CHAPTER XXV. 



THAWING. 



HILST the frost is giving, the earth being 

 released from the stern grip of Jack Frost, 

 that enemy to hunting, until horses are fit 

 to go after their enforced spell of idle- 

 ness, it is necessary to find something to while away 

 the tedious hours. Fully impressed with the fact that 

 idleness is the root of much evil, I wandered in search 

 of adventure. 



The road and footways were covered with ice and 

 snow, and I speedily found myself sprawling on the 

 ground, amidst a group of sympathising spectators, 

 shoe-blacks who wanted to brush me, old Avomen who 

 said it might have been worse, and benevolent indi- 

 viduals who were anxious to uphold me. And after 

 all, Avhat is a fall ? True it is, that an elderly party 

 of sixteen stone lying on the broad of his back is 

 placed in a somewhat humiliating position. But what 

 of that ? bigger men than I have fallen. " Great Ceesar 

 fell. Oh what a fall was there, my countrymen ! " says 

 Shakespeare ; but he doesn't say whether he was 

 much bruised ; I was, all over. 



But let this pass, for my wandering thoughts were 

 recalled in an instant on beholding a man on horse- 



