BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK, 



thing for London work. I'll have them round 

 at the hotel for you in ten minutes." 



We were conscious of social shrinkage as the 

 work for which we required the ponies was ex- 

 plained ; a fortnight's road work in Wales, with 

 the proviso that the animals would have to carry 

 packs — " large packs," added Miss O'Flannigan — 

 held a suggestion of bagmen, not to say tinkers. 

 But Mrs Williams' stable sank unhesitatingly to 

 the level of our needs. She had yet another 

 pony, three years old, thirteen hands high, steady, 

 "and bin ridden with the Yeomanry," she ended, 

 reassuringly. 



From the eye that Miss O'Flannigan cast upon 

 me I knew that her mind was, like mine, occupied 

 with a vision of the Yeomanry mounted, like 

 cyclists, on "dwarf-safeties," and we ventured to 

 ask whether the St Bernard, whose eyes gleamed 

 from the dark corner of the shop where he lay, 

 pantingly protruding a tongue like a giant slice 

 of ham, had been ridden during the training. 

 The jest had a high success, and a suetty giggle 



