Mr. Samuel Shrub. 



77 



take place but in the largest room of the Daisyfield 

 Arms? 



Where does our race committee arrange the plans for 

 its annual spring meeting, and receive its entries, forfeits, 

 &c. ? Why, at the Daisyfield Arms, to be sure. 



(Secretary and Clerk of the Course, Mr. Samuel Shrub.) 



Then — Should that reckless soldier. Captain Wildoats, 

 of the Bays ("Timber " Wildoats, as he is called, because 

 of his partiality for riding over five-barred gates, posts 

 and rails, and hog-backed stiles whenever he gets a chance), 

 break a collar-bone, and a rib or two, as is not seldom the 

 case with him, in the course of his day's amusement — what 

 becomes of the gallant officer ? Is he conveyed in a faint- 

 ing state by the next train back to town? or is he taken to 

 the Swan or the Angel ? Not a bit of it. Mr. Samuel 

 Shrub takes precious good care of that. It is the ancient 

 cognac from that worthy man's flask that brings the 

 captain to after his cropper. He it is, and none other, 

 who rides in person beside the fly which conveys the 

 damaged captain back to Bullerton, and, in fact, does not 

 let him out of his sight until he sees him snugly ensconced 

 in the funereal-looking, but comfortable four-poster, in the 

 state room of the Daisyfield Arms. The doctor of the 

 place and Mr. Shrub then rub their hands with mutual 

 satisfaction, for it is at least a three weeks' job. Not so 

 mine hosts of the Angel and the Swan, who abuse freely 

 that '* dashed impostor," as they irreverently call Shrub, 

 and his tricks and his dodges, over their brandy and water 

 that evening. 



It is an impressive sight to see the air with which he 

 carries round the plate in church (for Mr. Shrub is a 

 churchwarden, and much respected, as they say, by the 



