 when we are at home ? " 



" Hunting \ " the old lady cried, looking her interrogator all over. 

 "Hunting ! " repeated she. " No ! not unless it may be a cat or a 

 mouse in your ma's kitchen." 



Amid the loud laughter which followed this withering retort, the 

 owner of my nag, who was very drunk, ordered me to dismount, as 

 he intended showing us how we ought to ride. But no sooner did 

 he get up on one side then he tumbled over flat upon his back upon 

 the other, to the great enjoyment of the crowd, and when he 

 regained his legs, which he did with difficulty, he declared that such 

 an exhibition was worth money, and he began going round to collect 

 subscriptions in his hat. This of course had the effect of making 

 the crowd disperse, and as our captain was among the first to go, 

 both my rival and myself were not long in following his example. 

 Judging by my own feelings, and the faces and demeanour of my 

 friends, there is no doubt that the old lady in the red cloak had 



